Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Syed Sumsam Ali Bukhari was sworn in as Punjab provincial minister on Wednesday. Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar administered oath to Bukhari at the Governor House. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and other provincial ministers attended he oath-taking ceremony.
Bukhari will replace Fayyazul Hassan Chohan as Punjab information minister, who tendered his resignation a day earlier from his post as provincial information and culture minister over his anti-Hindu remarks. Talking to CM and newly appointed minister, the Governor Punjab said that Imran Khan chanted slogan of “One Pakistan” at Minar e Pakistan before elections and he is working day and night to turn this slogan into reality. “All decisions are being taken in national interest without any external pressure. Each and every clause of National Action Plan will be implemented for peace and eradication of terrorism,” Governor said. We will not only give message of peace, but we will prove that Pakistan is peace loving country by our actions, he added. CM Usman Buzdar also congratulated Bukhari for taking new assignment and said that he is an experienced parliamentarian who will follow the party’s guideline in presenting the point of view of the government.
Punjab CM spokesperson Dr Shahbaz Gill tweeted welcoming Bukhari on-board as Punjab information minister. Hailing from Okara, Syed Samsam Bukhari is a seasoned parliamentarian, who has earlier served as MNA from 2008-13 and served as minister for state for Information during the government of Pakistan People’s Party. He got elected as an MPA from Sahiwal in the by-elections held in October last year on the ticket of PTI. The political observers believe that Bukhari will prove as a good replacement for Chohan due to his vast experience in the parliamentary politics and past history of dealing with the media. Samsam Bukhari has also served as Information Secretary of PTI’s Punjab chapter before the elections.
Published in Daily Times, March 7th 2019.
