ISLAMABAD: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan denied that the group had threatened to attack the long march announced for Jan 14, by Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahirul Qadri .

“This is not true, we have not issued any threat to attack the long march,” Ehsan told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location. “We have no comments for the long march,” he added.

Earlier on Monday  Federal Interior Minister, Dr Abdul Rehman Malik had said that Taliban militants have threatened to attack a rally for election reforms.

“Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has threatened to attack the long march,” Malik told reporters in a joint press conference with Qadri. “But we will not stop the long march and provide them full security,” Malik said.

Qadri vowed he would not waiver from his mission to stage the protest.

“The long march will take place on January 14, God willing, and it will remain peaceful,” Qadri said.

“Our mission is to strengthen democracy and pave the way for free and fair elections as enshrined in the constitution,” he said, adding that he was opposed to any delay in the Pakistani elections due in May.

Qadri leads a group called Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran, the movement to follow the path of the Quran, which has a network of religious and educational institutions.