The military on Friday issued a short statement saying that it was playing the role of facilitator in the ongoing political crisis at the behest of the government.
In a message posted on Twitter, Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, "The COAS was asked by the Govt to play a facilitative role for resolution of current impasse, in yesterday's meeting, at PM House."
The government in the National Assembly today justified the military's involvement as the only option out of the deadlock, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave permission to the army chief to engage the two leaders and play the role of mediator.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly on Friday, the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan lamented that the protesting groups were unwilling to accept any other institution's offered solutions.
"These two groups did not trust the judiciary; they did not trust the opposition parties in this assembly; they do not trust lawyers, tribunals – if they do not trust anyone [but the army] what option did the government have?" he had said. “Let me make clear that this step [to involve army] was taken on a request by the protesting parties...the government allowed this facilitation, it should not be interpreted beyond that," he added.
Later, Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri said they made no such requests to the military. "They have deceived the nation; they lied on the floor of the national assembly. It is pitiful that this is Pakistan Parliament,” Qadri said today.
“The government and PM say they did not request the army to act as mediator in this crisis. This is a lie,” he said.
