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Friday March 29, 2024

Chief minister commits to running in Karachi marathon next year

By our correspondents
January 13, 2020

The provincial government is doing its best to curb street crimes in Karachi for which all relevant departments, particularly the law enforcement agencies, are making coordinated efforts, said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday.

Karachi was once the seventh most dangerous city of the world but now the law and order situation had been significantly improved, the CM said while addressing a marathon organised by the city commissioner in the Defence Housing Authority.

“Now, Karachi is not even among the 50 most dangerous cities,” the CM said while talking to the participants of the marathon.

In previous years, he said, one could not imagine organising such events in the city. He said personnel of the Rangers and the police had been sacrificing their lives to ensure peace in the megalopolis.

The CM said big events such as the Pakistan Super League’s inauguration ceremony would soon held in Karachi. “It’s time that people joined hands and helped the government in building this city,” he said.

The chief minister, however, lamented the shortage of gas in the city at a time when a cold has gripped Karachi. Talking about the second marathon organised by the city commissioner, Murad said he was waiting for the event since a year. He also announced participating himself in the race the following year.

On the occasion, the CM also met with special children and had a photo session with them. Murad said he was delighted to see the special kids participating in the event. The marathon started with the recitation of the Holy Quran. A one-minute silent was observed for the recent blast in Quetta and the forest fires in Australia.

The CM was received by Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani. Speaking on the occasion, the city commissioner lauded the media for its efforts in bringing people to the marathon. “It was due to the media that people got to know about the marathon,” he said and thanked all relevant departments for making the marathon a successful event.

“It is due to this marathon”, he said “that the glory of this city is being restored.” In the future, the commissioner said, such marathons would again take place in Karachi. Last year, he said, it was a local marathon but this year participants from other countries also participated in it.

The commissioner assured that the route of the marathon would be longer in the future. The best part of the marathon, according to Shallwani, is that people from all walks of life took part in the race.

The marathon started from the 16th street of Khayaban-e-Tipu Sultan at 10am. It ended at the same point after passing through Abdul Sattar Edhi Avenue, Khayaban-e-Ittehad and Khayaban-e-Shaheen.

The total length of the route was around 10 kilometres. Volunteers in uniform monitored the route of the race which was barricaded. People participated in eight different categories which were for the age group of male participants under 19, under 29 and above 29.

Similar categories according to age group were for female participants. Also, there were two categories for the disabled and senior citizens. In the end, a prize distribution ceremony was held at the Moin Khan Academy. The chief minister, presented shields and medals to position holder.