Govt announces new Toshakhana rules, discourage officials from accepting gifts

Under the new rules, gifts that cannot be refused because of diplomatic conventions or cultural sensitivities must be handed over to Toshakhana. Recipients are required to declare and deposit such gifts within 30 days of receiving them.

In the case of an official foreign visit, the deadline will be counted from the date of the recipient’s return to Pakistan. Gifts shipped separately to Pakistan may be deposited within 60 days. Employees in BS-1 to BS-4 have been allowed to retain cash awards from visiting dignitaries where refusing such awards could cause offence.

The rules provide that gifts currently held in Toshakhana, as well as those received in the future, will generally be disposed of through open auctions conducted by the Cabinet Division after approval from the relevant committee. Auction proceedings will also receive live media coverage arranged through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The auction is expected to take place every two years, although it must be conducted at least once during each financial year. Public office holders and their family members will be barred from participating. Certain categories of gifts will not be auctioned, including antiques and items with cultural or historical importance.

Precious gifts and items considered diplomatically or internationally sensitive, including presents received from foreign heads of state or governments, will also remain outside the auction process. The proceeds from the auctions will be placed in a dedicated account and used to support primary education for girls in the country's most underdeveloped areas.

The relevant federal education ministry will manage the account, while the funds must be distributed within six months of being deposited, subject to prior approval from the prime minister. The rules also permit the use of approved generative artificial intelligence systems, authorised by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, as a reference for determining the value of gifts.

A Cabinet Division officer of at least BS-20 rank will oversee the security and record-keeping of Toshakhana gifts. The storage facility will also be required to have physical locking mechanisms and CCTV surveillance.