PAKISTAN: Pakistan cricket legend-turned-politician Imran Khan begins his peace march to Waziristan

Record ID: 184866

  • Title: PAKISTAN: Pakistan cricket legend-turned-politician Imran Khan begins his peace march to Waziristan
  • Date: 7th October 2012
  • Summary: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (OCTOBER 6, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS PARKED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD/ PEOPLE STANDING ON THE STREET VARIOUS OF MAN SELLING BADGES FROM IMRAN KHAN'S PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF (PTI) PARTY VARIOUS OF CARS PARKED AT SITE OF ROAD PTI WORKER TALKING ON MOBILE PHONE CHIEF OF PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF (PTI), CRICKETER-TURNED-POLITICIAN IMRAN KHAN STANDING NEAR CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF (PTI), CRICKETER-TURNED-POLITICIAN IMRAN KHAN, SAYING: "But now what we hope is that there is a massive turnout, all along the way people would be supporting this march. I know there is a huge interest despite the government trying everything to sabotage it by saying the Taliban have released suicide bombers on the way." POSTER READING: "LETS GO TO WAZIRISTAN" (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHIEF OF PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF (PTI), CRICKETER-TURNED-POLITICIAN IMRAN KHAN, SAYING: "Remember there are peace activists who have come (from) thousands of miles away. They are our guests, so the last thing we want is their life in danger. And the Taliban have not at any stage said they'll attack. All they said (is) they won't provide security. Security was always going to be provided by the people of Waziristan." VARIOUS OF KHAN SURROUNDED BY MEDIA AS HE GETS INTO CAR PTI WORKERS CHANTING PTI WORKERS DANCING CONVOY DRIVING THROUGH TOLL PLAZA CONVOY/ CAR WITH PTI FLAG PAINTED ON ITS BONNET SUPPORTER THROWING ROSE PETALS ON CARS CARS PARKED AT TOLL PLAZA
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1AO816DT9VJP3JIJB9OKZAC2G
  • Story Text: Pakistan cricket legend-turned-politician Imran Khan is hopeful his peace march to South Waziristan will attract lots of people despite security concerns.
    Pakistan's cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan began a peace march from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad to South Waziristan on Saturday (October 6) in protest against U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas.
    Speaking before the convoy of cars started their drive, Khan was hopeful for a big turnout.
    "But now what we hope is that there is a massive turnout, all along the way people would be supporting this march. I know there is a huge interest despite the government trying everything to sabotage it by saying the Taliban have released suicide bombers on the way," he said.
    An official from the South Waziristan Agency administration told reporters on Monday (October 1) they had intelligence reports that militants might attack the rally and that the political administration did not have the capacity to provide security to thousands of participants at the event in Kotkai, where the rally is due to end.
    "Remember there are peace activists who have come (from) thousands of miles away. They are our guests, so the last thing we want is their life in danger. And the Taliban have not at any stage said they'll attack. All they said (is) they won't provide security. Security was always going to be provided by the people of Waziristan," Khan added.
    On Friday (October 5) dozens of U.S. and British protesters, some belonging to the anti-war group Code Pink, marched in Pakistan's Islamabad. The group will be joining Khan's march to South Waziristan.
    Dozens of cars left the Pakistani capital on Saturday morning, along with Khan and some leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
    Party workers said thousands of people were expected to join the convoy as it moved along the almost 5-hour long route to D I Khan where they will have an overnight stop-over.
    The march is due to end on Sunday (October 7) with a large rally in South Waziristan. Khan plans to address the rally, which his party has said will attract hundreds of thousands of people.
    A report by Stanford Law School and New York University's School of Law U.S. said drone strikes in Pakistan have killed far more people than the United States has acknowledged.
    The report said that between June 2004 and mid-September 2012, the data available suggested that up to 3, 325 people in Pakistan had lost their lives. Of those, between 474 and 881 were civilians, including 176 children. The report says more than 1, 200 others have been wounded.
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