Pakistan picks Anwaarul Haq Kakar as polls-time caretaker PM

August 12, 2023 12:20 pm

Islamabad: Pakistan has appointed Anwaarul Haq Kakar, a senator from the Balochistan Awami Party, as the prime minister of the interim government to conduct the national election meant to be held by November.

The long-awaited decision follows an agreement reached between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA), Raja Riaz, during a meeting today, where they settled on Kakar’s candidacy for the esteemed position, reports Dawn.

A press release issued by Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) confirms that both PM Shehbaz and Riaz have submitted a recommendation for Kakar’s appointment as the caretaker prime minister to President Alvi.

Confirming the development to the media, Riaz said, “We had previously decided that the caretaker PM should hail from a smaller province and possess a non-controversial demeanor. Our intention was to address the feeling of underrepresentation in smaller provinces.”

Who is Anwaarul Haq Kakar?

Kakar began his tenure as a senator in 2018, securing a six-year term that will conclude in March 2024.

During this time, he concurrently served as the parliamentary leader for the Balochistan Awami Party, which was established in 2018, within the Senate.

Kakar held this leadership position for an impressive five-year duration. However, just five months ago, the party decided to opt for new leadership, leading to his replacement.

The Balochistan Awami Party was reportedly founded by political dissidents of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) in Balochistan.

After the 2018 general election, the party emerged as the largest party in Balochistan and led a coalition government in the province.

The Balochistan Awami Party is also a part of the ruling coalition in the National Assembly, which has 4 elected members in the KP Assembly.

Considerations for Caretaker Premier

The process to designate the caretaker PM began a day after the early dissolution of the National Assembly on 9 August. The initial meeting between PM Shehbaz and Raja Riaz took place on 10 August, during which both leaders exchanged a list of potential candidates for the prestigious role.

The second round of consultations occurred last night during a dinner hosted by PM Shehbaz for leaders of the outgoing ruling alliance.

Following this, PM Shehbaz expressed confidence that the name of the head of the interim administration would be finalised by Saturday.

Insiders familiar with the current political landscape informed Dawn that the delay in selecting a caretaker prime minister was apparently due to Raja Riaz, who is often seen as a “friendly opposition leader,” taking a different stance. He had been advocating for his preferred candidate rather than agreeing to the names proposed by the PML-N.

Sources revealed that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif was advocating, through PM Shehbaz Sharif, for former finance minister Ishaq Dar to be chosen as the caretaker premier. If not Dar, then former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was suggested.

However, Riaz, a PTI dissident without the backing of a political party, seemed to be influenced by another power center, and he insisted on Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani’s name, as sources claimed. Sanjrani met with Riaz on Friday, along with Dar and Ahsan Iqbal.