LAHORE: The Awami Workers Party and Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party jointly organised a protest demonstration at Charing Cross on The Mall on Sunday against ‘Talibanisation’ of society.

A large number of activists from various leftist groups and parties joined the demonstration. They raised slogans against militants, terrorism and expressed full solidarity with the families of victims of the Peshawar incident. They also shouted slogans against the rise of religious fundamentalism, militants and terrorism, and demanded separation of state from religion.

AWP General Secretary Farooq Tariq said religious fundamentalism had emerged as the greatest challenge to the foundations of modern society. It had not only engulfed a large section of the middle class but also a significant section of working class, he added.

“The Peshawer incident has shaken every person’s conscience dramatically and today even supporters of the Taliban are forced to speak against them,” he said.

Tariq demanded arrest of Lal Masjid’s Maulana Abdul Aziz and all other “defenders of terrorism”. He claimed that most madrassahs had become a breeding ground of fanatic ideas and demanded their nationalisation.

“Until a secular state is established the menace of fanaticism will continue to emerge in one or another manner,” he added.

Those who addressed the demonstrators included Taimur Rehman, Irfan Ali, Zahid Pervaiz and Baba Najmi.

Published in Dawn, December 22th, 2014