Food minister, DG Khan commissioner step down

Chief minister approves their resignations

LAHORE: Punjab Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhary tendered his resignation after meeting with Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Monday.

The decision was made after the wheat and sugar scandal report went public. The chief minister accepted the resignation of the minister.

Samiullah Chaudhary said he was resigning to prove his innocence, adding that he was ready to sacrifice such ministerial posts to fulfill the agenda of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In his resignation letter, he said the allegations leveled against him were “baseless” with regard to failure in introducing departmental reforms.

He offered to present himself for accountability at any forum.

“I do not consider myself eligible for any post unless proved not-guilty,” he asserted.

Moreover, Buzdar accepted the request of Naseem Sadiq to release him from the post of Dera Ghazi Khan commissioner and Food Director Zafar Iqbal has also been relieved of his duties.

Naseem Sadiq had requested for his removal from the post of commissioner after a Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) report.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2020.