Marriyum says Imran sold foreign gifts worth millions in market
ISLAMABAD
The federal government has denied reports that it has suspended public welfare initiatives taken by ousted premier Imran Khan’s government for the poor in the country.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb denied this. She stated that in his first address to the National Assembly after being elected, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif made it clear that public service projects would continue.
“Lies are being spread by those who are accustomed to lying from the prime minister’s chair. The media is also requested to refrain from giving space to such baseless reports,” she stated. She said that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) will be further expanded as the premier has decided to make BISP a source of education for children. “No programme has been stopped, every project for the welfare of the people will be further improved”, she added.
The PML-N spokesperson furthered that the health card would continue to function and efforts are being made to improve upon its service. She said, “Today there is an elected prime minister in the country who cares about the people, who is generous to the people and has a passion to serve them”. The spokesperson said the premier would not be one to “use public and national security issues for personal politics”.
She accused former prime minister Imran Khan of selling gifts worth millions of rupees received from foreign governments. “He [Imran Khan] bought cufflinks, a ring and a watch for Rs20 million from Toshakhana (gift depository) and sold it for Rs180 million in the market,” she added. “Gold-plated Kalashankof is also missing and it will be recovered from Bani Gala [residence of former PM Imran].” Marriyum said the former PTI-led government under the guise of national security refused to reveal the details of Toshakhana because “they sold gifts” received from the foreign dignitaries in the market.
The previous government on several occasions refused to provide details of foreign gifts received by then PM Imran and approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to stop the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) from making the details of the gifts public. The government maintained that the disclosure of any information related to Toshakhana would jeopardise international ties.
Toshakhana is a department under the administrative control of the Cabinet Division. Established in 1974, it stores precious gifts given to rulers, parliamentarians, bureaucrats and officials by heads of other governments, states and foreign dignitaries. It is mandatory that gifts of a certain value are kept in Toshakhana. However, officials can keep these gifts provided they pay a certain percentage of the price assessed by the Toshakhana evaluation committee.
Speaking about other issues, the spokesperson said the chief military spokesperson Major General Babar Iftikhar has exposed the “lies” of PTI chief Imran that the US had orchestrated his ouster from power. “For the first time in country’s history the corrupt rulers were removed from power through constitutional means and today all institutions are working independently,” she added.
