Updating with inputs from a Pakistan expert from Pakistan, Syed Mohsin Raza: Balochistan Senator Anwar ul-Haq Kakar is caretaker PM

Syed Mohsin Raza says:

"Prima facie Kakar has been picked to alleviate the complaints of the largest , but the most neglected, province of Baluchistan."

"Newly designated Caretaker Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar is a Pushto speaking resident of Baluchistan. He is basically an educationist. Had been running an NGO. And was introduced into politics in 2018. 

He belongs to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) a political party of Baluchistan. Chairman Senate, Mr. Sadiq Sanjarani also belongs to BAP and is a resident of Baluchistan. 

Sanjarani would become the acting President after the retirement of incumbent President Dr. Arif Alvi on September 8, 2023. The Caretaker setup perhaps would last longer than its mandated period of time which is 90 days as the country is facing exceptionally critical times in terms of financial management of the country. 

For the time being, it seems, the political show would be mastered by Baluchistan.

 Pakistan senator Anwar ul-Haq Kakar named caretaker PM ahead of vote
The little-known senator from Balochistan has been nominated to lead the country until its next general election.  

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will have to "navigate economic and political turmoil after Imran Khan conviction", says 'The Guardian'.  His affinity to Pakistan army through a prominent political force only shows that nothing much has changed in India's western neighbouring country vis-a-vis the 'hold' of the military in country's polity and power structures. 

Kakar is listed as an 'independent politician' by the Senate, but is reported by local media to be close or a part of the Balochistan Awami Party, which is widely considered to be close to the country’s powerful military.

The interim government under Kakar takes over the reins of a country that has been in political turmoil since Imran Khan lost no-confidence motion in April 2022. There are also serious overlapping economic and security issues. 

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, has been barred from politics for five years by the country’s election commission after his conviction on corruption charges. 

“The prime minister [Sharif] and leader of opposition have jointly signed the advice which will be sent to the president for approval,” a statement said, reports aljazeera.com. Kakar's name was cleared and announced following a meeting between outgoing premier Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz Ahmad.  “We first agreed that whoever should be prime minister, he should be from a smaller province so smaller provinces’ grievances should be addressed,” Riaz said after a meeting with Sharif.

Pakistan’s parliament was dissolved on Wednesday and by law, an election should be held within 90 days, but the results of the latest census released last week means more time will likely be needed to redraw constituencies.

Former information minister of Pakistan Fawad Chaudhry, a colleague of Kakar, said Pakistan was gripped with a surge of terrorism and Kakar was someone who understood the dynamic of terrorism.

“Kakar is someone with a keen eye on international politics. He has very strong connections with right quarters.”

Chaudhry also said: “Kakar’s nomination as caretaker prime minister certainly is something that would not bring joy for the camps of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N and Pakistan People’s party. (The Guardian) 

Various other media outlets reported that Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar hails from the southwestern province of Balochistan. He was elected as senator in 2018 and his term is set to be concluded in March 2024. 

He was the parliamentary leader of the Balochistan Awami Party for five years. Interestingly, he was the co-founder of the party.

He contested for the national assembly from Quetta in 2008 on a Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid ticket and as the spokesman of the government of Balochistan in 2013. He presently serves as the committee’s chair in the senate.

Under Pakistan’s constitution, a neutral caretaker government oversees national elections, which must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the parliament’s lower house – which in this instance means early November. The choice of caretaker prime minister has assumed heightened importance this time because the candidate will have extra powers to make policy decisions on economic matters, and amid fears the elections may be delayed by as much as six months.

The election commission has to draw new boundaries for hundreds of federal and provincial constituencies and, based on that, it will give an election date. 

Experts say the new regime will have to come out new charters of economy, democracy and governance in sync with 'Pakistan's national interests'. 

A hybrid regime cobbled together by the string pullers in 2018 lasted for about three and a half years.

"The ‘same-page’ mantra stood exposed in the clash of interests. But the replacement was a hybrid-plus coalition of political parties that became willing partners to not only dislodge the new political kid on the block but also to dismantle the party whose leader had the ‘temerity’ to challenge the military establishment and the deep state," went a column in 'Dawn' on Aug 12 morning hours before the announcement of Kakar's name to take charge.