Run for Pakistan marathon to bring together runners on Independence Day

KARACHI: Runners across Pakistan and around the world will partake in the Run for Pakistan marathon on Friday to celebrate the 79th Independence Day of the country.

The event will take place simultaneously in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, while Pakistani runners living abroad will be able to participate virtually.

The on-ground races will be held at DHA Phase 8 in Karachi, Bagh-e-Jinnah in Lahore and the PSB Sports Complex in Islamabad.

Participants will have the option of competing in three distances: 7km, 14km and 21km.

The virtual component will enable Pakistani runners from around the world to join the Independence Day celebrations from their respective cities and countries, taking the spirit of the event beyond Pakistan's borders.

A special feature of this year's event will be the Year of Quaid-e-Azam Medal, commemorating 150 years since the birth of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The medal has been designed to carry significance beyond the achievement of completing a race, with organisers describing it as a tribute to the legacy of the founding father.

With simultaneous on-ground races in three major Pakistani cities and virtual participation from runners around the world, Run for Pakistan 2026 aims to turn running into a collective expression of national pride and a celebration of Pakistan's Independence Day.