A historical peace rally of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has kicked off for Waziristan to protest against US drone strikes in the tribal area which are not only causing collateral damage but are also counter productive to fight terrorism.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan is leading the peace caravan to Waziristan from Islamabad on Saturday morning, a large numbers of foreigners including US and British nationals and international media accompanied by Imran Khan.
The caravan will brief stay at Islamabad Motorway Toll Plaza, Balksar Interchange, Talagang, Rakhi, Mianwali and Kundian, where central leaders will address the participants.
The rally will be accorded warm a reception at Chashma Barraga, border of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Welcome camps are set up in Balot Sharif, Rangpur, Sheikh Yousuf Adda. Small rallies will join the main caravan from different areas. Participants of the peace rally will stay in Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday night. A tent village has been set up on Dera Tank Road.
Imran Khan will speak to reporters and tribal leaders at Hathala. From Dera Ismail Khan, the marchers will head to Waziristan on Sunday morning.
PTI says that peace is the objective of this rally and that it doesn’t want any confrontation.
It is pertinent to mention here that political administration of Waziristan is yet to permit the rally.
Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan Saturday talking to media said that his peace rally had no threat of a Taliban attack, adding that he was scared of politicians and not Taliban.
He slammed JUI-F chief Maulana Fazulur Rehman for his statements regarding invasion of Jews in the country. He said Maulana had been trying hard to malign his party.
Imran Khan said government should not create hurdles in the rally, adding that everyone should join the peace rally. He also said that the government had a dual policy over drone attacks.
Earlier, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman, Ahsanullah Ahsan Friday denied reports that the militant organization had assured a safe-passage for Paksitan Tehrik-e-Insaf s peace march through their tribal stronghold.