Pakistani police detain human rights protesters

Pakistani police detained about 30 people at the weekend, including a prominent human rights activist, for defying a ban on women running in a road race, witnesses and police said.

Authorities banned women from competing in such races after Islamic hard-liners - who regard women's participation as against Islam - attacked runners at a similar event last month.

Asma Jehangir, the former chief of Pakistan's human rights commission, and about 30 other male and female participants, were detained during the race, which was cancelled.