Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar named caretaker prime minister

ISLAMABAD: Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar has been selected as Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Saturday.

PM Shehbaz and Riaz have sent an advice regarding Kakar’s appointment as the caretaker prime minister to President Alvi, the statement added.

وزیرِ اعظم اور قائد حزب اختلاف کے مابین نگران وزیرِ اعظم کی تقرری پر حتمی مشاورتی عمل خوش اسلوبی سے مکمل
انوارالحق کاکڑ کے نام پر بطور نگران وزیرِ اعظم اتفاق.
*وزیرِ اعظم اور قائد حزب اختلاف نے مشترکہ طور پر دستخط کرکے ایڈوائس صدر پاکستان کو بھجوا دی.
وزیراعظم کا قائد حزب اختلاف…

— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) August 12, 2023

The premier thanked the opposition leader for his cooperation in the consultation process for the nomination of the caretaker PM.

Shortly afterwards, the president approved the summary under Article 224 A of the Constitution.

Earlier, the opposition leader confirmed the same development while talking to the media outside Prime Minister’s House.

The decision comes after the second round of consultations between PM Shehbaz Sharif and Raja Riaz. “We decided that the interim prime minister would be from a smaller province,” said Raja, adding that consensus has been reached that Anwarul Haq Kakar will be the caretaker PM.

A day after the premature dissolution of the National Assembly, PM Shehbaz and opposition leader Raja Riaz began meetings to select a candidate for the caretaker premier after the National Assembly (NA) stood dissolved on August 9.

Alvi writes letter to PM, Riaz

Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Raja Riaz to propose a name for appointment of caretaker PM by tomorrow (August 12).

In the letter, President Alvi said under Article 224A of Constitution, PM Shehbaz and Raja Riaz were required to propose name of a person for appointment of caretaker prime minister within three days of dissolution of National Assembly.

Who is Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar?

Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar, the nominated new caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, is a political figure from Balochistan and member of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).

Kakar was elected to the Senate in 2018 and has been a very active politician from Balochistan.

Simultaneously, he served as parliamentary leader for the Balochistan Awami Party — formed in 2018 — within the Senate.

Anwarul Haq Kakar also 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.