Pakistan: Former Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar sworn in as caretaker PM

Islamabad: Pakistan former Senator and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) leader Anwarul haq Kakar took oath as the Pakistan Caretaker PM on Monday, reported Geo News.

The Pakistan President Arif Alvi administered oath to the leader in the presence of outgoing Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and his former cabinet ministers.

It reported that the 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 officials were also present on the occasion.

Earlier in the morning, Pakistan Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani accepted Anwarul haq Kakar’s resignation as a Senate after he was appointed as the Pakistan caretaker PM, Geo News reported on Monday.

Geo News reported that the leader will be sworn in as the caretaker premier later today.

"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," a notification from the Senate Secretariat read.

"The Honourable Chairman Senate has been pleased to accept the resignation and consequently his seat has become vacant in terms of clause (1) of Article 64 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with effect from 14 August," the notification added.

On August 12, Sharif and the leader of the Opposition Raja Riaz met and concluded their last round of talks and decided to make Senator Kakar as caretaker PM.

Later on the same day, President approved the appointment of Kakar as Caretaker Prime Minister for the country.

On the social media account, X (formerly known as Twitter), the President's Office said that under Article 224 A of Pakistan's constitution, Alvi appointed Anwarul Haque Kakar as caretaker PM."President Dr Arif Alvi has approved the appointment of Anwarul Haque Kakar as Caretaker Prime Minister The President approved the appointment under Article 224 A of the Constitution," the office said in a tweet.

Balochistan lawmaker, Kakar was elected to the Senate in 2018 and has also served as the spokesperson of the provincial government prior to his election to the upper house, as per Geo News.

The lawmaker was selected as the 8th interim head of the government, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said Saturday.

Kakar and his party had good ties with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during its government and he was among the people who former prime minister Imran Khan consulted on the matters of Balochistan.

For that reason, Balochistan Awami Party often faced criticism from PML-N for that reason. However, when the party changed sides, it faced criticism from PTI, reported Geo News.

The newly-appointed caretaker premier was born in 1971 in Muslim Bagh, an area of the Killa Saifullah district of Balochistan. He completed his schooling at St. Francis School, Quetta, and later enrolled in Cadet College Kohat but returned to the Balochistan provincial capital after his father's demise.

The leader has done a Master's in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Balochistan.

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

He is also one of the founding members of BAP and was appointed as the central spokesperson of the party in 2018.