07 February 2005	Monday	27 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Feb 6: More than 4,000 men, women and children from different walks of life participated in the 16th City Marathon and Health Walk 2005 organized by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Karachi, here on Sunday.

Among the participants were about 350 special citizens of all age-groups, some of them on wheelchairs.

Seven delegates from Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan) who included journalists and a woman survivor of atomic attack, also participated in the walk, led by City Nazim Niamatullah Khan.

They started the walk from the PMA House and after marching on the M. A. Jinnah Road and completing a round of the Quaid's mausoleum, returned to the starting point.

This year's theme for the marathon was 'Pure water is life'. Speakers on the occasion underlined the importance of pure water for human health and urged people to make sure that the water they were consuming was free of germs.

The city nazim appreciating holding of such walks for a cause said that such events should be held regularly. "There is a dire need to create health awareness in masses to ensure prevention of diseases. No nation can achieve progress unless it has a healthy society," he said.

He said that the city government was utilizing all its resources to ensure provision of clean water and healthy environment to citizens.

While special children participated in the health walk, other people took part in a grand walk and race.

Dr Qaiser Sajjad said that the PMA had launched the series of the marathon walk in 1989 and since than the event was being held regularly with the aim of creating health awareness in people.

Later, he announced names of the position holders of the 23-km half marathon race that started from the PMA House and concluded at the same point via Quaid's Mausoleum, Shahrah-i-Quaideen, Tariq Road, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, Sharea Faisal, Club Road, M. R. Kiyani Road and Preedy Street.

Ishaq Musthaq, Riaz Khan, Essa Perial and Mohammad Zada clinched first, second, third and fourth positions, respectively, in the half marathon.

Ms Okada, survivor of the atomic attack, also spoke on the occasion and called for peace across the world. A message from the mayor of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Mr Tadato Chi Akiba was read out by a Japanese delegate. The delegates presented a set of candles to the city nazim as a symbol of peace.

Dr Sher Shah Syed, Dr Haseeb Alam, Prof Idrees Adhi, as well as Faisal Edhi and Rizwan Edhi of the Edhi Foundation, were present on the occasion.-PPI