MNA calls for curriculum reform after alleged lynching of Christian schoolboy in Vehari

Lawmaker Khaliq George demands strict punishment for culprit, financial aid for victim Sharoon Masih's family

ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers of the National Assembly condemned last month’s alleged lynching of teenage Christian schoolboy, Sharoon Masih, in Vehari on Tuesday in the house.

MNA Khaliq George who raised the issue on the floor said Sharoon lost his life because he drank water in the same glass as the other boys and was beaten to death allegedly in front of his teachers who did nothing to help him.

According to several social media reports, 17-year-old Sharoon, a ninth-grader at MC Model Boys Government High School in Burewala, was severely thrashed by his Muslim classmates on August 27, reportedly his fourth day at the school, after he drank water in the same glass as everyone else.

#SharoonMasih, 17-year-old Christian student beaten to death by his classmates at MC Model Boys Government High School, in Vehari, Punjab. pic.twitter.com/Gic7muHPpR

— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) September 4, 2017

Where's the enquiry report about the heinous murder of #SharoonMasih?Killed for his faith and class. Don't make this a forgettable evil 🙏

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) September 7, 2017

DPO Vehari has formed a special team to investigate #SharoonMasih case to ensure his family isnt intimidated by local SHO or influentials pic.twitter.com/vX9U6MSiRQ

— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) September 6, 2017

And the #minorities in #Pakistan continue to suffer.#SharoonMasih beaten to death for drinking from the same glass as Muslim classmates!

— Cynthia ‎Mehboob (@CynthiaMehboob) September 9, 2017

His mother Razia Bibi told news publications that Sharoon was a good student and the poor family had saved up money to send him to school. But since his first day there, he was being subjected to insults and bullying and some students had even tried to forcefully convert him.

Local media reported that one classmate Ahmed Raza had been arrested for the attack, which Sharoon’s family claims was religiously-motivated.

“Our school curriculum needs to be revised to reflect interfaith harmony,” said MNA George in the assembly on Tuesday.

He demanded strict punishment for the accused culprit and urged the government to rename the school where Sharoon was murdered after him as well as to provide financial assistance to his family.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Asad Umar said it was the government’s responsibility to take care of its minority citizens.



MNA Shazia Marri expressed grief over Sharoon’s death saying that Mashal Khan, the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan student who was lynched in April, also lost his life because of intolerance within an educational institution.

“This mindset is fast becoming prevalent in our institutions and society, while the state has shut its eyes,” the Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker said.

“No liberal feels safe in Pakistan. The question is ‘Why is the National Action Plan not being implemented?’” she wondered.