Toshakhana case: What expensive gifts Imran Khan 'sold' for profit
In a major setback to Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, an Islamabad trial court sentenced him to three years of imprisonment in the Toshakhana corruption case. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supremo was also disqualified from politics for five years—unless the ruling is reversed, he cannot contest the upcoming general elections scheduled for November. Khan has 37 cases against him, including the Toshakhana case.
Why does this story matter?
Pakistan's Toshakhana is where special and expensive gifts that have been given to heads of state, bureaucrats, parliamentarians, and other top officials are stored. Foreign officials and governments often present these gifts to such top officials. Khan is accused of purchasing costly gifts he received during his tenure as a PM (2018-22) at a reduced price from Toshakhana and selling them for a profit.
Khan accused of selling gifts worth $36 million for profit
Khan has reportedly been accused of selling gifts worth $36 million in violation of the guidelines established for Pakistani prime ministers. Some of the gifts retained by Khan from Toshakhana include three expensive watches—including a Graff one and a Rolex watch—and jewelry such as a diamond ring and a pair of gold earrings. He is accused of "deliberately concealing" details of gifts he retained.
Cost of expensive gifts Khan took from Toshakhana
Khan allegedly paid just PKR 20 million to keep a Graff wristwatch worth PKR 85 million, a set of cufflinks for PKR 5.6 million, a pen worth PKR 1.5 million, and a ring worth PKR 8.75 million in September 2018. He also kept two Rolex watches valued at PKR 1.5 million and PKR 900,000 for which he paid PKR 294,000 and PKR 338,600, respectively.
Khan's wife kept expensive gifts worth PKR 17 million
Khan reportedly kept a boxed watch (worth PKR 1.9 million) in October 2019 for PKR 935,000. Another Rolex (PKR 4.4 million) and several other gifts were retained in September 2020 for PKR 2.4 million. The same month, his wife—Bushra Bibi—retained costly items worth roughly PKR 17 million for only PKR 9 million, including a necklace, a bracelet, a ring, and a set of earrings.
Top politicians figure in Toshakhana records
Pakistan earlier released a 466-page record of Toshakhana from 2002 to March 2023, documenting all the gifts retained by all the former rulers, cabinet members, politicians, bureaucrats, retired generals, judges, and journalists. The details were updated on Pakistan's Cabinet Division's website. Prominent personalities who benefited from the Toshakhana gifts included PM Shehbaz Sharif, former PM Nawaz Sharif, and former President Pervez Musharraf, among others.
