‘I have paid back the total value of the gifts which I retained’: Ahsan Iqbal

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has announced that he has paid back the total value of the gifts which he retained from Toshakhana- when his party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was in power in 2018.

In a letter written to the Cabinet Secretary Amir Ashraf Khawaja, Iqbal mentioned that he had taken three gifts from Toshakhana — a Rolex gents watch, a Rolex ladies’ watch and a carpet.

The planning minister deposited a payment of Rs1,991,000 to the national kitty through a cheque.

There was nothing unlawful done but for the sake of dispelling any misgiving I have paid back the total value of the gifts which I retained. pic.twitter.com/XbI6bfota2

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) March 13, 2023

Iqbal said that even though he is “not required to make any additional payment for the same”, he is paying the remaining amount to dispel “any misplaced allegation or even an iota of doubt that I wrongfully benefitted from the gifts”.

In February, Ahsan Iqbal returned the V8 vehicle he had been allotted and asked the govt to give a him a smaller car, citing the economic crunch in the country as his reason for returning the fuel-guzzling SUV.