Sitting on stairs of Lady Magdalenae Church, I’m looking at the Parliment building at far end of the Rue Royale. They say it represents the separation of State and Religion. I am looking at the Obelisque too. Tour guide told me that a guillotine was installed at this point during french revolution and so many people were beheaded and the smell of blood was so strong that the horses would stall a mile away from here. So while this obelisque stands in middle of the separated state and religion, I am wondering if Dr. Allam Iqbal was referring to this scene when he said “separation of religion and politices results in barbarism.”