Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday announced to auction all gifts in the Toshakhana and use the proceeds to support orphan children.

Shehbaz made the announcement in a meeting with a delegation of journalists.

The gifts, which worth millions of rupees, would be auctioned and the amount to be used for the welfare of orphan children, he said.

The prime minister also told the media industry representatives that the incumbent government inherited “very tough economic conditions”, and the coalition parties hadn’t imagined the severity of the situation.

Earlier, the prime minister had decided not to retain any foreign gifts and ordered that all precious gifts, received by him during his foreign visits, would be permanently displayed at PM House.

Toshakhana gifts and their possession has been a topic of interest in Pakistan for a long time and the debate intensified as former PM Imran Khan was tried, convicted, and sent to jail for 3 years by a district and sessions court.

Receiver of foreign gift is its sole owner, claims ex-PM

“He [Imran Khan] has been found guilty of corrupt practices by hiding the benefits he accrued from national exchequer willfully and intentionally. He cheated while providing information about gifts he obtained from Toshakhana which later proved to be false and inaccurate”, the court order said.

Following the conviction and arrest, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday disqualified Imran Khan for five years – a day before the incumbent government is set to dissolve the assembly.