Karachi: More than 40,000 people of all ages took part in the annual Karachi Marathon on the well-known coastal strip road in the city.
The fourth annual marathon was organised in the provincial capital under the aegis of Karachi’s Commissioner. People braved the cold weather and turned up in large numbers early in the morning for registration for the event. A special feature of the event was participation by foreigners residing in Karachi.
The race started at 10am and participants ran on a 12 kilometre-long defined path along the main roads of the seaside neighbourhood of the city. Special security arrangements were made for the participants through the deployment of police and rangers. Volunteers helped assist athletes, in the presence of ambulances and para-medical staff to tackle any emergency situation.
A musical concert and special cultural performances were held as part of the closing ceremony of the event.
There were special categories for the participation of women, senior citizens, children, and differently-abled people in the event. A total of 34 prizes were given to the winners and distinguished participants of the event.
Six of the prize winners were from outside the country - four of them were from Japan and one each from Russia and South Africa.
Sindh Law Adviser, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who gave away the prizes, said the large number of citizens taking part in the event would go a long way towards promoting a positive image of Karachi as a peaceful metropolis.
He said that people from all areas of the city representing different socio-economic groups took part in the race.
Sindh Chief Secretary, Dr Sohail Rajput, hoped that annual events like marathons would motivate foreign investors to invest in Karachi. He urged the corporate sector to fully support such activities.
