The Taliban have threatened to kill a Pakistani cricket star turned politician if he holds a planned march to their tribal stronghold along the Afghan border to protest U.S. drone attacks.

Although the Pakistani Taliban also oppose the strikes, which have killed many of their fighters, spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan said they would target Imran Khan because he calls himself a "liberal" -- a term they associate with a lack of religious belief. He also warned they would attack anyone who participates in upcoming elections.

"If he comes, our suicide bombers will target him," Ahsan told The Associated Press in an interview Monday in the militant group's stronghold of South Waziristan. "We will kill him."

The threat could come as a surprise to many in Pakistan who have criticized Khan for not being tough enough on the Pakistani Taliban and instead focusing most of his criticism on the government's alliance with the U.S.