PTI chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has been threatened by militants after criticising attacks on polio vaccination teams, his party said Thursday.
Imran on December 18 had declared polio workers as soldiers of Islam and said those attacking them were not doing any justice to humanity, Islam or Pakistanis.
Pakistan is one of three countries in the world where polio remains endemic and efforts to stamp it out have been badly affected by attacks on health workers inoculating children.
"Mr Khan received a threat from Ansarul Mujahideen over his remarks over anti-polio campaign," Shireen Mazari, a senior member of PTI told AFP.
Ansarul Mujahideen is a little-known militant group linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Last year TTP banned polio vaccinations in the tribal region of Waziristan, alleging the campaign was a cover for espionage.
Eradication efforts have also suffered due to long-standing rumours that the vaccine was part of a Western plot to sterilise Muslims.
PTI leads the government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and yesterday, Imran pledged to spearhead a fresh anti-polio drive, kicking it off by administering drops to children at a hospital himself.
"Those attacking polio workers and policemen deputed to protect them, are not doing any justice to humanity, Islam and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan," Imran had said.
"Polio workers are mujahid (soldiers of Islam) and we stand by them."
Up to 2.3 million children in nine districts will be targeted in the immunisation drive, local officials have said, after 62 polio cases were reported from tribal areas and K-P this year.
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COMMENTS (40)
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Advice to John the Baptist and other PTI trolls...personal attacks on those who don't follow your religion will not convince anyone to see your point. Others aren't any less patriotic or human than you are.
But TTP did not accept responsibility,so IK will say.Terrorists will be terrorists.Doesn't help being apologists for them.
Imran is an immature and illiterate politician. He is destroying KPK.
@Ahmed: In Karachi he did not. He called the operation a "good start".
I can almost hear PPP, ANP and MQM laughing out loud.
ET My response to Fahad has not been posted for some reason. I am not advertising my blog, but rather excerpts taking from this site itself. So rephrasing a response which ET has not posted: @Fahad: You are not giving viable alternative suggestions. Do you advocate war which will result in increased militia or are you supporting total annihilation of human race residing in tribal areas? I don't think Imran Khan endorsed operations within Pakistan anywhere neither any terrorist activities. You must not follow one stream of media, but should hear out everyone's stance in this scenario.
@Fahad: War doesn’t work”. But does bowing meekly in front of terrorists and criminals work? Well said agreed.His followers are victims of poisonous propaganda of ghairat brigades which kills minds.The comments given by his supporters prove they severely lack logic.
mr Fahad for your info imran khan opposed military operation in karachi and Baluchistan also.
@NotagAin
Oh Bhai sorry to hear than, my uncle was killed in Pakistan just for being a shia. Fighting fire with fire only makes it WORSE, you must take a long term approach. You have to systematically change their belief and integrate them into society with jobs and prospects. We are losing this war and have been for years because we do not have dialogue. The typically thing is we tried speaking didn't work therefore lets go and try something else. You must try and speak, speak and speak again. Because the deaths of your family my family pakistani family all over the world will not stop in 20-30 years time if even 1 of these guys are around. And those death are in vain. Whereas we could be in the situation where the death of all these pakistani MEANT something, they ushered in a golden era for Pakistan You MUST talk and talk again,
@Fahad: Please explain your point WITH alternative solutions. The alternative to ceasefire seems to be war. Against whom? Several brainwashed Pakistanis funded by foreign agencies with families residing in tribal region. Are you advocating a clean-sweep operation in that area which desecrates lives of everyone because rest assured their kids will not grow up to be patriots. All I hear is a selectively picked statement superimposed on all the stances Imran Khan has made. If you have a point of view, along with a solution dealt with forethought and calculated regressions, do share. "Letting 250 criminals run away in spite of knowing a day ahead works?" Please explain. (Read my blog to get details about every statement I am making here)
@The Failed Rebel: "War doesn't work". But does bowing meekly in front of terrorists and criminals work? Making tall claims while failing to protect citizens of KP works? For Imran Khans government to fail to complete its first duty of protecting lives works? Letting 250 criminals run away in spite of knowing a day ahead works? Advocating offices for anti state groups and terrorists works? Justifying army operation in Sindh while opposing it in KP against a murderous terrorist antistate group is fair? You need to get out of your irrational loyalty to a man who doesn't care about Pakistan but is only using clueless youngsters and populist tactics to desperately try to reach the PM seat in the next election.
