NEW DELHI: Sharp differences have developed between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan and his party president Javed Hashmi that are spilling into the media, with both giving interviews, and issuing statements attacking each other.

Hashmi’s allegations feed into the government propaganda against Khan for working with the military, and helping overturn the democratic processes that had elected a civilian government to power.

Hashmi claimed that Imran Khan’s decision to move forward to the Prime Ministers House was against that of the Party. At a press conference he insisted that Khan had assured PT leaders that he would not move from the Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, but changed his position after a message was delivered to him by political leaders Sheikh Rasheed and Saifullah Niazi. He did not say what or from whom the message was, saying however, “no distance has been left between martial law and us.”

Hashmi said that Khan had asked him to leave, and there was no democracy in PT. He said, however, that if Khan returned he would stand by him. He also warned that the PTO chairman would be responsible if democracy was derailed.

Refuting these allegations, Khan said that in his 18 years of political struggle he has never needed any political crutches.

Claiming that he has always stood by his principles of fighting for real democracy, Imran said that he neither needs to nor would seek army’s help on political issues.

The PTI chief reiterated that throughout the Azadi March he has emphasised that he would never accept any undemocratic action or intervention.

Meanwhile Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has made it clear that he will not step down. Addressing a meeting of leaders of political parties in Islamabad, Sharif said he would not allow to set a precedent under which a few people make hostage mandate of millions of people.

"We have rule of Constitution here and we will not allow an one to abrogate it," he was quoted in the media as saying.

Following the meeting a joint declaration pointed out that future of Pakistan is linked with democracy and any deviation can be dangerous for federation of Pakistan.

The storming of Parliament, Prime Ministers House and Pakistan national Television headquarters have unnerved the government and those worried about possible military rule in the country.