Pakistan has witnessed several controversy about the gifts received from foreign dignitaries, often named Toshakhana (state gift storage). Last year, former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, was sentenced to 14 years in prison in relation to a Toshakhana reference roof.
In response, the federal government has prepared new rules on Toshakhana, which includes a proposal to ban state or government officials from accepting gifts during foreign trips.
These new rules, once approved by the federal cabinet, require Pakistani diplomats abroad to ensure the implementation of this policy in the countries where they are stationed.
During a briefing to Parliament’s Public Accounting Committee, Kamran Ali Afzal explained that under the current rules it is accepted that gifts are accepted during foreign trips.
However, a comprehensive new policy is formulated, suggesting that officials should not accept gifts during these trips. Afzal added that countries around the world have different policies in Toshakhana.
“In the Middle East countries, the law of Toshakhana is liberal, while in the US and Britain there are limits to the value of gifts that can be accepted,” he said.
Analysts claim that the direct rejection or ban on receiving gifts from foreign nations is contrary to diplomatic norms. Instead, they are in favor of transparency in the system of depositing and buying gifts through Toshakhana.
Analyst Majid Nizami stated that the exchange of gifts between the head of state and during diplomatic meetings is a long -lasting tradition.
“To avoid disputes it is not a solution to prohibit gifts according to such rules; instead, there is a need to make the system to deposit and buy gifts in Toshakhana more transparent,” he said.
Nizami also clarified that heads of state receive gifts because of their position, not because of their personal identity. “Gifts received from abroad are a representation of the state, not the individual,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of transparency in the Toshakhana system, especially to determine the value of gifts that should be based on their actual value.
“There is nothing wrong with receiving or giving gifts. The government should establish clear rules for receiving gifts and buying them from Toshakhana, thereby removing any ambiguity,” Nizami added.
According to Rana Ghulam Qadir, a journalist and analyst who monitors Toshakhana-related questions, the controversy around the Toshakhana rules began as the former head of state was allowed to pay part of the value of foreign gifts to preserve them, while gifts at low value could be kept without payment. This privilege was widely used by government officials.
Qadir noted that the Pakistani Democratic Movement (PDM) government had made Toshakhana rules stricter, which required officials to deposit expensive gifts that exceed a certain value in Toshakhana and pay for low value gifts if they wanted to keep them.
Qadir also criticized the new proposal to prevent heads of state from receiving gifts and called it against diplomatic etiquette. “It is not only our leaders who refrain from accepting gifts abroad; we also present gifts to foreign dignitaries who visit Pakistan,” he argued.
He suggested that instead of stopping practice, the government should focus on ensuring that all gifts received are transparent in Toshakhana.
He also suggested that the government auction the gifts stored in Toshakhana and deposits the revenue in the national treasury. The funds could then be used to present gifts to foreign visitors who come to Pakistan.