I watched the video clip attached to this news and feel that Imran Khan is sincere this time in his support for the polio vaccination campaign. I wish him success and courage to continue this campaign.
Now show some spine and stand up to those threats. Stop acting like a baby. People get slaughtered and they are whining over threats.
@John the Baptist: IK should lead by example. He should negotiate with Taliban on Polio issue and show the results. Even if the task is big doesn't mean one should surrender before enemies and negotiate on enemies terms & conditions.
@Sidster: Well, did Imran Khan care when 40000 Pakistanis were being killed? And now we should weep for him receiving threats?
@Midas: Matters have already started to change in KP. Please go there and ask, or watch unbiased media telecasts. He is delivering what he promised. Namely anti-drone campaigns, development for disabled, anti-corruption measures. Even though he missed the 90 days deadline, still things are heading towards a positive state. PML-N has done the exact opposite, and shame on them. By whatever means, they got Pakistan in such a fragile state, and yet they sold ALL of us out to IMF, US. Inflation increased, insurgency is even more aggressive due to their pro-American stance. You are only refuting Imran Khan out of hatred, and not giving the viable solution. War doesn't work, hasn't worked for the US for the past 12 years. Instead they ended up shooting their own foot. I don't think anyone here should defend Imran Khan out of a misplaced sense of loyalty or to keep face. What Imran is doing is right, and this why most of the youth supports him. He has never expressed the desire to start talks himself, primarily because it's beyond his authority to draft a national policy. The fact is that till my people start to see through rulers and leaders, they will always end up voting for the wrong side.
No hope from PTI. Imran is ruining KPK. We shall never vote for PTI. No change in KPK. Rather more corruption is there in KPK.
Supporting polio campaign while keep insisting to have peace talks with TTP is same as treating cancer with Panadol.
@Midas:
More vitriol. So exactly, what is your point?
@John the Baptist: since you appear to be the only self-declared sane, would you care to enlighten all the rest of us - the people of lesser intellects, when and how is he going to do all that you so eloquently say should be done. He practically has a province to govern - should it not be a paradise on the earth? or is that rhetorical as well? He is talking the talk since his political ambitions started, time to walk that talk.
Go IK-Mian sahib wouldn`t ever do anything for his people. He just wants more money for big houses in London.
My relatives were killed by these terrorists whom Imran wants to talk to. Now you will know whom you want to talk to are not humans. They don't even want polio free Pakistan.
All children of Pakistan should know Imran will do anything for votes even just give lip service. Go to the villages and administer polio drops Imran and I will believe you.
@Faisal: The youth has now awakened to your follies
No point awakening when you have your head buried deep into the sand
@Faisal: Yes, you, for voting the people into power who bred them
I despise the people who bred them and the ones who are making a case to breed them. And FYI I never embraced the discipleship of any political outfit. Sacrificing my common sense and morality was too high of a price
@Obaid: The chickens brought up by you. Yes, you, for voting the people into power who bred them. The youth has now awakened to your follies and is here to make a change with PTI. #PTI4Pakistan
Well mr. Khan, atleast now you should not be confused at all about the " whoever it is" that attack the polio eradication team. Not that " that" was ever a debatable point.
Well, well, well it seems the chickens have come home to roost
I don't know why some people are against Polio. There may be some reason.
Pseudo threats! who trust IK.
I don't get it...are the militants for or against Imran Khan?
may God protect him. he is the only hope of pakistan
What? No PPP/MQM trolls yet?
Imran Khan is being threaten but not a soul from anywhere in Pakistan will comment in regards to safety of his life. Pakistan as a nation should appreciate what Imran Khan said regards to Polio workers and their work. May Allah give Imran Khan more strength to speak up against injustice committed by our religious brothers and sister against their fellow Countrymen, Ameen.
And still desi liberals will think this news is a Saudi, Arab, ISI, PTI, Taliban, grand Islamic conspiracy hatched to make the Taliban-conformist PTI look non-Taliban.
Not unexpected,but IK will do believe in negotiation with these ruthless people.
Attaboy Imran now go negotiate with them!