The federal government has shared details of gifts retained by the country’s rulers as the controversy over the state depository gifts sold by ousted prime minister Imran Khan becomes a much-debated topic.
The 446-page report opened a new pandora box as top state figures including President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PPP leader Asif Zardari, ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf, former prime ministers Shaukat Aziz, Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, and former ministers Sheikh Rashid, Jehangir Tarin and Shah Mehmood Qureshi received gifts worth millions.
It was in 2005, during Pervez Mushraf’s era, when 475 gifts were received while the least number of gifts were received in 2020 during the government of Imran Khan.
Pervez Musharraf
The data shared by the federal cabinet shows the value of the gifts given to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2004 was more than Rs 6 million.
The former Army Chief received a hand full of watches and jewelry boxes at different times which he had kept after paying less than half of the original cost. The wife of former COAS Sehba Musharraf also received a jewellery box valued at over a million.
Shaukat Aziz
PML-Q leader Shaukat Aziz received a watch worth Rs0.85 million which was auctioned for Rs355,000. Aziz, a close of Musharaff, kept a cache of gifts without paying the needed amount. Several gifts were kept by showing their value to be under Rs10,000.
Asif Ali Zardari
PPP leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari received a watch worth Rs500,000 that he kept. In 2009, the seasoned politician received two luxurious vehicles which cost over 80 million. Another Toyota Lexus worth Rs50 million was procured.
BMW car, which originally costs over Rs27 million, was kept by paying Rs4 million. In 2011, he kept a watch valued at Rs1 million after paying Rs0.15 million for it. A Corum wristwatch costing over Rs1.25 million kept paying mere Rs189,219 and another expensive watch valued over Rs1 million kept paying Rs321,000.
Yousuf Raza Gilani
PPP leader Yousuf Raza Gilani’s wife, Fauzia Gilani, retained a Rs2 million jewelery set after paying Rs326,043 in 2009.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
Former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf kept a Graff wristwatch assessed at Rs890,000 in 2012 by paying a mere Rs218,000.
Nawaz Sharif
PML-N supremo and ousted premier Nawaz Sharif kept a luxury car valued over Rs4 million in 2008 by paying Rs0.6 million. An expensive wristwatch costing Rs1.18 million was retained paying Rs243,000.
Another watch was kept by Rs240,000 while its original price was around over Rs1 million in 2015. A similar souvenir worth Rs2 million, a ring valued at Rs19.5 million and a cufflink valuing at Rs16 million were kept paying Rs7.6 million.
Late Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of the former premier received a bracelet worth Rs12 million and a necklace with earrings valued at Rs41.6 million by paying Rs10.8 million. The three-time PM retained a Dela Cour watch worth Rs3.2 million, a ring valued at Rs8 million, and a pair of cufflinks costing Rs5 million after paying Rs3.2 million.
Two more watches that cost over Rs2 million were kept by paying Rs0.5mn. Nawaz’s son also kept an expensive watch valued at nearly a million after paying Rs186,000. PML-N chief retained a diamond necklace valued at Rs1 million by paying Rs0.2 million.
In 2017, he retained another watch costing Rs4 million paying less than 1 million.
Imran Khan
The populist leader, who is facing scores of cases including receiving gifts from state depository at unreal prices received a Graff wristwatch worth staggering Rs85 million, a pair of cufflinks valuing Rs5.6 million, a pen worth Rs1.5 million and a ring costing Rs8.75 million by paying one fifth of the total amount which is around Rs20 million.
Two Rolex watches cost millions were retained by paying Rs294,000. The outspoken politician retained another wristwatch cost nearly a million after paying Rs0.33 million. In 2019, another watch valued at Rs1.9 million was retained after paying also half of the price.
In 2020, the PTI chief retained the Rolex watch, valued at Rs4.4 million, by paying over Rs2 million. Khan’s third wife Bushra Bibi kept a necklace valued at Rs10 million, a bracelet worth Rs2.4 million, a ring costing Rs2.8 million and a pair of earrings assessed at Rs1.85 million by paying Rs9 million.
Arif Alvi
Sitting President Dr. Arif Alvi retained an expensive watch costing Rs2.5 million after paying half price. His wife holds a necklace worth Rs1.19 million after paying Rs0.86 million.
