Taliban offered protection to Imran Khan
London: The Taliban has offered protection to Imran Khan, the former Pakistan cricket team captain, who is scheduled to hold a peace march in the violence-prone tribal areas on Sunday, it was reported here.
Imran Khan now heads the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. His rallies have witnessed a massive participation.
The Pakistani Taliban’s senior commanders said a meeting headed by the group’s leader Hakimullah Mehsud set aside earlier instructions to send suicide bombers to assassinate Khan, as reported.
The Taliban took note of Khan’s opposition to US drone strikes against militants, prompting it to offer security assistance. “We are ready to provide them security if they need. We endorse Imran Khan’s plea that drone strikes are against our sovereignty,” a spokesman was quoted as saying.
“The anti-drone rallies should have been taken out by the religious leaders long ago but Imran had taken the lead and we wouldn’t harm him or his followers.” Khan said at a press conference that he had been promised the support of local tribes. “We feel no threat from any side but feel threatened by the forces which have been playing politics on this issue,” he said.
