Pakistan’s Hindu community is up against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for extending invitation to controversial former Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Member National Assembly (MNA) from Sindh, Pir Abdul Haq alias Mian Mithu to join his party.
According to a report by the Times of India, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA from Tharparkar, Ramesh Kumar Vankvani said that Mithu was allegedly instrumental in persecution of Hindus, especially forced conversion of Hindu girls.
Vankvani who is also Patron in Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council said “We strongly protest joining of PTI by Mithu for his extremist religious policies towards Hindu community”. He said if Imran embraces Mithu in his party fold it would tantamount to playing with the sentiments of Hindu community of Pakistan. “By doing so Imran Khan will lose loyalty of Hindu’s community of Pakistan,” he said.
Khan, whose party PTI is in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had in past been stating that Hindus who had fled the nation after being persecuted would return home when his party would come to power.
Reacting to Imran Khan’s statement, Vankvani said “No, Khan has neither done anything to restore faith of peace loving Hindu community nor he has addressed their issues even in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where his party is in power.”
Mithu is also one of the Pir of Dargah Barchoondi Sharif which is known for welcoming Hindu boys and girls who wish to embrace Islam and also provides them shelter in case they feel unsafe from their families.
PPP had denied him ticket after figuring of his name in case of kidnapping of a Hindu girl Rinkle allegedly by a Muslim boy Naveed Shah and later embracing Islam at Dargah Bharchoondi Sharif.
“How can Imran Khan even extend invitation to a person of radical ideology , we have begun online campaign against PTI and have appealed to all the Hindus of Pakistan to no attend any function of PTI” said Vankvani.
He said he would also personally meet Imran Khan to apprise him of community’s sentiments in his party embraces Mithu.