Cleric Qadri gives 24-hour deadline for Sharif to resign

Amid Pakistan Army’s mediation efforts, protesters have stepped up pressure on the embattled government with cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri setting yet another deadline of 24 hours for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to quit. In a late night development, Qadri’s camp was visited by a delegation of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) led by Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who convinced the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief to delay his next move. Following the meeting, the first direct contact between the two groups since they together started the march on August 14, Qadri set a 24-hour deadline for the Premier to step down. Qadri has set a number of deadlines since camping outside the Parliament about two weeks ago.