In this photo taken Aug. 6, 2012 Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan, center, flanked by his body guards talks to The Associated Press in the militant group’s stronghold of Shawal in the tribal region of South Waziristan.—AP Photo



Dawn News Article



Updates on Thursday, August 9:



KARACHI: The spokesman for the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Ahsanullah Ahsan, has denied reports that the militant organisation has threatened to kill cricket star turned politician Imran Khan if he holds a planned march to their tribal stronghold.



The Associated Press (AP) on Wednesday, in an interview with Ahsan in the militant group’s stronghold of South Waziristan, quoted the Taliban spokesman as saying: “We will kill him.”



“We will not accept help or sympathy from any infidel,” AP quoted Ahsan as saying, referring to Khan. “We can fight on our own with the help of God,” added the report.



However, in an email sent out Thursday, the spokesman partially denied the report.



“There is news in [the] media that I have threatened to kill Imran Khan…if he comes to Waziristan,” said the email, adding: “That was quoted by an AP reporter…regarding my interview with him. I gave him [an] interview but I hadn’t stated in that interview that we are going to kill Imran Khan.”



The spokesman added that an announcement on a reaction to Imran Khan’s visit will be made after the “Shurah of TTP…decide what to do a week before his (Khan’s) sure arrival.”



However, Ahsan went on to admit the rest of the interview.



“It’s sure and clear that we don’t have any sympathy with Imran Khan. Neither [do] we need his sympathy, as he himself claims to be liberal and we see liberals as infidels,” he said.