KARACHI, March 16: A large number of students from various educational institutions of the city staged a protest march on Tuesday against the exclusion of Quranic verses from syllabus and government's bid to 'secularise' curricula.

The protesters marched from the Federal Urdu University up to Karachi University. They also condemned exclusion of Quranic verses from the syllabi. The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with demands to include Quranic verses in the syllabi, removal of federal education minister and an end to US intervention into country's affairs.

The rally was organized by the Islami Jamiat Talaba and was also attended by activists of Imamia Students Organization. Heavy contingents of rangers and police escorted the rally, while traffic police had closed one side of the University Road to facilitate the marchers.

Later, speaking to the participants of the rally in front of the Silver Jubilee Gate of Karachi University, Nazim IJT Tahir Akbar demanded immediate removal of Federal Education Minister Zobaida Jalal. -PPI