Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, 05 Mar (TNT News): Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar on Tuesday removed party leader Fayyazul Hassan Chohan as provincial information minister after his controversial remarks against Hindu community created an uproar on social media, Samsam Ali Bukhari will be a new Information Minister for Punjab province.
CM Punjab’s spokesman Shahbaz Gill, in a video message, confirmed that Chohan was asked to tender his resignation on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his resignation has been accepted.
Gill added that Punjab government dissociates itself with the derogatory statement of Fayyazul Hassan Chohan and expressed complete solidarity with the Hindu community.
According to sources, Chohan’s derogatory statement against the Hindu community irked PM Khan who directed provincial authorities to ask the Punjab information minister to tender his resignation.
PM Khan issued strict directives to federal and provincial ministers, saying that such statements will not be tolerated anymore which hurt sentiments of believers of any religion.
Senior PTI leader Syed Samsam Bukhari is likely to be appointed as the provincial information minister, sources added.
Chohan’s statement drew ire of government officials when he delivered sensitive remarks against Hindu believers on March 04.
Citing the expected consequences of his irresponsible statement, Chohan had tendered an apology to the Hindu community, explaining that he had made such remarks while addressing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I was addressing the Indian prime minister, military and media.”
Taking strong exception to Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan’s ‘derogatory and insulting’ remarks against the Hindu community, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeemul Haq had demanded strict action against the minister after consulting Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.
Later on, the government decided to appoint Information Secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab, Samsam Ali Bukhari, as new Information Minister of the province after Fayyazul Hassan Chohan tendered his resignation earlier in the day.
Bukhari was called to the Chief Minister House, Punjab where he met CM Usman Buzdar and they exchanged views on Chohan’s resignation and his potential replacement.
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar would administer the oath to Bukhari tomorrow (Wednesday).
Former minister of state and Pakistan People’s party (PPP) leader Samsam Bokhari had shifted his allegiance to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2015.
