ISLAMABAD: As protests in Islamabad seemingly slip out of the government’s control, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif’s met at the PM House on Monday to discuss the political crisis.

According to sources, the embattled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif informed army chief General Raheel Sharif that he will not resign in the wake of protests by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Insiders said that in the meeting that lasted over two hours, the prime minister and army chief discussed the ongoing political crisis in detail – and its likely fallout.

The army chief took the prime minister into confidence over the discussions held during the corps commanders meeting on Sunday evening on the prevailing political crisis.

According to sources, the COAS asked the prime minister to resolve the political impasse as soon as possible.

Sources said that General Sharif presented a range of options before Nawaz.

They also discussed issues of internal security.

Reports were going rounds that the COAS had advised the PM Sharif to step down for three months. However, immediate rebuttal was issued from government spokesperson citing such reports as baseless.

The ISPR, military’s public affairs wing, also denied any such suggestion mooted by the COAS.

“PM-COAS meeting; News of army chief asking PM to resign or going on leave is baseless,” DG ISPR Major Gen Asim Bajwa said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader insisted that the prime minister will not step down, and will in fact address a joint session of Parliament on Tuesday.

The meeting comes a day after the army said it was “reaffirming support to democracy” and reiterated that the ongoing standoff between the Nawaz government and the Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) needed a political solution.