Balochistan Awami Party Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar has been chosen as the interim prime minister of Pakistan, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday.
The much-anticipated announcement comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Raja Riaz reached a consensus over Kakar’s name for the coveted post in a meeting today.
According to a press release issued by the PMO, PM Shehbaz and Riaz have sent an advice regarding Kakar’s appointment as the caretaker prime minister to President Arif Alvi.
Shortly afterwards, the president gave his assent to the advice under Article 224 A of the Constitution.
Earlier, in a media talk outside the Prime Minister’s House after meeting PM Shehbaz, Riaz confirmed the same.
“We had earlier decided that the caretaker PM should be someone from a smaller province and a non-controversial personality. Our aim was to remove the sense of deprivation in small provinces.
“We have finally reached a consensus that Anwaarul Haq Kakar will be the caretaker PM,” Riaz said.
“I had given this name and the PM has consented to this name … I and the PM have signed on the summary,” he told reporters, adding Kakar would take oath as the head of the interim set-up tomorrow (Sunday).
Riaz added that a discussion on the caretaker cabinet was not held in his meeting with PM Shehbaz today.
Who is Anwaarul Haq Kakar?
Anwaarul Haq Kakar was elected as an independent senator from Balochistan in 2018, clinching a six-year term that will conclude in March 2024.
Simultaneously, he worked as chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and as a member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology.
Kakar also undertook the role of parliamentary leader for the Balochistan Awami Party — formed in 2018 — within the Senate.
Kakar navigated this leadership position for a considerable five-year duration. Nonetheless, a mere five months ago, the party resolved to opt for new leadership, leading to his replacement.
Deliberations on caretaker premier
The process for the appointment of the caretaker PM kicked off a day after the premature dissolution of the National Assembly on Aug 9. The first meeting between PM Shehbaz and Raja Riaz was held on Aug 10 wherein both the leaders exchanged a list of probable candidates for the coveted slot.
The second round of consultations was held last night during a dinner hosted by PM Shehbaz for leaders of the outgoing ruling alliance.
Subsequently, PM Shehbaz had expressed confidence that the name of the head of the interim set-up would be finalised by Saturday.
Sources privy to the current political situation told Dawn that the delay in nominating a caretaker prime minister was apparently because Raja Riaz, generally believed to be a “friendly opposition leader”, came out to be a different man, as he had been insisting on his candidate instead of agreeing to the names suggested by the PML-N.
Sources said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was insisting, through PM Shehbaz Sharif, on former finance minister Ishaq Dar to be picked as caretaker premier, and if not Dar, then former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
However, Riaz, a PTI dissident with no backing of a political party, was getting dictation from another power corridor and insisting on the name of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, sources claimed. Sanjrani called on Riaz on Friday, as well as Dar and Ahsan Iqbal.
Source: Dawn
BDST: 1716 HRS, AUG 12, 2023
MN
