Team comes up short of Taliban law

I read an article in today's newspaper with subject title. Here is the text of the article:

"QUETTA, Pakistan -- Spectators stamped the field after Taliban religious police interrupted a game in Afghanistan to arrest a dozen Pakistani players for wearing shorts.

The raid came Saturday during the final game of a series between Pakistani and Afghan teams in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, Taliban official Maulvi Hameed Akhund said Monday.

The Pakistanis were arrested because they violated the Islamic dress code, Akhund said.

Afghanistan's ultra-orthodox Taliban rulers have imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law in the 90 percent of the country under their control.

After the stoppage, many spectators surged onto the field. Scores of people were injured, according to a Pakistani Urdu-language daily newspaper, Jang.

Five players on Pakistan's 17-member team escaped arrest. The 12 taken into custody were released Sunday after their heads were shaved in punishment.

Maulvi Mohammed Hasan, the Taliban's governor in Kandahar, apologized.

"They were our guests and shouldn't be treated like this," he said.

The Taliban's long list of rules include not wearing shorts or short sleeve shirts in public -- even athletes are required to wear the traditional baggy pants and long tunic.