Pakistan's military has favored a democratic solution to the political crisis in the country.

The top military brass, led by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, met in Rawalpindi last evening and expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation.

The key meeting sent a clear message to the political leadership that the army was with democracy and the state of Pakistan and not with a particular individual. The army indicated that it will not intervene to save Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Mr. Sharif chaired a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's House yesterday. He vowed to protect the state institutions as he appealed to the protesters to restart negotiations with the government to end the 18-day political impasse.

He endorsed an opposition proposal and convened a joint session of Parliament tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party Chairman Imran Khan expelled party president and senior politician Javed Hashmi after he criticized the cricketer-turned-politician's decision to march to the official residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Imran Khan also expelled three lawmakers who refused to resign from Parliament.

On Saturday night, Hashmi had refused to join the march towards the Prime Minister's House, saying it was against the collective party decision and will result in bloodshed.

Hashmi had said that Khan's decisions will lead to imposition of martial law in the country.

Anti-government protesters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek yesterday attacked the office of country's leading TV channel Geo News in Islamabad with stones.