Chohan back as Punjab’s information minister

ISLAMABAD: Fayyazul Hasan Chohan was reappointed the Punjab minister for information in place of Mian Aslam Iqbal, who was holding the acting charge of this portfolio.

Chohan will head the information department along with his current portfolio of Colonies Department, said an official notification.

It said in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under Rule 3(5) of the Punjab Government Rules of Business, 2011, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has assigned the portfolio of information department to Chohan in addition to the portfolio of Colonies Department.

The portfolio was previously held by minister for industries Iqbal, who resigned from the post citing engagements in his constituency. He has not been able to do justice with dual responsibility.

Chohan had to resign as the information minister in March over his anti-hindu remarks, which caused immense furore.

He had come under severe criticism after a video of him making the controversial remarks had gone viral on social media.

Chohan is a firebrand leader, who often comes under pressure because of his unguarded remarks. He is a great critic of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari, a characteristic that is much liked by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

After his removal as the information minister, he remained on the sidelines for a few months before he was again inducted in the cabinet and given the charge of the colonies department.

Before joining the Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI), he was aligned with the Jamaat-e-islami.

In a separate development, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Bashir Memon, has tendered his resignation to protest posting of another official in his place when former is retiring just after a few days.

“It is usual courtesy in official working not to post out any officer nearing retirement. I have been denied this courtesy which in my opinion is an expression of displeasure towards me,” Memon said in his resignation letter sent to the establishment secretary.