Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was on Saturday appointed the interim prime minister of Pakistan and will guide the cash-trapped country until the forthcoming elections.
The announcement came on the concluding day of deliberations between outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition in the dissolved National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmad, as per an announcement from the Prime Minister’s Office. “The prime minister and leader of the opposition jointly signed the advice (to appoint Kakar) and it was sent to the president,” read the PMO statement.
Raja Riaz Ahmad said, “We first agreed that whoever should be prime minister, he should be from a smaller province so smaller provinces’ grievances should be addressed.”
Speaking to the media, he said, “I proposed this name, and the PM has given his approval to it… Both the PM and I have endorsed the summary.” He further said that Kakar’s inauguration is scheduled for Sunday. Riaz further stated that there was no conversation regarding the caretaker cabinet during today’s meeting with PM Shehbaz.
Here’s all we know about Pakistan’s new interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar
- Kakar (52) hails from the Balochistan province and belongs to the ethnic Pashtun community. He is associated with the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a party known for its proximity to the influential establishment of the nation.
- In 2018, Kakar secured a Senate seat and has since been an active politician. He served as the chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, while also contributing as a member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology.
- He has also served as the spokesperson of the Balochistan provincial government prior to his election to the upper house.
- Born in 1971 in the Muslim Bagh area of Qila Saifullah district in Balochistan, he holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Sociology and is an alumnus of the University of Balochistan.
- According to the Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research (CSCR) Kakar is proficient in English, Urdu, Persian, Pushto, Balochi and Brahvi languages.
- President Arif Alvi has sanctioned Kakar’s appointment as the interim prime minister in accordance with Article 224(1A) of the Constitution. As per the provisions of Article 224(1A), the president, in consultation with the outgoing prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the previous National Assembly, which is the lower house of Parliament, designates the caretaker prime minister.
- Following its dissolution on August 9, the national assembly had until Saturday to reach a consensus between the prime minister and the leader of the opposition regarding the appointment of an interim premier.
- The general elections are likely to take place within a span of 90 days. However, the election commission might extend this timeline if it undertakes delimitation based on a new census.
- Kakar is anticipated to be sworn in on Sunday, subsequently forming his interim cabinet to govern the nation during this period.
(With inputs from PTI)
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