Reports are in from Lahore that today's marathon, amid tight security including helicopter surveillance, went smoothly with no outbreaks of violence. As noted Friday on Marathon Pundit, anti-marathon riots Friday led to the arrest of 500 members of Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal, a Pakistani Islamic group. Police had to use batons and tear gas to break up the protest.
Liaquat Bloch, a leader of Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal, said to a reporter, "The only purpose of the race is to promote obscenity."
Islamists in Pakistan took issue with the "mixed sex" nature of the race, which they called "un-Islamic."
Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal supports Taliban-type laws, and according to AFP, successfully banned men from coaching female athletes in the Pakistani-Afghan border region in 2003.
The winner of the men's 26.2 mile race in Lahore was Helefom Abebe of Ethiopia, clocking in at 2 hours and 16 minutes, which translates into a pace of 5 minutes and 15 seconds per mile.
In the picture on top, a police motorcycle is escorting two female runners.
Also posted on Pajamas Media.
Technorati tags: Lahore Marathon Lahore Marathon running urdu اردو Islam Pakistan
No comments:
Post a Comment