Govt asked army chief to mediate crisis, says ISPR spokesperson

Army chief was named mediator on Thursday in the standoff between the government and protesters led by Qadri and Imran

Clarifying the army chief's role in the current political impasse, the army on Friday said that it was playing the role of facilitator at the request of the government.

In a tweet 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."

Earlier in day, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar both insinuated that the army had stepped in at the behest of Imran and Qadri, not the government –  a claim that denied by both Imran and Qadri.

Army chief General Raheel Sharif was named mediator on Thursday in the standoff between the government and protesters led by Tahirul Qadri and PTI chief Imran Khan.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Ali Nisar Khan told parliament the protesters' unwillingness to trust anyone

"Again and again they said they only trust the army and will only have talks through the army," he said.

"When a group or two parties has no faith in the judiciary, the opposition, lawyers or civil society and has no confidence in anybody, what option remains for the government?"