Firdous Ashiq Awan Appointed As Punjab’s Information Minister

Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan was once again stripped of the portfolio of Information Department.

According to a notification issued by the Punjab government, Firdous Ashiq Awan has been appointed as Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar after the changes in the Punjab cabinet.

Earlier, Firdous Ashiq Awan had worked as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

Speculation is rife about the latest reshuffle in the Punjab cabinet, but no definite reason has emerged.

Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan was not aware of this new development.

When contacted, he said he was not aware of any cabinet reshuffle.

Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan had sharply criticized the opposition over the arrest of PML-N leader Capt (retd) Safdar in Karachi and the controversial statement of former National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

Besides, according to the notification, the portfolios of two other provincial ministers, Provincial Minister for Cooperatives Mehr Mohammad Aslam and Provincial Minister for Prisons Zawar Hussain Warraich were also withdrawn.

Firdous Ashiq Awan, the newly elected Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab for Information, shared the image of the notification in a tweet and said, “I am grateful to our leader Imran Khan who trusted my ability and capability.”

“Thanks also to the Punjab Chief Minister for making me a part of his team,” she added.

“I will try my best,” said Firdous Ashiq Awan.

Who is Firdous Aashiq Awan?
Firdous Ashiq Awan was the Federal Minister for Information during the PPP rule in 2008. She later joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after losing the general election.

Despite changing political parties, he lost the 2018 general election but was appointed Special Assistant for Information on April 18 last year, a position he held for nine days a year.

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However, in April this year, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and Senator Shibli Faraz was appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting, while Special Information Assistant Firdous Ashiq Awan was withdrawn.

Firdous Ashiq Awan has been replaced by Pak-China Economic Corridor (C-Pac) Authority Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa as the new Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Information.

Who is Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan?
Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan is often criticized for his controversial statements.

On March 5, 2019, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan had to resign over a controversial statement regarding the minority community.

However, on July 5 of the same year, he returned to the Punjab cabinet and was made the provincial forest minister.

Later, in December 2019, Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan was given the portfolio of Provincial Information Minister.