Sacked Pakistani minister Fayyaz Chohan has a history of being anti-Hindu, racist & sexist

NANDITA SINGH 

Fayyaz-ul Hassan Chohan has been videotaped making misogynistic remarks about women actors in Pakistan and hurling abuses at a TV host.

Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Tuesday fired its Punjab province Information Minister, Fayyaz-ul Hassan Chohan, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Hindus in a video that subsequently went viral on social media.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tweeted that it has “removed Fayyaz Chohan from the post of Punjab Information Minister following derogatory remarks about the Hindu community”.

“Bashing someone’s faith should not be a part of any narrative,” the party tweeted. “Tolerance is the first and foremost pillar on which Pakistan was built.”

Chohan came under fire from his party members after he referred to Hindus as “cow urine-drinking people” at a press conference last month.

“We are Muslims and we have a flag, the flag of Maula Alia’s bravery, and flag of Hazrat Umara’s valour,” IANS and Samaa news agency quoted the minister as having said. “You don’t have that flag; it isn’t in your hands.

“Don’t operate under the delusion that you are seven times better than us,” Chohan added. “What we have, you can’t have, you idol-worshippers.”

These remarks come amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the 14 February attack in Pulwama by the Jaish-e-Mohammed, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

Repeat offender

This, however, is not the first time that Chohan has been at the centre of such a controversy.

Soon after assuming charge as a minister in August 2018, Chohan was videotaped making misogynistic remarks about women actors in Lollywood (Pakistan’s Bollywood equivalent).

Referring to the “sad state of affairs” in the Pakistani film industry, Chohan criticised advertisements that he said displayed “half-naked woman”.

“I would have transformed Nargis to Haji Nargis,” he said, adding through insinuation that “actor Megha would have fasted for 300, instead of 30 days in a year, under his supervision”, Daily Pakistan reported in 2018.

The same day, a video of Chohan hurling abuses at a TV host after the channel aired old clips of him, also went viral.

In the past, Chohan has also allegedly used the word ‘Kashmiri’ to imply an insult and was also asked to resign from his post in February 2018, after making similarly anti-Hindu remarks during a speech in Lahore.

Final Straw

Following the most recent ‘cow urine’ remarks, Pakistan PM Imran Khan took exception to Chohan’s anti-Hindu comments and said his party will not tolerate remarks against any minority community”.

Chohan then attempted to explain himself, saying on Samaa TV Tuesday that he was “referring to Narendra Modi, RAW and the Indian media”.

“The remarks weren’t meant for any person in Pakistan. My message was for Indians,” he added. “I didn’t demean any religion. The things I said are a part of Hindutva. I said things that are a part of their religion.”

It did little to assuage the anger within the party. Multiple ministers from PTI made public statements condemning his speech before Chohan was sacked from the party Tuesday.