PM Sharif meets Army Chief

• Overall security environment including the prevailing situation was discussed in the meeting: Pak PMO
• Army has already asked the two sides to end the crisis through negotiations

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the powerful Army Chief on Tuesday agreed on the need to "expeditiously" resolve the political deadlock amid fears of instability in the coup-prone country, as the embattled government stepped up efforts to reach out to protesters.

The meeting between Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Raheel Sharif came in the wake of protests in the heart of the capital by thousands of supporters of Imran Khan and cleric Tahir-ul- Qadri, demanding the Prime Minister's resignation."Overall security environment including the prevailing situation was discussed in the meeting. There was a consensus on the need to resolve the ongoing issue expeditiously in the best national interest," a statement issued by the PM's office said.The government did not give further details about the meeting but the army has already asked the two sides to end the crisis through negotiations. Qadri, who gave a 48-hour ultimatum to Sharif to step down, warned today that either the government steps down in 23 hours, or blood would be spilled.

Pak court orders filing of murder case against Sharifs

A Pakistani court on Tuesday ordered the registration of a murder case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and 19 others for their alleged role in the killing of 14 supporters of fiery anti-government cleric Tahirul Qadri here. The Lahore High Court dismissed petitions of three federal ministers of the Nawaz Sharif government against a sessions court's order with a direction to lodge a murder case on the application of Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tahreek.