Pakistan former senator Anwaar-ul Haq Kakar sworn in as caretaker PM: Who is he?

Anwaar-ul Haq Kakar, a former Senator from Balochistan, was sworn in as the eighth interim prime minister of Pakistan on Monday (August 14).

This comes days after outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif and the leader of the opposition Raja Riaz chose Kakar to take the role of caretaker premier ahead of the upcoming general election, the dates of which remain uncertain.

Oath-taking ceremony

Kakar was sworn in as the Pakistan caretaker PM in a ceremony that coincided with the country’s Independence Day at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad.

President Arif Alvi administered the oath in the presence of outgoing PM Shehbaz and his former cabinet ministers.

According to Pakistan media reports, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, and other high-ranking military officials were also present.

The now-former Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) senator will run the country until a new government is elected in Pakistan.

After taking oath, Kakar also reportedly met officials of the armed forces and shook hands with them.

One of the first tasks before the interim premier will be to choose a cabinet as the country heads into an election period.

In a statement, Shehbaz Sharif said he is confident that the newly sworn-in PM will ensure fair elections, adding that Kakar was decided upon under a constitutional process as he was the “most suitable person” to head the interim government.

Newly-appointed caretaker PM’s life and political career

Kakar was born in 1971 in Muslim Bagh, an area of the Killa Saifullah district of Balochistan.

While he does not hail from a traditionally political family, some of his relatives have been involved in politics, reported Dawn.

He completed his schooling at St. Francis School, Quetta, and later enrolled in Cadet College Kohat but reportedly returned to Balochistan after his father’s demise. Kakar also finished his Master’s in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Balochistan.

He started his career by teaching in a school in his native town, according to Geo News.

Kakar began his political career, in 2008, on a Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) ticket but lost to his rival.

He later joined Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) and served as then-CM Sanaullah Zehri’s spokesperson for almost three years.

However in 2018, he reportedly “led” a no-trust vote against Zehri which led PML-N CM to step down.

It was also not until 2018 that he began his journey as an independent senator from Balochistan and his six-year term would have concluded in March 2024.

The Pakistan senator became the parliamentary leader of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), which he played a role in forming in 2018, but five months ago was replaced as the party opted for new leadership.

Kakar resigns from Senate

Earlier on Monday, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani accepted the interim PM’s resignation, submitted a day prior, from the Senate as well as the BAP.

As per Pakistan media reports, Kakar stepped down from his post because he wanted to be an impartial caretaker PM.

“Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Member Senate of Pakistan, has resigned his seat, as his Principled stance of neutrality on becoming the caretaker Prime Minister, by writing under his hand in person before the Chairman Senate,” said a notification from the Senate Secretariat.

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

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE