Former Punjab information minister Fayyazaul Hassan was on Friday reinducted into the Punjab cabinet, months after he was sacked for making derogatory remarks about the Hindu community. Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi administered the oath at the Governor’s House. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar among other guests.
Chohan will replace Sibtain Khan, who is facing corruption cases, as the forestry, fisheries and wildlife minister.
Meanwhile, a resolution against Chohan’s appointment as a provincial minister was submitted in the Punjab Assembly. The resolution, submitted by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) member Majid Bukhari, called the act of reinducting Chohan ‘shameful’ since he has displayed religious prejudices and given controversial statements against four million Hindus in Pakistan. “During his six months as a minister, Chohan disrespected journalists, actors and politicians. There should be no place in the Punjab Assembly for those who promote religious extremism and use hate speech,” the resolution maintained. Following his anti-Hindu remarks in March, the ruling PTI had said targeting anyone’s faith was the not the narrative of the party. Leaders of other political parties had also slammed him for the derogatory remarks. Chohan had subsequently resigned after Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar asked him to step down.
