Karachi, August 12, 2023 – Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has been appointed as the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan in the new interim setup, following the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9, 2023.
President Dr. Arif Alvi officially approved the appointment, exercising the authority granted by Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution.
Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, a native of Qilla Saifullah, Balochistan, brings with him a distinguished political career. He was elected to the Senate in 2018 and has played an active role in various committees, including as the chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, as well as a member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs, and Science and Technology.
Prior to his tenure in the upper house, Kakar also served as the spokesperson of the provincial government, demonstrating his strong engagement in governance matters. He is well-regarded as an intellectual figure within the country and holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Balochistan.
Kakar’s nomination as the caretaker Prime Minister came after a consensus was reached during talks in Islamabad between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition leader Raja Riaz. Both leaders jointly signed the advice and submitted it to President Arif Alvi.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to the Opposition Leader for his cooperation in the consultation process for the nomination of the caretaker Prime Minister. Speaking to the media, Opposition Leader Raja Riaz mentioned that Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s name was proposed by him, and the Prime Minister agreed to the nomination. The key objectives behind this choice were to have a caretaker Prime Minister from a smaller province and a non-controversial personality, aiming to address the sense of deprivation in smaller provinces.
In response to a question, Raja Riaz stated that the caretaker Prime Minister is expected to take the oath of office tomorrow. When asked about the caretaker cabinet, he indicated that no discussion was held on this matter during the talks, as the prerogative to finalize the names of the caretaker cabinet rests with the caretaker Prime Minister.
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