When religious seniors preach about politics on national TV, it entails the expected braggadocio.

But this time a leading Islamic scholar in Pakistan has caused an online furore after appearing on live TV in a political debate slurring his words – much to the amusement of the hosts. Following the controversy and speculation, the mullah insisted that he was not drunk but, rather, was chewing paan.

He claimed: “I see political and religious propaganda behind the social media uproar.”

Not convinced yet?

Well, his rather weak defence has induced a whole spectrum of memes showcasing alcohol- flavoured paan.

And you can always rely on Twitter to propagate an episode: “Drunk mullah on live TV and he gets away with it. The society is a joke.”

“What an interesting clip worth watching 2 understand #maulvis in #pakistan double standards.”

It’s not as though Pakistan’s international image doesn’t have enough problems with its harsh blasphemy law, highlighted most recently in the case of Asia Bibi, the Christian woman sentenced to hang.

She was accused of making ‘blasphemous’ comments about the prophet Mohammed during an argument with a group of Muslim women who objected to her drinking their water because, as a Christian, she was considered ‘unclean.’ Pakistan is a country where YouTube and Malala’s book is banned and many internet sites are banned and where film censorship runs rife.

Even Haider, Bollywood’s new Shakespeare adaptation of Hamlet, has been banned for its references to Kashmir.

On-screen kisses are forbidden, yet the red light heera mundi district thrives.

My favourite quote from the mullah controversy sums it all up: “Not sure why this is controversial. Double standards are halal in Pakistan.”