Former PM Imran, Bushra Bibi Kept All Expensive Gifts Received From Foreign Countries: Report

Former PM Imran, Bushra Bibi Kept All Expensive Gifts Received From Foreign Countries: Report
Former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi reportedly retained all the expensive gifts that Pakistan received from foreign dignitaries during Khan's prime ministership.

According to an investigative report by Fact Focus, the gifts retained by Imran Khan include a luxurious Rolex and other expensive watches, gold and diamond jewelry (which included several necklaces, bracelets, rings, multiple diamond chains), an expensive pen, cuff links worth millions, dinner sets and perfumes. The gifts were retained at throwaway prices, and not their actual value.

The prices of these items were assessed by the then government itself and not independently verified, which means the actual value of these gifts may be higher.

Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, as per the report, gifted Imran Khan an expensive watch worth Rs85 million during the former PM's visit to Saudi Arabia in September 2018. This gift was worth Rs8 crore, but Khan retained it by paying Rs1 crore only. This watch gifted by the Saudi crown prince is said to be the most expensive gift Pakistan received in a long time.

According to the report, this gift was hidden by Imran Khan from the tax authorities in the country for three years. It was only when toshakhana gifts became a controversy that the former prime minister declared this item in his tax returns in September last year, for the financial year 2020-21.

The gifts retained by the former prime minister include the following:

One Watch Rolex (Gents') Rs900000
one Rolex watch (ladies') Rs400000
One iPhone Rs210000
Two gents suites Rs30000
One perfume Dolce&Gabba Rs35000
Two perfumes Bvlgari Rs30000 and Rs26000;

One perfume Rubi Rs40000
One Voilet Samsonite Rs6000
One Voilet Aigner ladies Rs18000
One ball pen mount blanc Rs28000; received on 9-11-2018.

Imran Khan retained all these gifts by paying Rs338600 only.