Race-y matters: No running allowed - TNRM shocked, condemns marathon

TNRM said home was the best place for women, and it was not right to bring women to streets for an un-Islamic purpose.

LAHORE:


Tahaffuz Namoos-i-Risalat Mahaz (TNRM) has condemned a mixed mini-marathon race, calling it ‘un-Islamic.’


The provincial government organised the ‘Family Marathon’ as part of the Punjab Sports Festival 2012 on Sunday. More than 200 women participated in the race.

The TNRM held an emergency meeting on Sunday at Jamia Rasoolia Sherazia to express their views on the race. TNRM president Allama Razae Mustafa Naqashbandi chaired the meeting.


In a statement, TRNM strongly condemned the race and said the Punjab government was following in the steps of former president Gen (retd) Parvez Musharraf. It said home was the best place for women, adding that it was not right to bring the women to streets for an un-Islamic purpose. It also noted that the Punjab government had set up a Food Street in Heera Mandi to promote a ‘dirty culture’ furthering Musharraf’s policies.

The statement said there was no difference in this regard between the rule of Parvez Elahi and Shahbaz Sharif.

Talat Aftab, 35, said he had brought his wife to participate in the race and that there was nothing un-Islamic about running. He said there was a separate race for women.

Advocate Rabiya Bajwa, a rights activist, said religion was being used as a tool to keep Pakistan behind the times. The lawyer added that people should think twice before calling any activity un-Islamic.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5th, 2012.

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