New Toshakhana rules restrict gift acceptance by officials

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has introduced a new regulatory framework for official gifts, the Toshakhana (Management and Regulation) Rules, 2026, tightening how public officials receive, deposit, value, store and auction state gifts.

The Cabinet Division issued the notification. The rules discourage all public office holders, except the president and the prime minister, from accepting gifts from local or foreign dignitaries. Members of official delegations and their families are also discouraged from accepting gifts in connection with official business, according to Geo News.

Where a gift cannot be refused because of diplomatic norms or cultural sensitivities, it must be deposited with the Toshakhana. Officials must deposit gifts within 30 days of receipt, or within 30 days of returning to Pakistan for gifts received abroad. Items shipped separately may be deposited within 60 days. Employees in grades 1 to 4 may retain cash awards if refusing them would cause offence.

All gifts currently held by the Toshakhana, as well as newly received gifts, will be sold through open public auction. A committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary and including additional secretaries from the finance, foreign affairs, law and culture divisions will decide which items should be auctioned and which have historical or other special significance.

There is a difference between the two reports on how often auctions should be held. Minute Mirror reported that auctions would preferably be held twice a year, while Geo News said they would preferably be held biennially; both outlets reported that at least one auction is required every financial year. Live media coverage will be arranged through the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Public office holders and their families will not be allowed to participate in the auctions. Gifts forming part of a set will be sold as a complete set. Antiques, culturally and historically significant items, and gifts considered precious or diplomatically sensitive, including those from foreign heads of state, will be excluded from auction, according to Geo News.

Auction proceeds will be placed in a separate account and used to promote female primary education in the most backward areas of the country. The relevant federal education ministry will maintain the account and disburse funds within six months with the prior approval of the prime minister. The rules also require a third-party audit of all gifts during every financial year, Minute Mirror reported.

For valuation, the Federal Board of Revenue and private valuers will assess items. If their valuations differ by more than 25 per cent, a third valuer will be taken as final. Approved generative AI tools may be used as a reference for indicative prices, and weapons will be valued by Pakistan Ordnance Factories Wah.

Security requirements include a BS-20 officer responsible for custody and records, mandatory CCTV and locking in the storeroom. The government will publish records and photographs of gifts on a dedicated web portal, but will not disclose the name of the person or country that gave the gift. Failure to deposit a gift within the prescribed period may lead to a court complaint.