ISLAMABAD: The Cabinet Division and the National Assembly Secretariat have locked horns over the ownership of a painting gifted by the Chinese president.

The painting was presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping to then Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq during a visit to Pakistan in April.

The Cabinet Division argued that under Toshakhana, or treasury house, rules the painting must be handed over to it, whereas the NA Secretariat maintains that since parliament is the supreme legislative body, unlike other government organisations, departmental rules don’t apply to it and it has a right to keep the painting.

Mehmood Ali Gurmani, who is director of media for the NA Secratariat, told Dawn the Cabinet Division had been asking about the painting.

Such gifts usually placed in the Toshakhana, but NA officials claim departmental rules don’t apply to them

In a letter, addressed to the National Assembly secretary, a section officer of the cabinet wrote, “All gifts received by government/public functionaries, irrespective of value, must be reported to the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division in the first instance”.

Gifts are routinely exchanged between heads of states or officers holding constitutional positions on the eve of a state visit. According to Toshakhana rules, these gifts remain the property of the state unless sold at an open auction. If the original recipient wants to retain the present, they have to pay a fee determined by the Cabinet Division.

However, Mr Gurmani says the painting is the property of the National Assembly and will not be handed over to the Cabinet Division and that this has been conveyed to them.

When asked about the whereabouts of the disputed painting, Mr Gurmani said it was the property of the National Assembly adding that “it will be displayed in the assembly secretariat soon”.

For officials of the Cabinet Division, there are no grey areas when it comes to gifts presented by foreign dignitaries. One Cabinet Division official said, “The Toshakhana is the only place for them,” explaining that actions could be initiated against those who violated the rules.

A Cabinet Division official said it was not an issue if a government functionary was interested in retaining a present provided he/she paid the fee determined by the Toshakhana.

He said: “Our record books are full of instances where the country’s heads of state have kept expensive gifts. However, there are certain rules which need to be followed.”

He gave the example of former president Asif Ali Zardari, who retained two BMWs in 2009, which were a present from late Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s predecessor, PPP’s Dr Fehmida Mirza was not available for comment. But her predecessor Chaudhry Amir Hussain told Dawn there were no such issues in his time.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2015

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