Pakistan's leader of opposition Imran Khan. (Reuters)
Islamabad:
The Pakistan army has officially stepped in to break the fortnight-long political stalemate in Pakistan. In the early hours of Friday, army chief General Raheel Sharif met Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan and cleric Tahir-ul Qadri. But Mr Khan refused to budge from his demand.
After the meeting, Mr Khan told his followers, "When the government asked the army to talk to us - it means the government doesn't think there is any political resolution."
The army, he said, has offered a judicial commission probe into the protesters' main charge - massive rigging in last year's elections which helped Nawaz Sharif to come to power. But an independent investigation, Mr Khan said, is not possible with Mr Sharif in power.
The intervention by General Raheel came hours after the government agreed to a key demand of Mr Qadri - booking the Prime Minister for murder for his alleged role in the clashes that killed 14 supporters of the cleric in Lahore. Among the 20 others booked was Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister's brother. (Read)
But refusing to be placated, Mr Qadri has demanded that the Prime Minister be booked under terror charges.
Earlier in the day, Mr Sharif had met the army chief to discuss the standoff - the second such meeting in three days.
Analysts say Pakistan's powerful army has been covertly aiding the two protest groups. The announcement that the military is acting as arbiter will further fuel speculation that the army could use the crisis to re-assert its dominance over the civilian government again.
After the meeting, Mr Khan told his followers, "When the government asked the army to talk to us - it means the government doesn't think there is any political resolution."
The army, he said, has offered a judicial commission probe into the protesters' main charge - massive rigging in last year's elections which helped Nawaz Sharif to come to power. But an independent investigation, Mr Khan said, is not possible with Mr Sharif in power.
The intervention by General Raheel came hours after the government agreed to a key demand of Mr Qadri - booking the Prime Minister for murder for his alleged role in the clashes that killed 14 supporters of the cleric in Lahore. Among the 20 others booked was Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister's brother. (Read)
But refusing to be placated, Mr Qadri has demanded that the Prime Minister be booked under terror charges.
Earlier in the day, Mr Sharif had met the army chief to discuss the standoff - the second such meeting in three days.
Analysts say Pakistan's powerful army has been covertly aiding the two protest groups. The announcement that the military is acting as arbiter will further fuel speculation that the army could use the crisis to re-assert its dominance over the civilian government again.
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