PML-N’s leaders lambast Imran Khan for selling Toshakhana gifts

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Wednesday lambasted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for selling the gifts of Toshakhana.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Attaullah Tarar said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would investigate the sale of the rare watch of Toshakhana. “Farah Gogi should be brought to Pakistan for investigation,” he added.

“Each day, evidence against Imran Khan is coming to the fore. The money obtained from the sale of the watch belongs to Pakistan. It will be taken back at all costs,” he emphasised.

“How did the watch reach Dubai? Fawad Chaudhry did not tell this. Where are all the other gifts besides the watch? Let it be answered,” he stressed.

“You got only this watch in the world to sell. Shame on you,” he lambasted.

“Currently, the price of the watch that had been sold is Rs2 billion. The design of Kaaba is made of diamonds in the watch. He [Imran Khan] has confessed to selling the watch. Farah Gogi sold it for Rs350 million,” he deplored.

“Tell me! Why was it necessary to sell the watch?” he questioned Imran Khan. “Whichever corner of the world you go for legal proceedings, you will be the culprit,” he said to Imran Khan.

“During the tenure of Imran Khan, the price of the watch was Rs1.7 billion,” he maintained.

Tarar also unveiled the facts behind the rare and priceless watch-set gift, containing pen and cufflinks embodied with 12.24 karat diamonds, which was handed over to Imran Khan by the Saudi Crown Prince but the PTI chairman sold it out in a ‘criminal way’ without realizing ‘importance and uniqueness of the gift.

“It is the only watch got prepared by the Saudi Crown Prince for gifting to Pakistan, so its price can’t be matched with other ones. Its unique dial is of Khana Ka’aba (Baitullah Sharif) shape,” he said while showing documentary evidence of the gift’s details and the price evaluation.

He said as per rules, any gift received from abroad was first deposited in the ‘Toshakhana’ and later on another procedure of market evaluation was carried out if the recipient wanted to keep it. “But nothing such thing happened in this case.”

However, he said, as per the market evaluation that had been carried out in a thorough professional and technical way, its price stood at around $12 million, almost Rs1.7 billion at that time and now Rs2 billion.

He said Imran Khan bought the watch set at Rs20 million only, without adopting the laid-down procedure.

“And now, he (Imran) has confessed to committing two crimes which are buying and selling it.” He regretted that the unique gift was not meant to sell in the open market as it was given as a gesture of great love and respect to Pakistan.

He demanded Imran Khan to tender his resignation from the chairmanship of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as he had been declared a certified thief after selling the “made to order” watch in the market.

He believed that the gift given by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to Imran Khan was for the people of Pakistan.

Tarar hinted that the government would start criminal proceedings against Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case as per the order of Pakistan’s Election Commission of Pakistan.

He said that the government will also issue a red warrant for the return of Farah Gogi from the UAE.

About the Daily Mail case, he said, that the trial of the case would start next year.

To a question, he said that the provision of security to Imran Khan during the long march was the responsibility of the Punjab government.

He said that FIR should be registered against Chief Minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi for the security lapse.

Meanwhile, PML-N MNA Mrs Daniyal Aziz said it was very sad that the official gift had been sold for a few bucks.

She said that Imran Khan should be asked: “Who were you to sell the official gift?”

“This party came to end corruption in the name of justice, but it introduced new methods of corruption,” she castigated.

“Imran Khan destroyed the young generation by telling lies. He has done a very despicable act,” she added.

“Imran Khan and his party have swept the entire country. The government will not forgive this liar in any case. Now, this person should be punished for his heinous acts in such a way that he becomes an example for others,” she emphasised.