President, PM, others return gifts to Toshakhana

ISLAMABAD: Presi­dent Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and other federal cabinet members received dozens of gifts from foreign dignitaries this year, with the items being deposited in Toshakhana.

The information ministry recently issued details of gifts received by the premier, deputy premier and other officials over the past three months, as the cabinet division also made available on its official website records of gifts received by officeholders since 2002 although the names of foreign dignitaries who presented the gifts were not disclosed.

Following the release of the latest Toshakhana rec­o­rds, Information Mini­ster Attaullah Tarar told Dawn that the government periodically publishes details of gifts received by officials and that the latest information covered the previous three months.

Interestingly, the cabinet division’s website, while releasing details of gifts, mentioned that the evaluation [of these gifts] was under process.

A disclaimer issued by the cabinet division said, “This data/list is provided on federal government dir­ections as per the rec­ord available and is based on the information/gifts decl­a­red or deposited by the persons and departments responsible for it under the policy prevalent at that time. The cabinet division is not responsible for any error or omissions made by those individuals/departments.”

Tarar said the government regularly uploads details of deposited gifts and that the complete information was available on the portal. “We upload [details of gifts] periodically. All deposited gifts are uploaded, and the whole information is on the portal,” he said, adding that the published records included gifts received by the president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, ministers and government officers.

“The only information we do not reveal is the name of the dignitary who has gifted,” he remarked.

According to these records, President Zardari received a tea set and a sword on Jan 2. The president’s other gifts included a golden desert model, a woollen overcoat, a Vacheron Constantin Geneve wristwatch, a decoration piece, a ceremonial sabre set, a chessboard, a decorative serving bowl and an oil painting.

First lady Assefa Bhutto-Zardari and her sister, Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, each received a necklace on Jan 20 and a jewellery set on Feb 10. The first lady also received a Kumis set.

PM Shehbaz received a shield and a souvenir on Jan 5, as well as a portrait, multiple shields, a tie, frames, swords, and a box containing a necklace, a ring and an earring. Other gifts include a Rolex watch bearing the numbers 55370 and model 126300 and serial number M8R25782; a second Rolex watch with the number 53286; a coin; a traditional dress; a box containing a Patek Philippe watch with the model number 7808546; a clock model; a sugar bowl; a car model; and various cups, models, pens and cufflinks.

Deputy PM Dar received a decoration piece and a traditional Chinese stamp on Jan 12. His other gifts included a Burmese string puppet, a traditional Myanmar culture frame, a Rolex watch with the model number 9G16J077, a vase, a medal, a Chinese leather belt, an Egyptian statue, a pen and a cufflink set.

Federal Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema received a book titled “Uzbekistan” and a T-shirt on Jan 12, while Economic Affairs Secretary M. Humair Karim received a superior ballpoint pen the same day. Tarar received a Rolex watch with the serial number 21E53170.

Among the presidential staff, Zardari’s military secretary received a Rolex watch with the model number F99254CO on Jan 20, the chief security officer received an IWC wristwatch, and the ADC (Air) received an Omega wristwatch. The principal staff officer and the spokesperson for the president also received a wristwatch each.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq received a large ceramic jar, while Senator Saleem Mandviwalla received a Bvlgari watch.

NAB Chairman retired Lt Gen Nazir Ahmed received a wristwatch and an INTERPOL commemorative centenary book. Deputy Chief of State Protocol Hafeezullah received a Tag Heuer watch. Other officials receiving gifts included Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, who received a Rolex watch with the serial number 52984286 and a hand-chased tea set on March 5. Mosharraf Ali Zaidi, the prime minister’s spokesperson on foreign media, received a Tag Heuer watch on March 9, while Special Assistant to PM on Industries and Production Haroon Akhter received a hand-chased tea set plated with 24-karat gold mixed in Uzbekistan.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2026



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