Saleem wins Karate championship

Controversy brews over the full-contact version.

KARACHI:

Mohammad Saleem won the 26th National Full Contact Karate Tournament, defeating Naseer Ahmed in the final.

While Saleem will represent Pakistan in the heavyweight category for the World Tournament in Tokyo on October 22, the Pakistan Karate Federation  President Muhammad Jehangir criticised this form, saying that full-body contact is dangerous and is more like street-fighting.

In reply to that, tournament organiser and former champion Arshad Jahan defended the full-body contact form, claiming that it is safe as a fighter can attack his opponent anywhere other than the face. He also added that this form is popular all over the world and the trend is catching up in Pakistan as well.

The championship featured 70 fighters from all over the country including Gilgit, Fata and Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2011.