Anwaarul Haq Kakar's selection under cloud signifies Pakistan is back in the grip of those who always mattered in that country

 The appointment of BAP Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar as the caretaker prime minister by the outgoing coalition government has “widened the distance” between allied parties PML-N and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M). 

More and more leaders are now questioning the move. 

A member of the outgoing ruling coalition told 'Dawn' newspaper on the condition of anonymity that 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.”

“Mr Kakar’s name came from somewhere else and it had to be accepted by all stakeholders,” the politician said while responding to a question about the 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. In the letter written today, Mengal lamented the actions of politicians to approach the ESTABLISHMENT for every problem’s solution instead of resolving them politically, (capital emphasis - blogger) 

"His nomination has been widely welcomed. How much of this is due to Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s affability and how much due to the current mood where few are willing to question the choice of those who matter is hard to tell," says Arifa Noor. 

So what happens next and where does Pakistan go from here? 

Noor, a journalist writes: "The caretaker prime minister may not be in a position to assuage any of the discontent in Balochistan by his climb to the highest office (in theory) in the country.

But then, this is not a serious concern if elections are held in time. The caretaker prime minister is, after all, not there to hold state and society together. His or her job is to hold elections and go home. 

But in case he stays on à la Punjab and KP, his personal reputation will come under strain. Whether that is a cost too heavy for the prime minister is hard to say; the past five years show no politician or party has found the price of power too high to pay. 

Will Kakar be the exception that proves the rule? 

There are others in Pakistan who are equally worried.

"There is not even a pretence of neutrality with the launch of ‘Project Kakar’. It also raises questions about elections being held on time. Even if they are held, the fairness of the polls will remain in doubt under a pliant interim arrangement," writes Zahid Hussain, also a journalist.  

He is also assertive about the real challenges ahead. "It is also imperative for the caretakers to bring down the political temperature in the country. The persecution of PTI supporters must be stopped and those arrested without charge released to create a conducive atmosphere for the elections," he notes. 

"A country facing existential threats cannot afford to go through experiments that lead to the derailment of the democratic process," says Hussain.  He also warns about the obvious.

"Instead of selecting a non-partisan person to head the interim administration with the consensus of political parties, it seems that the former government has accepted the nominee of a security institution. The former ruling alliance has helped create a situation that will soon come back to haunt it."

Meanwhile, US Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel during a department press briefing said, “We, of course, will continue to partner with Pakistan on areas of mutual interest, including our interest in Pakistan’s economic stability, prosperity, and security, and the conduct of free and fair elections and the respect for democracy and the rule of law.”