ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday decided not to retain any foreign gifts and ordered that all precious gifts, received by him during his foreign visits, would be permanently displayed at PM House.
According to an official source, “The Prime Minister does not wish to retain any of the gift Items presented to him during his visits to Saudi Arabia and UAE dated 28 – 30 April, 2022.”
The prime minister also decided that as a policy, all precious gifts be taken on charge by Toshakhana and consequently be permanently displayed at Prime Minister House. The gifts would be displayed in secure display cabinets, equipped with alarm system, under responsibility of the Toshakhana.
The source said that in the first phase, five such cabinets dedicated to each country including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey and China be prepared to showcase the gifts received from respective countries.
The prime minister also instructed to put on display the gifts he had received during his visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE on April 28-30, 2022. The gifts included one wrist watch (A. LANGE & SOHNE Datograph Fly back- No.242655), pair of cufflinks (Chopard), One Pen (Chopard), One Ring (Chopard) and One Rosary/Tasbeeh (Chopard).
The gifts also included a wrist watch “Rolex” (model No. 326259TBR-Sr No.(85C423E3). The two diamond studded wrist watches deposited by the prime minister valued Rs 270 million with one valuing Rs 100 million and the other Rs 170 million.
The prime minister directed the authorities concerned to make arrangements to display the gifts to acquaint the masses about the fraternal ties with the friendly countries. The wrist watches received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his visit to Gulf countries were far costlier than the ones received by predecessor Imran Khan.
While being Punjab chief minister, Shehbaz Sharif had also been depositing all the foreign gifts with Toshakhana during last 10 years and also set similar example while being the prime minister.