Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Thursday that the business community supports giving more powers to the caretaker government as it is the need of the hour. An interim setup is appointed to run day-to-day administrative affairs rather than to make important decisions. Still, at this time, the country’s economic situation is critical, and the threat of a default is looming, so he said giving them additional powers was necessary for the country’s economic interests.

Shahid Rashid Butt said in a statement today that in the presence of a powerless caretaker government, several agreements and projects, including the agreement made with the IMF, would have been exposed to risks. The opportunity to hold negotiations with the creditors would have been lost, which would have affected the people, traders, and industrialists.

He said that to save the economy from destabilisation, the government has made the right decision by amending the election laws in line with the country’s economic situation, which is laudable.

The business leader said that now the interim setup will be able to hold negotiations with the IMF and other international creditors and take care of big projects.

He said that now all eyes will be on the interim setup, which will be entrusted to hold elections within a few months and hand over power to the elected government, as a stable political government will be able to save the country from default.

Shahid Rashid Butt said the country has been saved from default, but the economy is still in shambles and should be revived as soon as possible.

He said that if a person from a political party is made caretaker prime minister, it will raise questions about the election process. At the same time, the opposition will also get an opportunity to protest, so a non-political person should be appointed as a caretaker prime minister.