The business community of South Punjab on Saturday urged upon Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Raheel Sharif to immediately intervene as facilitator or mediator to yank the nation out of tense and political impasse. The business community said: "We were optimistic that the dispute would be resolved within 12 hours with the efforts of the Pak Army but arising situation had disappointed us."
The businessmen suggested the ruling party to avoid using inflammatory language in response to the speeches of Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri and make all-out efforts to tackle the situation with patience and sagacity. Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) President Khawaja Muhammad Usman hailed the speeches of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Shah and said that they had taken the nation into confidence on the situation arising out after PTI and PAT sit-ins in Islamabad and they assured that they would not let derail the democracy and the Prime Minister would not resign from his office.
Khawaja said the business community was unanimous that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should not step down. He also advised the government to avoid confrontation, as situation could worsen because of bringing out rallies from the government side. Khawaja Usman said the prime minister should not resign as majority of lawmakers were supporting them. "You should not resign because majority of the nation is with you," he said, adding that demonstration is the right of protestors but they should not block the roads.