LAHORE: Anti-Hindu remarks cost Fayyazul Hassan Chohan his ministerial portfolio as he was asked on Tuesday to resign by the high command of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The loudmouthed Information Minister of Punjab stirred an uproar on Monday after he used highly objectionable language against Hindus.
Following his objectionable remarks, he came under heavy criticism on social media. Opposition parties and civil society activist demanded action against him.
Sources said that on Tuesday Chohan was called to CM House and was asked to resign. They said that Prime Minister had also taken notice of his anti-Hindu rants and asked the Punjab CM to take action.
The Punjab culture and information minister decided to tender his resignation, after apologising for his anti-Hindu remarks as he faced severe criticism from senior members of his party’s government and social media users.
Punjab Government spokesman through a video statement said that Chohan decided to resign after a meeting with Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. During the meeting the chief minister made it clear that any statement against the religious minorities hurting their sentiments was not acceptable for the PTI government, Shehbaz Gill said in the video.
He added that the CM accepted the resignation of Chohan as Information Minister.
Earlier, the minister had apologized over his remarks. In his apology he said, “I was addressing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian armed forces and their media not the Hindu community in Pakistan.”
“I apologise if my remarks hurt the Hindu community in Pakistan,” Chohan continued. “My remarks were in no way directed at Pakistan’s Hindu community.”
A video had gone viral of Chohan making the remarks while responding to Indian rhetoric in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan Naeemul Haque, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and several others had slammed Chohan over his remarks.
“Absolutely condemn this. No one has the right to attack anyone else’s religion. Our Hindu citizens have given sacrifices for their country,” Mazari tweeted. “Our PM’s msg is always of tolerance & respect & we cannot condone any form of bigotry or spread of religious hatred,” she added.
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