President Arif Alvi has appointed Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar from Balochistan as the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, the consensus nomination of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition leader Raja Riaz, and he  will take oath of his office on Sunday (tomorrow), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

President Alvi gave approval to Kakar’s appointment under Section 224-1A of the Constitution. Kakar, co-founder of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), will be the 8^th interim prime minister of Pakistan.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Opposition leader earlier Saturday announced that Senator Kakar was nominated as the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan.

The much-anticipated announcement came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition Leader Raja Riaz evolved a consensus over Kakar’s name for the coveted post during their third and final meeting in Islamabad.

The prime minister and the leader of opposition then jointly signed the advice for the appointment of the caretaker PM and sent it to President Alvi for approval, said a press release issued by the PM Office, adding the consultation process for the appointment of the caretaker prime minister was amicably completed.

PM Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition leader Raja Riaz signing the advice for appointment of new caretaker prime minister.

On the occasion, the prime minister thanked the leader of opposition for the role in the parliament during the last 16 months  and the cooperation extended in the consultation process.

Talking to the media men outside the PM House after meeting PM Shehbaz Sharif, Raja Riaz confirmed the decision, saying “We had earlier decided that the caretaker prime minister should be someone from a smaller province and a non-controversial personality. The aim was also to remove the sense of deprivation of small provinces. We reached a consensus that Anwaarul Haq Kakar will be the caretaker PM.”

He further said “I had given this name and the PM Shehbaz Sharif has consented to this name … I and the PM have signed on the summary.”

Raja Riaz also told journalists that Kakar will take oath as the head of the interim set-up tomorrow (Sunday). “A discussion on the caretaker cabinet was not held in my meeting with PM Shehbaz today,” he added.

Raja Riaz, however, refused to share with the media the names of remaining five candidates for the PM post.

Riaz said he, by proposing the interim PM’s name, had performed his duty as opposition leader in the Lower House of the parliament.
When asked about the caretaker cabinet, he said no discussion was held today on it as the prerogative rests with the caretaker prime minister to finalize the names of the caretaker cabinet.

Kakar’s brief profile

Anwaarul Haq Kakar was elected as an independent senator from Balochistan for a tenure of March 2018 to March 2024 on general seat.

He was also working as chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and as member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology.

Kakar had co-launched a political party Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and also served as spokesman for the government of Balochistan.

Reporter Awais Kiyani