Former minister of state for information and sitting PTI MPA Syed Samsam Ali Bukhari Wednesday took oath as the Punjab Information and Culture Minister at an oath-taking ceremony held here at the Governor's House on Wednesday.
Governor Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar administered the oath. The Punjab chief minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, provincial ministers including Raja Basharat, Ch Zaheeruddin, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Nouman Langrial, Mohsin Leghari, government functionaries and others attended the oath taking ceremony.
Syed Samsam Ali Bukhari has replaced Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan, who resigned over a controversial statement about anti-Hindu remarks.
Syed Samsam Ali Bukhari is a former Pakistan People's Party (PPP) MNA from NA-145 (Okara-III). He also served as minister of state for information during the PPP tenure. However, he joined the PTI in 2015 and was elected as MPA from Sahiwal for the 2018 by-election.
Congratulating Samsam Bukhari on his induction as provincial minister, the CM said, "Syed Samsam Bukhari is an experienced parliamentarian who will diligently discharge his duties according to party policy."
It may be noted that the Punjab CM Sardar Usman Buzdar in a meeting sought an explanation from Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan for hurting sentiments of the Hindu community. Later, Chohan resigned from his office.
Sources said the PM Imran Khan had also expressed displeasure over Chohan's remarks, and asserted that such sort of statements were simply unacceptable.