Lahore: A Sikh teenager, Onkar Singh, has achieved a remarkable feat by excelling in the Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education's 9th Class Examination. The 15-year-old student earned A+ grades in every subject, including a near-perfect score of 98 out of 100 in Islamiyat and a score of 49 in the Translation of the Holy Quran. This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy given that he belongs to a different faith and that the overall pass rate for the examination was a challenging 45%.
While Onkar's outstanding academic performance has been lauded for symbolising interfaith harmony and intellectual dedication, it has also sparked a debate on social media about the challenges faced by religious minorities in Pakistan. Several online observers noted that despite his excellence, Onkar’s non-Muslim faith could prevent him from holding a top government position in the country, highlighting institutional limitations.
Furthermore, his success has renewed a decades-old debate about language policy. Commentators pointed out that while Onkar speaks Punjabi, the most-spoken language in Pakistan, the country’s education system does not teach it. Urdu is officially imposed in Punjab's schools and government, a practice that has been widely criticised by academics and activists as a form of cultural suppression. Onkar’s personal achievement therefore stands as a poignant contrast to the ongoing societal and political struggles faced by both ethnic and religious minorities in Pakistan.