Pak govt puts a cap on Toshakhana gifts

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the cabinet members, politicians and bureaucrats will not be allowed to retain gifts worth more than $300 (around 80,000 Pak Rupee), as he promised to make the entire record of Toshakhana available to the public, reports Dawn.

"No one would be allowed to retain state gifts worth more than $300. The Recording of Toshakhana will be brought before the public, as the official website [of the cabinet division] will provide details about foreign gifts and will be accessible to all," the prime minister said in a press conference at Prime Minister House after the cabinet meeting.

According to the premier, judges and the armed forces do not provide details of gifts, which they receive on official tours, to the state gift repository. Only the president, prime minister, parliamentarians, cabinet members and bureaucrats follow the practice.

In the South Asian subcontinent, toshakhana is called the government treasure house wherein gifts that are received as honour are kept.

Capping the gifts received by government employees and its consequence in case of failure to follow suit is not exclusive to Pakistan.

Earlier, the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau was forced to pay a $100 fine for violating conflict of interest rules by not disclosing a gift given to him by PEI Premier Wade MacLauchlan in 2017, Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion's office confirmed.

The gift was two pairs of leather-covered aviator sunglasses presented to Trudeau and his wife during a visit to Prince Edward Island in June 2017. Each pair, made by Fellow Earthlings sunglasses company in Guernsey Cove, PEI, was worth $300.

Trudeau's Press Secretary Eleanore Catenaro said an administrative error was to blame for not following the procedure within the official timeframe as Federal conflict of interest rules dictate all gifts valued over $200 must be publicly declared within 30 days of acceptance.

In the USA, a Federal Government employee, under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act (FGDA), may not accept a gift exceeding $415 (effective January 1, 2020) in value from a foreign government or an international organization. This statutory restriction extends to the spouse and dependents of the employee. This value is revised approximately every three years.

The provision comes with specific exceptions where an employee is allowed to accept the gift if its refusal would likely cause offence or embarrassment or otherwise adversely affect the foreign relations of the United States.

However, if an employee accepts a tangible gift of more than minimal value, such a gift would be deemed to have been accepted on behalf of the United States and, upon acceptance, will become the property of the United States.

In India, a government servant, being a member of the Indian delegation or otherwise, may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries if the market value of gifts received on one occasion does not exceed 1,000 rupees, according to the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964. In all other cases, the acceptance and retention of such gifts shall be regulated by the instructions issued by the Government in this regard from time to time.

"A Government servant shall not accept any gifts from any foreign firm which is either contracting with the Government of India or is one with which the Government servant had, has or is likely to have official dealings. Acceptance of gifts by a Government servant from any other firm shall be subject to the provisions of sub-rule."