How a dark horse becomes Pakistan caretaker PM

Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar has been nominated as the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan upon deliberation by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and opposition Leader Raja Riaz.

Kakar, a senator since 2018, is from Balochistan and a co-founder of the nationalist Balochistan Awami Party. He is on his way to become the eighth caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, reports Dawn.

The initial positive reactions over his nomination showed how Kakar was accepted by all political parties, especially those part of the ruling coalition headed by outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif. In addition, the BAP is thought to have the backing of the country's establishment.

A member of the outgoing ruling coalition told Dawn on the condition of anonymity that Mr Kakar was a "surprise" for many in the alliance; in fact, "even those who signed the summary of Kakar's nomination too were unaware about Kakar's name."

Pakistan parties pick Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar as caretaker PM

"Kakar's name came from somewhere else and it had to be accepted by all stakeholders," the politician said while responding to a question regarding PM Sharifs' failure to get their own man in the caretaker's saddle.

A similar comment was made by PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah, who said no one was aware that Kakar would become the interim PM. He said the PPP had proposed three names and they were better options. He said, "We should hope for the best irrespective of the fact where the name (of Kakar) came from."

However, Raja Riaz told reporters, "I had given this name and the PM has consented to this name … the PM and I have signed the summary." He claimed Kakar would be sworn in on Sunday.

However, a source in the Presidency told Dawn that the caretaker prime minister would take oath in a day or two.

Raja Riaz said it had been decided between him and Shehbaz Sharif that they would not disclose other names that remained under consideration. Both sides had already expressed their "desire that the caretaker prime minister should be from a smaller province". Soon after the signing of the summary by the president, Kakar was provided with the security and protocol reserved for the prime ministers.

In the farewell reception hosted by the prime minister on Friday night, the coalition partners had given full authority to Sharif to decide any name for the coveted slot. According to an official statement issued by the PMO, PM Sharif after signing the summary expressed gratitude to Raja Riaz for his cooperation in the consultative process and for his role being the leader of the opposition during the 16 months of the coalition government.

BAP Senator Abdul Qadir said his party had been making efforts for the past few days to get Kakar nominated for the office of caretaker premier.

He said that Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani was lobbying for Mr Kakar and had met PM Sharif, opposition leader Raja Riaz, Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and other senior leaders of PML-N over the past few days.

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.

Anwarul Haq was elected as a member of the Senate in 2018 and he was going to complete his tenure in March, next year. He also worked as chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources Development, and as a member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology. He also served as spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government, prior to his election to the upper house of the Parliament.

Senator Anwarul Haq would have to resign from the upper House prior to taking oath as the caretaker premier. The appointment has ended rumours and speculations about the selection of the caretaker premier from amongst Jalil Abbas Jillani, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Sadiq Sanjrani, Senator Ishaq Dar and others.

Former federal minister Shazia Marri, while commenting on the development, said it was a wrong impression that the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership had reservations over the caretaker PM's appointment. She said the coalition partners had authorized Shehbaz Sharif to name the caretaker premier, reports The News International.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Speaker National Assembly Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also congratulated Kakar over his appointment. "Appointment of Anwarul Haq as caretaker prime minister is good. He has always played a positive role in the upper house of the parliament," Sanjrani said. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf expressed the hope that Anwarul Haq would be able to ensure timely and transparent elections in the country.

Senator Abdul Qadir, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, who also hails from Balochistan, also welcomed the appointment, saying his prime responsibility would be transparent and timely general election. Also, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said on Saturday Anwaarul Haq Kakar was expected to ensure fair and transparent elections in three-month constitutional period after assuming his office as the caretaker premier, reports The News International.

In its reaction to the keenly-awaited development, the PTI claimed to be the largest political party in the country inside and outside parliament and that as per the Constitution, it said there was no consultation by the PM at any level on the issue of nomination of caretaker PM. "Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar's nomination has been done in consultation with the puppet PM and the fake leader of the opposition in the National Assembly. Now that Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has been nominated as caretaker prime minister, he has a huge responsibility," the party noted.