A minister from Pakistan Punjab has resigned after facing flak for his "anti-Hindu" comments.
Punjab Information and Culture Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan had earlier in the day apologised for his anti-Hindu remarks, but decided to resign as he faced severe criticism from senior members of his party's government and social media users.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar accepted Chohan's resignation from his post as provincial information and culture minister over his anti-Hindu remarks.
In his apology, Chohan had said his remarks were not targetted at the Hindus but at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of the cross-LoC airstrikes by India.
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Buzdar summoned Fayyazul Hassan Chohan at the Punjab CM House and asked him to tender his resignation. "The Punjab CM sought an explanation from Chohan regarding his anti-Hindu remarks."
"There were complaints against Chohan earlier as well owing to which he was sent warnings," the sources earlier said, Geo reported.
Chohan, who was severely criticised by senior members of his party's government and social media users, said: "I was addressing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian armed forces and their media, not the Hindu community in Pakistan".
"I apologise if my remarks hurt the Hindu community in Pakistan," Chohan continued. "My remarks were in no way directed at Pakistan's Hindu community."
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Chohan added: "I will respond befittingly to whoever looks at my nation with a dirty eye. Every last drop of my blood is for my nation."
#SackFayazChohan began trending on Twitter after his anti-Hindu remarks while addressing a gathering on February 24. A video had gone viral of Chohan making the remarks while responding to Indian rhetoric in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.
Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan Naeemul Haque, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and several others had slammed Chohan for his remarks.
"Absolutely condemn this. No one has the right to attack anyone else's religion. Our Hindu citizens have given sacrifices for their country," Mazari tweeted. "Our PM's msg is always of tolerance & respect & we cannot condone any form of bigotry or spread of religious hatred," she added.
"Hindus of Pakistan are as much a part of the fabric of the nation as I am. Remember the flag of Pakistan is not just green.... it's not complete without the white which represents the minorities," Minister Umar wrote on Twitter.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan Naeemul Haque tweeted that the PTI government "will not tolerate this nonsense".
Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal also took to Twitter.
