A look back at caretaker prime ministers of Pakistan

Former Chief Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk has been named as Pakistan’s next caretaker prime minister who will supervise the upcoming general elections in July and run the interim set-up for around two months.

The consensus between the government and the Opposition over the name of Justice (retd) Mulk reached after series of lengthy deliberations.

Prior to this, a number of six people have served as caretaker prime minister of the country to head an interim government before general elections.

Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi

August 6, 1990 – November 6, 1990

Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi was appointed caretaker Prime Minister in 1990 by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. He later stepped down from his office after Nawaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister in the October 1990 elections.

Previously Jatoi joined Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in March 1969. In 1970, he was elected to the National Assembly on the PPP ticket. In 1973, he was elected Chief Minister of Sindh in a People’s Party government and held this office till 1977.

 

Mir Balakh Sher Mazari

April 18, 1993 – May 26, 1993

On 18 April 1993, Mir Balakh Sher Mazari was appointed as the caretaker president by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan after he dismissed the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the charges of corruption.

Though he only had a shorter span as the Caretaker Prime Minister Mazari’s foreign policies stood out strong. Mazari attended the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit as Pakistan’s representative head and called upon the OIC to take resolute steps to condemn Indian atrocities and violations of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Moin A. Qureshi

July 18, 1993 – October 19, 1993

Moin A. Qureshi began his career in the Government of Pakistan in 1953 where he held a series of responsible positions in financial planning. During 1981-1987, he worked as Senior Vice President, World Bank and from 1987 to 1991; he was in charge of all World Bank operations.

Mr. Qureshi left the World Bank in 1992 and agreed to serve as Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan for an interim period from July 18, 1993, to October 19, 1993.

 

Malik Meraj Khalid

November 5, 1996 – February 17, 1997

Malik Meraj Khalid was nominated as Caretaker Prime Minister in November 1996 after President Farooque Leghari removed Benazir Bhutto led People’s Party government, and held the office until February 1997.

He had joined Pakistan People’s Party soon after its inception in 1968 and was appointed President of the party’s Lahore chapter. After the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on 4 April, 1979, Mairaj Khalid was nominated the member of the PPP Central Committee. He was appointed as Speaker of the National Assembly in 1988 when the PPP came into power.

 

Muhammad Mian Soomro

November 16,  2007- March 25, 2008

Muhammad Mian Soomro served as the Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan from the 2003 to 2009. A globally recognized professional banker, Soomro  was named Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan from 16 November 2007 to 25 March 2008 before the general elections. He also became the Acting President of Pakistan after the resignation of Pervez Musharraf on 18 August 2008 by virtue of his office of the chairman of the Senate.

 

Mir Hazar Khan Khoso

March 25, 2013 – June 5, 2013

Mir Hazar Khan Khoso was appointed as the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan on 25 March 2013, by the Election Commission of Pakistan. The President of Pakistan at the time, Asif Ali Zardari, administrated the oath to the cabinet.