ISLAMABAD: Following his late-night meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said the army chief had assured him that a judicial commission would be formed to investigate election rigging allegations.

Addressing his supporters early on Friday, Imran stated that General Sharif promised the army would play the role of a "neutral umpire" in the investigation.

Imran's meeting and consequent speech followed after it was announced that the COAS was appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to act as 'mediator' and 'guarantor' for bringing the current crisis between the government and protesters to an end.

The PTI chairman said that he told COAS that without Nawaz's resignation there could be no independent investigation.

Imran said he had expressed his concerns to the army chief and told him “we can compromise that he (Nawaz) remain party leader and his ministers remain on their seats but he should step down for 30 days for an independent investigation to take place.”

The PTI chairman further said “If the government accepts our demand for resignation by tomorrow afternoon, we will celebrate here otherwise we will announce our further course of action of how to expand our protests tomorrow”.

Earlier on Thursday night Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and PTI Chairman Imran Khan had announced they had given the prime minister 24 hours leeway upon General Sharif’s assurances.

Opinion

Editorial

Wheat price crash
Updated 20 May, 2024

Wheat price crash

What the government has done to Punjab’s smallholder wheat growers by staying out of the market amid crashing prices is deplorable.
Afghan corruption
20 May, 2024

Afghan corruption

AMONGST the reasons that the Afghan Taliban marched into Kabul in August 2021 without any resistance to speak of ...
Volleyball triumph
20 May, 2024

Volleyball triumph

IN the last week, while Pakistan’s cricket team savoured a come-from-behind T20 series victory against Ireland,...
Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.