ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to formulate a new Toshakhana policy subsequent to holistically reviewing the “procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts 2018.”

A notification to this effect by the Cabinet Division stated that the prime minister has been pleased to approve the constitution of an inter-ministerial 12-member committee. The committee to be convened by Minister for Defence and Syed Tariq Fatemi, Minister for Commerce, Minister for Law & Justice, Secretary, Cabinet Division, Secretary, Foreign Affairs, Secretary Finance, Secretary Law & Justice, Secretary Information & Broadcasting, Kh Zaheer Ahmed, Retd/BS-22, Aftab Sultan, former DG, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Additional Secretary, Cabinet Division be its members.

Toshakhana rules need to be rewritten

The notification noted that the terms of reference (ToRs) of the inter-ministerial committee would include; (i) holistically reviewing/revisiting the “procedure for the acceptance and disposal of Gifts, 2018” and preparing a new draft; (ii) draft should be more open and transparent with appropriate provision of de-classification;(iii) the new Toshakhana procedure should be in the light of requirements of transparency and international best practices; (iv) the committee will submit its report to the prime minister within a period of one month; and (v) the Cabinet decision will provide secretariat support to the committee.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022