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| Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan Getty Image |
The Tosha Khana reference hearing against former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in the Election Commission has been postponed till August 22.
On Thursday, a five-member bench headed by the Chief Election Commissioner conducted the preliminary hearing of the reference.
During the hearing, petitioner Mohsin Ranjha's lawyer Khalid Ishaq appeared, while Barrister Gohar appeared before the Election Commission on behalf of Imran Khan.
Imran Khan's lawyer Barrister Gauhar asked in the Election Commission's hearing that a copy of the reference should be provided to him. Barrister Gohar said that Imran Khan is not a member of the National Assembly, he cannot get notice. On this Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said that Imran Khan is a member of the National Assembly before the Election Commission.
He remarked in the hearing that 'It is being said that the Election Commission is not accepting the resignation, let's see which resignation has been sent by the Deputy Speaker.'
The Chief Election Commissioner said that 'we have received the resignations of nine members and we have de-notified them all. Postponed till August.
It should be noted that because of this reference, the sword of the same constitutional article is hanging over the head of Imran Khan, according to which the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was expelled from parliamentary politics for life as a result of the court decision.
Muslim League-N Member National Assembly Barrister Mohsin Nawaz Ranjha had filed a reference against Imran Khan to the Speaker National Assembly under Article 63 (2) of the Constitution, in which it was said that Imran Khan bought gifts from the official Tosha Khana but did not disclose the assets in the declarations submitted to the Election Commission, thus they are 'malfeasance', hence they should be disqualified under Article 62 One (f) of the Constitution.
It should be noted that these allegations have been denied by PTI leaders.
This reference reached the Election Commission this month, after which the Election Commission of Pakistan allotted it for hearing today.
The Toshah Khana scandal has been in the news for a long time due to allegations that Imran Khan and his wife, former first lady Bushra Bibi, bought gifts from the Toshah Khana and sold them at cheap prices.
It is important to note here that gifts are bought from Tosha Khana and they have full legal protection, however, certain circles believe that selling gifts is morally wrong. However, Imran Khan has said about this that 'My gift, my will'.
What is in the reference?
According to the copy of this reference available to the BBC, the petitioner has said that Imran Khan was legally required to declare all assets of himself, his wife and dependents to the Election Commission at the end of every financial year without concealment. Submitted in Pakistan.
The document also alleges that Imran Khan 'deliberately' hid the gifts taken from the Tosha Khana and that he has 'accepted as stated in various media reports that he sold these gifts. But their sale was also hidden in the documents of the Election Commission.
According to the document, former Prime Minister Imran Khan received a total of 58 boxes as gifts containing various items during his government. These gifts were obtained by Imran Khan by paying 20% and later 50% from Tosha Khana.
Many of them cost less than 30,000, so according to the law, they could get these gifts for free, while gifts worth more than 30,000 were paid 20 percent of the cost.
What gifts did Imran Khan buy?
Among the gifts taken during the first two months of the government is a graph watch worth 85 million, while other gifts included in the same pack include cufflinks (5670 thousand), a pen (15 lakh) and a Rings (8750 thousand) were also included. Imran Khan deposited more than two crore rupees for these four items and kept these gifts.
Similarly, a Rolex watch worth 38 lakhs, Imran Khan bought it for 7.5 lakhs. Another Rolex watch valued at Rs 15 lakh was bought by the former prime minister for around Rs 2.5 lakh.
Similarly, on another occasion, a box containing watches and cuff links etc. was worth 49 lakhs, half of which was paid, while a set of jewelery was bought for 90 lakhs, which cost more than 180 lakhs. had gone
According to the documents, the watch that was allegedly sold was also not listed in the EC returns.
It should be noted that this watch was taken as a gift by former first lady Bushra Bibi during her first visit to Saudi Arabia. It is said to be worth 85 million, which was taken after a 20 percent payment from Toshakhana.
What is Tosha Khana?
You will be hearing the name of Tosha Khana or State Repository again and again nowadays. It is actually a department where valuable gifts received by rulers or other high officials on visits to other states are collected.
During any foreign visit, the officials of the Ministry of External Affairs register these gifts and on returning to the country, they are deposited in the Tosha Khana.
Gifts collected here are kept as souvenirs or sold with the approval of the Cabinet.
According to the laws of Pakistan, if a gift is worth less than 30 thousand rupees, the person receiving the gift can keep it free of charge.
Gifts worth more than 30,000 can be purchased by depositing 50% of the fixed price.Before 2020, this value was 20 percent.
These gifts usually include expensive watches, gold and diamond jewellery, various decoration pieces, souvenirs, diamond studded pens, crockery and rugs.
What is the procedure for auctioning these gifts?
According to Muhammad Azam, correspondent of The Time News Today, the gifts deposited by the rulers in the Tosha Khana can be sold only under the rules made by the government.
If a head of state wants, he can keep a gift he receives by paying a certain amount, but in Pakistan and India such gifts are also auctioned and the money obtained from it goes to the state treasury.
According to the Cabinet Division officials, this auction is supposed to be held every year but it is not possible because during the visits of the heads of state and ministers there are not enough gifts to hold the auction every year.
Explaining the procedure for registering the gifts received by the Heads of State and Ministers in the Tosha Khana, the officials said that during any foreign visit, the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs register these gifts and they are registered in the Tosha Khana when they return to the country. are deposited in the box, after which their market value is determined regularly from the State Bank. According to the authorities, if the heads of state or ministers do not keep these gifts, then a list of these gifts should be prepared and they should be confiscated according to the official rules. Employees and army officers are offered for auction.
The auction price is again determined by the FBR and the State Bank and some of these items are priced slightly below the market value while some of the gifts received from a particular head of state are valued. And under premium value they are priced higher than the market.
According to the Toshakhana rules, the first claim on these gifts is to the one who receives the gift, if they do not take it, then an auction is held for government employees and army personnel. If the items are left over from this auction, they are auctioned to the general public.
Any military or government employee who buys these valuables has to declare their sources of income and pay applicable taxes.
Which former rulers are facing cases for taking gifts from Toshakhona?
Three former rulers of Pakistan are currently facing trials for illegally receiving gifts from the tomb.
They include former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif, Yusuf Raza Gilani and former President Asif Ali Zardari.
The illegal purchase of valuable cars from Tosha Khana became the special reference of NAB, in which the two major parties of the country, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, accused the central leadership of collusion, nexus and partnership. The accused has been named in the same reference.
According to NAB reference, when Yusuf Raza Gilani was the Prime Minister, he relaxed the rules and allowed former President Asif Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to buy vehicles from Tosha Khana.
The Accountability Court of Islamabad has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif in the case of illegal purchase of vehicles gifted from the government Tosha Khana.
According to the reference of NAB, Asif Zardari as the president has bought the armored car BMW 750 'Li' 2005, Lexus Jeep 2007 and BMW 760 Li 2008 gifted from Libya from Tosha Khana.
NAB has claimed that Asif Zardari has paid the price of these valuable vehicles from money laundering fake bank accounts.
The reference also mentions the details of the bank accounts from which Asif Zardari has allegedly made payments.
According to the reference, Asif Zardari is using these vehicles himself instead of depositing them in Tosha Khana, he preferred personal interest over public interest.
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