Karachi: The cowardly attack of Taliban on innocent students shows their fear and defeat, and government should ban Taliban, their likeminded organizations and supporters, asked the speakers of a rally, jointly organized by National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and Association of the Affectees of Baldia Factory Fire.

The rally led by NTUF central president Rafiq Baloch and leader of Association of the Affectees of Baldia Factory Fire Muhammad Jabbir marched from Arts Council to Karachi Press Club (KPC). A large number of the heirs of Baldia factory fire victims, representatives of different labor unions and industrial global union. Holding banners and placards, they raised slogan against the killing of innocent student.

The speakers said the brutal attack on innocent schoolchildren of Peshawar is a cowardly act, which symbolizes the fear and defeat of extremist religious militias and it should be condemned in the strongest possible words. This is not the first attack of its kind but the logical result of taking reactionary state actions against the pro-worker revolutionaries and pro-humanity forces on the behest of imperialistic forces, particularly opening the nurseries of religious extremists from the decade of 70s. The insane militias that were formed with the patronage of state have today become a curse of whole society and now the things have worsened to such an extent that after killing of thousand citizens now the innocent schoolchildren are also not safe from them.

They said this is not a new occurring but the logical result of wrong and irresponsible policies of the state institutions and military dictators; however, the whole society today is paying a heavy price for them. They said now time is ripe that labors, peasants, women, youth and students should forge unity and raise a strong voice against these anti-humanity elements, who are busy in terrorism in the garb of religion, and no mosque, church, temple, school, bazaar and monastery is safe from their reach.

They said that in these circumstances it is necessary that the state should refrain from its previous policies and take solid steps against these insane militias and stop their overt and covert support. All seminaries should be brought under the orbit of law. Fundamental changes should be brought in curriculum modernizing it on scientific lines. The financial supporters of terrorist organizations should be booked and punished as per law. The religious literature based on hatred should be banned. The use of mosques and worship places for fanning hatred should be stopped and all local and foreign outfits involved in terrorism and their supporting institutions should be banned.

Those spoke included NTUF deputy general secretary Nasir Mansoor, leader of Association of the Affectees of Baldia Factory Fire Muhammad Jabbir, NTUF vice president Rafiq Baloch, Home-based Women Workers Federation general secretary Zahra Khan and representatives of organizations related to Industrial Global Union Muhammad Suhail, Imran Ali, Akhter Awan, Saeed Arian and Fareeda Zaheer.

Nasir Mansoor
Deputy General Secretary
National Trade Union Federation Pakistan ( NTUF )