Pakistani Taliban pledge not to attack election rallies ahead of Feb. 8 vote

By MUNIR AHMED
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Pakistani Taliban have pledged not to attack election rallies, saying their targets are limited to the military and security forces, as political parties and independent candidates ramp up their campaigns ahead of the Feb. 8 vote. Other militant groups have not made similar pledges, and some previous Pakistani elections have been marred by violence. Thursday’s rare pledge by the Pakistani Taliban comes after the government approved the deployment of troops in sensitive constituencies and intelligence agencies warned that militants could target public rallies. The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021.