The irony wasn’t lost on Twitter users after Mian Abdul Haq, also known as Mian Mithu, was invited by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to discuss forced conversions in Pakistan.
The CII hosted a session to deliberate on a proposed bill to tackle forced conversions of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan last Friday. Although notorious for his alleged involvement in forced conversions himself, Haq was invited to the panel as well. In a Facebook post that detailed the event, the CII recognized that Haq was a controversial figure and deemed it important to have a discussion with him head on in the meeting.
Several keen observers on the web noted still that it was ironic to include Haq in the meeting. Sociologist Nida Kirmani sarcastically said that it was ‘very innovative’ to invite a man who was complicit in forced conversations to discuss how to stop the social crime.
Brainstorming a proposed law on forced conversions with one of the biggest perpetrators of the crime. How very innovative! 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️ https://t.co/BVQaru4qNz
— Nida Kirmani (@NidaKirmani) September 21, 2021
Others also followed suit in pointing out the paradox. Author Maria Rashid said that his inclusion meant that ‘irony had died a thousand deaths’.
Mian Mithu has ties to corridors of power is an established fact but to call him to a session on forced conversions- irony just died a thousand deaths! https://t.co/UzQUR3bs5e
— Maria Rashid ماریہ (@mariarshd) September 21, 2021
Several used parallel examples to point the ridiculousness of the matter. Journalist Amber Rahim Shamsi said including Haq was like asking the cookie monster how to secure the cookies.
AKA: Brainstorming with Cookie Monster on how to save the cookies. https://t.co/WDzx26tFuZ
— Amber Rahim Shamsi (@AmberRShamsi) September 20, 2021
The examples turned more serious as a user asserted that the situation seemed akin to asking terrorist Osama bin Laden to weigh in on how to combat terrorism.
Its like asking Osama bin Laden to brainstorm ideas to counter terrorism. What a joke! https://t.co/P4DWnW2iCc
— Zainab (@Syyeda14) September 21, 2021
Another sardonically added that inviting Haq was like asking Zahir Jaffer, the accused in Noor Muqaddam’s murder case, to comment on domestic abuse.
Wait they called Mian Mithu to talk about a law on forced conversions? Why not ask Zahir Jaffar about domestic abuse? https://t.co/2TDJ2aByeP
— TheseLongWars (@TheseLongWars) September 21, 2021
Activist Usama Khilji branched out of the sarcasm and pointed out how grave and affront it was to minority religious groups that their aggressor was included in such an important meeting.
This is outrageous and an insult to all Christian and Hindu families whose children are forcefully “converted” and married by pedophiles and their accomplices https://t.co/4JWimZSEi1
— Usama Khilji (@UsamaKhilji) September 21, 2021
Another user added to Khilji’s criticism and wondered whether Pakistan was an ‘inclusive nation’ to begin with.
Who says we aren’t an inclusive nation? https://t.co/VuWb3WRZpV
— Usman (@UsmanAhmad_iam) September 21, 2021
In the CII meeting last week, the council announced that representative of religious minorities would be included in a special session to discuss the same topic later.
Haq hails from an influential family in Sindh and has been involved in politics as well. He has formerly served as a member of the national assembly from Ghotki in 2008 on a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ticket.
Haq also oversees the Bharchundi Sharif shrine in Sindh. He has had numerous allegations of forced conversions of Hindus levied against him. Haq has denied them, and in a comment to local media in 2019, said that there had not been a forced conversion of a Hindu girl for the past two centuries.
