about mechanical force

You are right that the friction forces are same. So it should not matter whether you push or pull provided the force is applied parallel to the surface on which the object rests.
However, usually pushing involves a downward direction, which adds to the force. Pulling is rather upward, which involves a reduction in apparent weight. So pulling FEELS easier.
What should be done is to resolve the forces at the point of application and find out the force parallel to the surface.