ISLAMABAD: As the protesters marched on to the Constitution Avenue on Tuesday, the army urged both the government and the protesting political parties to exercise restraint and find a way out of the crisis through dialogue.

“Situation requires patience, wisdom and sagacity from all stakeholders to resolve prevailing impasse through meaningful dialogue in larger national and public interest,” military spokesman Maj Gen Asim Bajwa said in a late night statement.

The statement that came shortly after the protesters began assembling in front of the Parliament building in the “red zone” followed a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif and discussions with in the army on the unfolding crisis earlier in the day.

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The army had till now avoided giving any public statement on the crisis that had gripped the country since both parties began their protest drive from August 14.

The call for a “meaningful dialogue” was seen as a signal from the powerful military to the squabbling politicians to make serious efforts for resolving the contentious issues. While protesting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek have been adamant about their demands for resignation of Prime Minister Sharif and holding of fresh elections, the government has been criticised for making no serious efforts for pacifying the protesters.

An initiative by the opposition parties for defusing the situation too had met little success.

The army chief had also asked the prime minister during their meeting in the day to show “flexibility” on the demands made by PTI and PAT and avoid using force against the protesters.

It was in this context that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, speaking to media after the PM’s meeting with the army chief, had said that the government had decided to again offer dialogue to PTI and PAT.

Although the army is said to have refused a role that could have put them in direct confrontation with the protesters, it deployed 350 additional troops for the security of the buildings in the red zone.

Cautioning the protesters against attacking the Parliament building or other installations on the Constitution Avenue, Gen Bajwa said: “The buildings in the red zone are symbols of state and are being protected by army, therefore sanctity of these national symbols must be respected.”

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014