Pakistan: police arrest women runners
Verma, Priya
LAHORE-Police arrested and detained about 30 runners May 14 for participating in a foot race that included both women and men. The government had prohibited women from running in races after Islamic fundamentalists attacked runners in a race in Punjab in April. The fundamentalists claim that women’s participation in sports violates Islamic law.
The police beat some of the female and male runners, including Asma Jehangir, the former head of the nation’s Human Rights Commission.
Government officials had asked that the race be cancelled, but the organizers held it anyway.
-info from The Washington Post, 5/15
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