LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan on Monday came under criticism from a federal minister and the Punjab Assembly for comments about the late Prof Waris Mir and also received a defamation notice for his remarks.

Referring indirectly to Mr Chohan, Federal Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a tweet: “One needs to be an illiterate and non-conversant of history to declare Waris Mir Ghaddar (traitor), otherwise Prof Waris Mir struggle for Democracy, women rights and progressive Pak makes him an icon... (sic)”.

Mr Chaudhry had been critical of the Buzdar-led Punjab government in recent months, especially for distribution of CM’s discretionary fund and the Punjab government’s medical reports of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, which he called dubious for they enabled him (Nawaz) to leave the country.

Mr Chohan, on every such occasion, responded to Fawad Chaudhry in the same coin, asking him “not to cross all limits and violate the party’s discipline”.

Also gets defamation notice for remarks on Waris Mir

Mr Chaudhry also remained an aspirant for the slot of chief minister in Punjab but Prime Minister Imran Khan had made it clear on those ganging up against Usman Buzdar in the party that he would remain the chief executive of Punjab, come what may.

In the Punjab Assembly on Monday, minority member Khalil Tahir Sindhu also criticised Chohan for declaring Waris Mir a traitor, saying, “People like Prof Mir and Faiz Ahmed Faiz are the nation’s assets. Prof Mir had died years before Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed announced an award for him”.

The PML-N lawmaker requested Speaker Pervaiz Elahi to stop the minister from giving such statements.

At this, Mr Elahi said: “The late Prof Mir was a very respectable and fearless journalist, a true Pakistani, who remained patriotic till his death”.

He asked Law Minister Basharat Raja to look into the matter and if Mr Chohan had uttered such remarks, a unanimous resolution would be moved in the house today (Tuesday) to pay homage to Prof Mir.

Meanwhile, anchorperson Hamid Mir served a legal notice to Fayyazul Hasan Chohan under the Defamation Ordinance over derogatory, false, libelous, misleading and baseless allegations against his father.

“You [Chohan] imputed very derogatory, false, libelous, misleading and baseless allegations to the deceased father (Prof Waris Mir) of our client via social media or You-Tube which has been watched and listened by people all over the world. The defamatory and misleading allegations were intended to harm the reputation of the family of the Mir (sic),” Bhatti & Jadoon Law Associates said in the notice.

It says Chohan had made a malicious comment about Prof Waris Mir, saying he had shown support for enemies of Pakistan through his writing and had kept accusing the Pakistan Armed Forces and politicians for the 1971 episode. The notice also stated that Chohan had claimed that Professor Waris Mir also supported the plans of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his Mukti Bahini and both father and son (Hamid Mir) had been given awards and appreciation by the government of Bangladesh.

The notice says Waris Mir never supported the creation of Bangladesh, but only criticised the 1971 military operation like Faiz Ahmad Faiz and Habib Jalib and they were also nominated for the same Friends of Bangladesh Award. Hamid Mir, in the notice, also sought an apology from Chohan within 14 days or pay him Rs1bn in damages.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2020