Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) has totally rejected Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan's call for civil disobedience and an ultimatum of two days to the government to step down. Reacting to PTI' chief's call, LCCI President Sohail Lashari said "it is unpatriotic campaign to ask people "Don't pay your taxes, gas bills, GST (General Sales Tax), electricity bills," to settle the political differences.
Lashari said that the country has been in the grip of uncertainty, containerisation, blockades and in limbo during the past ten days. Neither the Pakistani trade and commerce delegations are going abroad nor are foreign delegations coming to Pakistan due to law and order situation.
He pleaded that since the economy is already in bad shape the politicians should solve their differences through dialogue keeping in view the best interest of the people and their electorates. Imran Khan had been calling the business community as Tax Chores (Thieves), it is very strange that he was now calling upon the people not to pay their taxes and bills. However, LCCI president was hopeful that patriotic people would continue abide by the law and fulfil their national obligations. Talking to Business Recorder chairman All Pakistan Business Forum Syed Nabeel Hashmi said that Imran Khan's statement was a knee jerk reaction and amateurish political move as he had reached a deadlock.
Nabeel Hashmi a former chairman of Pakistan Association of automotive parts and accessories manufacturers (PAAPAM) said such as anti government campaign would ruin the fragile economy of the country and add miseries to the people's life.
Former Finance Minister and eminent economist Dr Hafeez Pasha said that it was responsibility of the government to take necessary steps much earlier so that such as dangerous situation should not have arisen.