ISLAMABAD Pakistani Punjab’s Information Minister Fayyaz-ul Hassan Chohan of the ruling PTI has been sacked after facing severe criticism from members of his party for making derogatory remarks about Hindus.
The PTI government in Pakistans Punjab on Tuesday, 5 March, tweeted that it had removed Fayyaz Chohan from the post of Punjab Information Minister following derogatory remarks about the Hindu community.
Bashing someones faith should not be a part of any narrative. Tolerance is the first and foremost pillar on which Pakistan was built, the party had said.
Earlier, Chohan became a target of intense criticism by the senior members of his party (the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) following his castigating remarks on the Hindu community.
Samaa news agency quoted the information minister during a press conference last month where he referred to the Hindus as cow urine-drinking people and said, Hey you cow urine-drinking people, listen up, We are Muslims and we have a flag, the flag of Maula Alis (AS) bravery, the flag of Hazrat Umars valor (AS).
What this flag has to do with anything is beside the point, the Minister added.
Dont operate under the delusion that youre seven times better than us. What we have, you cant have, you idol-worshippers, Chohan said in a video that went viral on the social media.
The remarks by Chohan came amid reports of escalating tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.
In response to the attack on the minorities, minister for human rights Shireen Mazari condemned Chohans statement saying, No one has the right to attack anyone elses religion. Our Hindu citizens have given sacrifices for their country. Our Prime Ministers message is always of tolerance and respect and we cannot condone any form of bigotry or spread of religious hatred.
Reiterating the same, Prime Minister Imran Khans Special Assistant on Political Affairs Naeemul Haque in his tweet said, The derogatory and insulting remarks against the Hindu community by Fayyaz Chohan the Punjab Info Minister demand strict action. PTI govt will not tolerate this nonsense from a senior member of the government or from anyone. Action will be taken after consulting the Chief Minister.
Finance Minister Asad Umar also remembered that the flag of Pakistan is not just green and it is not complete without the white which represents the minorities.
Hindus of Pakistan are as much a part of the fabric of the nation as I am. Remember Quaide Azams whole struggle was for a country free of discrimination, Umar said.
Columnist Mehr Tarar further took to Twitter demanding an unconditional apology from Chohan followed by his resignation.
According to reports, at least 1.6 per cent of Pakistans population is Hindu and Hinduism is the second largest religion followed in the country. The PTI government itself has at least seven Hindu members of the National Assembly and four minority members in the Punjab Assembly.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
