Islamabad High Court on Wednesday ordered the government to release the details of official gifts it had received during the tenure of former prime minister Imran Khan who has been facing charges of selling some of those gifts as “personal properties.” The order came in response to a petition filed months ago seeking to challenge the decision of the then government led by Imran Khan to keep the details of gifts he had received from foreign leaders secret.

Khan, who was voted out of power by Parliament last week, has been facing allegations of misusing the Toshakhana, a  repository of gifts received by a head of state from his/her foreign counterparts. He had reportedly sold the state gifts, worth over $770,000, including expensive watches, bracelets, and diamond jewelry.

Khan had admitted buying some of these gifts and then selling those as he said they had become his personal property. On Wednesday, the Islamabad High Court observed that there should not be a policy of buying these state gifts by paying a meager sum, The Express Tribune said.

Gifts given to government officials by foreign governments belong to the state of Pakistan, not some individuals. “These gifts are not meant for taking home,” the court observed.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also confirmed that Khan sold some state gifts given by foreign leaders.

While in power, the Khan government had been opposing efforts to make the details public. It is only after losing power, he admitted these charges. But he maintained that he had not done anything wrong.
(SAM)