A peace march to Waziristan organised by Imran Khan-ledPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party kicked off Saturday from various citiesdespite warnings by the Taliban to carry out suicide bomb attacks on theparticipants.
The march started from Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and otherplaces, Geo News reported.
Former cricketer and PTI chief Imran Khan said: "We arenot going to fight anyone. Everyone should take benefit from the march, if weare asked to halt then we will stop."
The Taliban has warned the PTI against holding the rally,accusing it of being a sympathizer of the west, the Jews and the Christians.
The militant group has threatened to carry out suicide bombattacks on the participants who are heading to South Waziristan, where the UShas unleashed major drone attacks.
"Earlier I was blamed to be a supporter of Taliban, nowthey were blaming me of working for the West," Khan said.
He blamed Islamist leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman for"spreading disinformation" about him.
The PTI chief said Rahman was propagating against himbecause of his rising popularity, and that there was no threat to his peacemarch.
"If anything happened with us then the president ((AsifAli Zardari) and his allies and Maulana and the like would be responsible. Thepeople of Waziristan would be providing us security," he said.
Khan accused the government of creating problems for themarchers and said the Taliban will not attack them.
However a Taliban group has distributed pamphlets inWaziristan and other areas, warning of attacks on the marchers. Copies of thepamphlets have also been sent to the media.
"We request the people of Waziristan not to support thegangs of Jews and Christians otherwise their fate will be horrible. We, theTehrik-e-Taliban, will greet them with suicide attacks," Xinhua quoted thepamphlet as saying.
The Urdu-language pamphlet was issued by the Punjab factionof the Taliban, considered close to the Al Qaeda.
The Waziristan region, bordering Afghanistan, has been astronghold of the Taliban and has seen violent clashes between militants andthe security forces.
The US has also intensified its drone strikes against themilitants in the region, which has stoked anti-American sentiments in the country.
The group claimed that Americans and other Westerners aretaking part in the march, and also accused the Western media of pursuing theagenda of anti-Islam forces.
"Islam calls upon the women to observe veil. But thegangs of Jews and Christians are forcing us to take harsh steps againstthem," the pamphlet said.
Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said Imran Khan hasorganized the march for political gains and that he has no sympathy with thepeople of Waziristan.
The interior ministry has warned that Taliban could attackforeigners and the PTI leadership, and advised the party to give up its plan.
But Imran said here Saturday that he will proceed to SouthWaziristan as per plan.
"The government should support my peace march as it isagainst the American drone strikes if the government opposes theseattacks," he said. He said that the march will be stopped if thegovernment created hurdles in its way.