DHAKA: Hundreds of anti-government protestors stormed the headquarters of state-owned Pakistan Television on Monday, forcing the channel briefly off air, as fresh clashes erupted and the army gave the government an ultimatum to end the impasse soon.

Prime minister Nawaz Sharif met with army chief General Raheel Sharif on Monday afternoon but officials who did not want to be identified said no agreement was reached as Sharif refused a proposal by the army chief to step down.
 
Pakistan has been shaken by weeks of protests led by opposition leader Imran Khan and firebrand cleric Tahir ul-Qadri to bring down prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s government.

They say last year’s election that swept Sharif to power was rigged.

PTV’s transmission was suspended after the attack but the army flushed out the protesters and secured the headquarters of the state television within hours.

But clashes continued in other parts of Islamabad as protesters tried to march on to the prime minister’s house after government offices, including the Pakistan Secretariat, were stormed by supporters of Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Earlier, a meeting of corps commanders of the Pakistan army met in the neighbouring garrison city of Rawalpindi where they urged the government to settle the political crisis as soon as possible, reports Hindustan Times.

BDST: 2148 HRS, SEP 01, 2014