ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday reviewed audit objections involving the Cabinet Division’s management of the Toshakhana, the state gift repository, highlighting improper amendments to its rules and the disappearance of records dating back before 1997.

The committee, chaired by Syed Naveed Qamar, was told by audit officials that the original Toshakhana rules from 1973 had been amended in violation of proper procedures. The Auditor General’s office had previously objected to the repeated changes.

Cabinet Division Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal explained that a new Toshakhana Act was enacted in 2024, which mandates that all gifts, except those of historical or cultural significance, must be auctioned.

“The law does not forbid accepting gifts, but requires their disposal through auction,” he clarified.

Probes improper rule amendments, flawed auctions and missing records

Mr Afzal added that a proposal for new amendments has been submitted under which dignitaries would not be allowed to accept gifts from foreign counterparts.

However, Mr Qamar, the acting chairman, noted that a complete ban was not practical. The committee decided to defer the audit objection until new amendments are made and rules are drafted for clarity.

The PAC also addressed the non-availability of Toshakhana records. The Cabinet Division secretary revealed that all records prior to 1997 were missing.

“As Secretary Cabinet it is also concerning for me that pre-1997, records are untraceable,” Mr Afzal told the meeting. He confirmed that records from 1997 onward have been provided to audit authorities and efforts were underway to trace earlier files through the National Archives.

The Auditor General confirmed that records after 1997 were available. The committee directed the division to present a final report on the missing files within 30 days.

Furthermore, the committee objected to the irregular auctions of Toshakhana items.

It noted the government’s failure to hold public auctions at least twice a year, instead conducting closed auctions for federal government and armed forces organisations.

Officials also noted these auctions were held without proper appraisals and that no auctions have occurred since 2018.

The meeting was presided over by Mr Qamar after the regular chairman, Junaid Akbar, declined to chair the session, saying he would not lead the proceedings for the day.

PCB audit review postponed

Meanwhile, the PAC postponed a review of audit objections related to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) because of its chairman Moshin Naqvi’s absence.

PCB officials informed the committee that the PCB chief, who is also an interior minister, was in a meeting with a visiting Belarusian delegation. The committee deferred the examination until his presence could be ensured.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2025