Clashes over Road race

SwordFish_13

Active member
Hi,

BBC News

Pakistani police have clashed with demonstrators protesting against the participation of women in a 10km road race in eastern Pakistan.

A police chief in Gujranwala, 200km (120 miles) southeast of the capital, Islamabad, said 10 people were hurt.

Protestors opened fire on the police near a stadium where the race was due to end, while the police fired into the air to disperse the attackers.

The group that called for the protest said police fired without provocation.

'Undress the nation'

The clashes erupted after supporters of the Islamic religious parties alliance (MMA) attacked the men and women contesting the race with batons and stones, police said.

The protesters blocked the race course and chased competitors away as they approached the sports stadium where they were expected to finish race.

A spokesman for the MMA told the Associated Press news agency that the alliance had warned organisers against holding the race "because it is against Islam".

"They want to undress the entire nation," Riaz Durrani said.

"It is indecent for women to run in the streets. They want the sisters and sisters-in-law of the nation to wear knickers and T-shirts."

Two months ago Islamic groups strongly criticised a race in Lahore, saying the female participants had violated Muslim dress code.

Peace
-=SF_13=-
 
In the words of the Quran itself:-

"As for anyone who denies God after having once attained to faith - and this, to be sure, does not apply to one who does it under duress, the while his heart remains true to his faith, but [only to] him who willingly opens up his heart to a denial of the truth - upon all such [falls] God's condemnation" (16:106)

"Today I have perfected your religious law for you, and have bestowed upon you the full measure of My blessings, and willed that self-surrender unto Me shall be your religion. As for the one who, who is driven [to what is forbidden] by dire necessity and not by an inclination to sinning, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace." (5:3)

"We do not burden any human being with more than what is well able to bear: for with Us is a record that speaks the truth, and none shall be wronged." (23:62)

Thus, it is a basic tenet of Islamic law that necessity renders permissible things that might not be allowed in normal circumstances.

I imagine it would be pretty hard to run in Hijab.
 
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