This Marathon is first of its kind, the First Marathon in the world organized by the people with disabilities. Forum of Rehabilitation for the Disabled (FORD) Bagh organized first ever marathon in Kashmir. This was a well organized event organized by Aqeel Haider Banday from Bagh Azad Kashmir who is president of FORD and he himself is bound with wheelchair. This video is an introduction of FORD and how the marathon was planned, the Marathon highlights of 5th September 2019.
FORD the Organizers of Kashmir Marathon
Aqeel Haider Banday who is president of FORD (Forum of Rehabilitations of disabled annouced the Marathon on 8th October 2017 which was anniversary of Earth Quake in Kashmir he said;
” Ford Forum of rehabilitation for the disabled or works for the welfare and the rights of people with disabilities “FORD” was founded off the devastating earthquake of 8 October 2005 as the world tells that this earthquake shook the beautiful valley of Kashmir.
Educational institutes, hospitals, offices and cities were destroyed thousands of people died and thousands were injured hundreds of people were paralyzed and are bound to live the rest of their lives on beaches.
I also got a spinal cord injury insane tragic event and now I’m living my life in a wheelchair.
World’s Only Marathon: Unique example globally
Tuesday September 5th 2017 “FORD” is going to launch a historical event not just in Kashmir but in the entire world there is no such example that people who are unable to walk by themselves are going to arrange a marathon race. September 5th 2017 Valley of Jammu and Kashmir is going to hold the first-ever marathon race under the campaign of build a web and make the world wheelchair friendly.
Everyone will run the race, and the purpose of this historic event is to minimize the barriers and to maximize the opportunities for the persons with disabilities in every field of life and to ensure that they have an equal and exclusive access to all the facilities including Education, Health
employment,sports and especially to build the wheelchair ramps at all the public places.
It’s not only the basic human right of such people but according to the United Nations sustainable development goals especially Goal 11 and Goald 12 and its various targets emphasize on the PWDs. And we are committed to achieve this agenda of humanity before 2030.
Kashmir Marathon 2017 Hightlights
Administration of district Bagh and Police supported this even which started on 5th September, 2017 at 5:30 am from Benazir Palace Bagh City. Two runners “Amjid Ali from Muscat” and Muhammed Raza from Dubai started the 42 KM race.
The race continued towards Hari Ghel which is 10KM from Bagh City and Turnaround point which was marked exactly after Market.
The two runners came back towards Nomal Pura and Completed their 21KM distance at Nomal Pura Bride and they took the turn towards new Hullar Bridge, which was hilly and tough course. Here 5 More runners joined the race as they had plan to do only Half Marathon.
After completing the Loop the runners reached back to the Noman Pura Bridge where total distance completed was 38KM.
Here, on bridge their spectators and 5K Runners were waiting and from Here 5K Runners also joined the race and total group of 15 runners continued the race towards Bagh City.
The runners passed through the historic city of Bagh and Reached to Hullar Bridge which was Finish Line for Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K Race.
First Wheelchair Race in Pakistan
FORD also organized a wheelchair race and the participants from different cities of Azad Kashmir participated in this race. Total 15 people bound with wheel chair ran the wheel chair race and the 3 winners were given Cash Prize.
Wheelchair Donations to FORD
FORD supports all the people bound with wheelchairs, there are around 700 people with spinal chord injury and not all of them have wheelchairs. And those who have the wheelchair has already damaged .
A Runner from Muscat Road Runners named Bahumeet Arora supported the event by Donating a Wheel Chair.
Muhammed Al Lawati a businessman from Muscat, Oman also donated wheelchair to FORD Bagh.
Administration promised to gift wheelchair.
FORD need support from everyone around the world, those who want to help please visit their website and you will find the details here;