Two Pakistani security guards, constable and a sepoy, exhibited rare.
According to the Toshakhana report released by the Cabinet Division, Sepoy Atiq ur Rehman and Constable Malik Qasim Mehmood were gifted wristwatches from Paul Picot Company in December 2019, with an assessed value of Rs120,000 each. Rather than keep the watches, they deposited them in Toshakhana, setting an example for others to follow.
The report also sheds light on the fact that most government officials who received expensive gifts chose to retain them, while less valuable gifts were either deposited in Toshakhana or auctioned by the government.
In fact, more than 90% of the gifts reflected in the report were retained by officials who received them during their foreign visits.
Interestingly, the report also notes that former military dictator Pervez Musharraf was the top recipient of gifts from 2002 to 2008, with 97% of the gifts received by government officials during that time being retained by them. Some ministers during his regime, such as Jahangir Khan Tareen, Shaukat Aziz, and Umar Ayub, did deposit most of their gifts in Toshakhana, however.
The Toshakhana report highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in government affairs, as officials should be encouraged to deposit their gifts in Toshakhana rather than keep them. The report also notes that former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was gifted a tractor, motorcycle, buffalo, and calf, but failed to deposit them or pay the retention price, despite declaring them.
In a country where corruption and dishonesty are rampant in some sectors, the actions of Sepoy Atiq ur Rehman and Constable Malik Qasim Mehmood are a beacon of hope and an example for others to follow. Their choice to deposit their gifts in Toshakhana rather than retain them is a small but significant step towards a more transparent and accountable government.
