LAHORE: In what appears to be an attempt to improve the ruling party’s image amid growing challenges from opposition parties, the Punjab government on Monday reshuffled the cabinet along with some senior bureaucrats, with former federal government spokesperson Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan being brought in and information minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan being relieved of his additional charge.

Dr Awan, who had held the office of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information for one year before her removal in April 2020, had met Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar a few days back at their offices.

The fifth replacement of Punjab information minister in just two years clearly indicates that Prime Minister Imran Khan is not happy with his media team in Punjab and in order to address different issues, Dr Shahbaz Gill and Shahzad Akbar, both aides to the premier, were sent to Lahore to speak to the media on the corruption of the Sharif family.

The Punjab government notified the withdrawal of additional charge of information department assigned to Fayyazul Hassan Chohan and allowed him to work as provincial minister for colonies. Sources in the cabinet said he was removed as he was generally carried away by his funny thoughts, jokes and comments instead of hitting the opposition hard. They said even the opposition did not take him seriously.

In another notification, the Punjab government appointed Dr Awan as Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information removing Javaid Akhtar, with immediate effect.

The outspoken Awan was known for hitting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hard as desired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, soon after her replacement by retired Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa as PM’s special assistant, corruption allegations were levelled against her. She immediately refuted the accusations terming them “concocted” and “baseless” in a tweet on April 27, the day when she was removed from the position.

In her tweet, she had stated that as a political worker her objective was country’s progress and the welfare of the people that would continue under the prime minister’s leadership. She had also congratulated the newly appointed information minister Shibli Faraz and SAPM on information and broadcasting retired Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa. Mr Bajwa, too, has quit the PM’s aide office and “retained” his CPEC portfolio.

While Mr Chohan was instantly baffled on his removal from the information portfolio, Dr Awan tweeted: “I am greatly humbled and honored with the confidence that my great leader Imran Khan has shown in myself and my ability. I am also deeply thankful to the honourable CM Punjab for making me a part of his team. I will do my level best to honour this call to duty.”

In another tweet, she said: “It is with great humility that I accept this tremendous responsibility. God willing, I will try and do my level best to change the information landscape of the Punjab government for the better to the best of my ability.”

Other ministers removed

The Punjab government also removed low-performing ministers Mehar Mohammad Aslam and Zawar Hussain Warraich from their offices of cooperatives and prisons, respectively.

Sources said PM Khan was never happy with the media team of Punjab government as CM Buzdar in his role was never able to make his mark by taking any major administrative decision. They said the cabinet reshuffle particularly replacement of information minister came directly from the PM Office.

While referring to the development, PML-N deputy information secretary Attaullah Tarar alleged in a TV show that Mr Buzdar did not know even the change in his cabinet until recently as all major decisions always came from the top, PM Office.

The opposition party strongly objected to the appointment of Dr Awan as Special Assistant to CM on Information, recalling that she had committed a contempt of court and such a person could not enjoy a position in the government.

“The Supreme Judicial Council has already ordered initiation of contempt of court proceedings against her. Keeping this in view, the Punjab government should immediately withdraw the notification of her appointment as special assistance to the chief minister,” PML-N Punjab information secretary Azma Bokhari said.

Expressing ‘sympathy’ with Mr Chohan, Ms Bokhari said all his Sharifs’ bashing had gone in vain. “This happens to those playing more loyal than a king,” she quipped.

Mr Chohan was the first information minister in the PTI government that came into power in August 2018 but the portfolio was withdrawn after he made insensitive remarks against the Hindu community. He was replaced by Syed Samsam Bukhari but then he too was soon replaced by industries minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, for not being able to take the opposition to task. Mr Iqbal, however, later himself requested the chief minister to relieve him from information department’s additional charge as he was more busy in his industry department’s portfolio.

Eventually, Mr Chohan was again offered the additional charge of the information department but removed second time.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government amid the turbulent times again postponed its 37th cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday (today). The government had initially scheduled its 37th meeting on Oct 15, but had to postpone it ahead of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s first public meeting in Gujranwala on Oct 16.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2020