Pak army denies backing Islamabad protests

After a dissident Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader accused the Pakistani army of backing the ongoing protests in Islamabad, the army has strongly denied the claim.

Former PTI president, Javed Hashmi had alleged earlier that the anti-government protests led by PTI chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri were "scripted." Although he did not reveal who the scriptwriter was but said that there was a feeling amid the party members that the army was supporting PTI, reported The Express Tribune.

Pakistani military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has however rejected the allegations categorically by emphasizing that the army is an apolitical institution and that it has always expressed its support for democracy in the nation. It also said that the act of dragging the army into a political controversy was "unfortunate."

The Nawaz Sharif government has also denied the involvement of army in the political standoff. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the army should not be dragged into political matters.