The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is set to auction various items from the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division.
Toshakhana is a word of Persian origin that literally translates into “treasure-house”. In Mughal ruled India, Toshakhana was a place where princes stored gifts and emblems of honour that they received for their posterity, whereas in modern times, it is where gifts received from foreign dignitaries or countries are kept.
The items being auctioned by the government range from an L.U. Chopard watch worth Rs17.5 million (Rs1 crore and 75 lacs) and a Rolex watch worth Rs3.5 million (35 lacs) to a Rs600,000 gold-coloured gun.
A diamond set worth Rs14.827 million, which includes a necklace costing Rs8.3 million (83 lacs), earrings worth Rs966,900, a Rs382,300 ring and a Rs5.17 million (5.1 lacs) bangle, is also being auctioned.
The items will be available only for the officers of the federal government and armed forces to bid on when the auction starts on November 4, a Cabinet Division notification said.
TOSHAKHANA REFERENCE:
Meanwhile, a corruption case involving the Toshakhana is also ongoing.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has accused former president Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif of getting cars from ex-PM Yousaf Raza Gillani in an illegal way.
While an accountability court has ordered to seize properties and assets, including cars and bank accounts, of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in the said case, NAB says Zardari only paid 15 per cent cost of the said cars and that too through fake accounts.
“Libya and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also gifted him [Zardari] cars when he was serving as the president,” a NAB prosecutor told the court last month, claiming that Zardari kept these cars for personal use instead of submitting them to the Toshakhana, which is must as per law.
