The federal cabinet on Tuesday has given the green light to amendments in the Toshakhana gifts rules.
Under the revised regulations, no public office holder will be permitted to retain gifts exceeding the value of 300 US dollars.
Chaired by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Cabinet meeting deliberated on the amendments to the Toshakhana laws, emphasising the need for stringent measures to regulate the acceptance and handling of gifts by government officials.
According to the approved amendments, gifts such as shields and souvenirs, which are not retained by the recipient, will be prominently displayed within the recipient's institution premises and meticulously documented.
Furthermore, books received as gifts, which are not retained by the recipient, will be either housed in the recipient's office or a public library, with regular inventories conducted. Gifts deemed unnecessary will be disposed of in the presence of a designated committee.
In a bid to enhance transparency, the honorarium for private sector experts tasked with evaluating gifts at Tosha Khana will witness an increase. This move comes in the wake of previous initiatives, notably the Toshakhana Policy 2023, enacted during the tenure of the PDM government, which imposed restrictions on the value of gifts received by top government officials.
Addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted the government's commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the Kashmiri people. Following a comprehensive review of the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the federal government approved the immediate allocation of 23 billion rupees to alleviate the plight of the Kashmiri populace.
The Prime Minister urged all stakeholders, including President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, and Minister of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Engineer Amir Makam, to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Additionally, the Federal Cabinet endorsed decisions put forth by the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases, while forming a special committee to deliberate on amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. This committee, chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, will include representatives from coalition parties.
Moreover, the Cabinet granted tax and duty exemptions on one million bottles of multi-micronutrient supplements for pregnant women, generously donated by Kirk Humanitarian, USA, and Junaid Family Foundation, USA, upon the recommendation of the Ministry of National Health.
In another development, the Federal Cabinet approved an amendment to Clause 3(1)e of the Investment Ombudsman's appointment rules, mandating a degree in commerce, finance, or a related field for the post of investment ombudsman. The decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee in its recent meeting on May 7, 2024, were also endorsed by the Federal Cabinet.
