Anwarul Haq Kakar to be sworn in as Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister

Islamabad: Anwarul Haq Kakar, a first-time Senator who was appointed as Pakistan's caretaker prime minister, will be sworn in Monday as the interim premier of the country after his resignation from the upper house of Parliament was accepted.

Kakar, 52, is an ethnic Pushtun from Balochistan and a member of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) -- a party considered close to the powerful establishment of the country.

President Arif Alvi would administer the oath to him during a ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the Presidential Palace, in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

Kakar's name was agreed upon during the final day of consultations between outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Leader of the Opposition in the dissolved National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmad on Saturday.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani on Monday accepted Kakar’s resignation from the Senate ahead of the latter’s swearing-in as the caretaker prime minister, the Dawn newspaper reported.

A day earlier, the Prime Minister-designate announced his resignation from the Senate as well as the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), which he founded in 2018.

According to Geo News, Kakar stepped down from his post because he wanted to be an impartial interim premier.

Since it was his responsibility to hold free and fair general elections in cooperation with the Election Commission of Pakistan, he had decided to resign.

A notification issued by the Senate Secretariat on Monday notified Kakar’s resignation.

“Anwaarul Haq Kakar, a 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 Senate chairman,” the notification said.

“The honourable Senate chairman 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 August 14,” it added.

Meanwhile, state-run Radio Pakistan reported that Kakar would be sworn in as the interim premier on Monday.

In a statement issued on Sunday, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed confidence that Kakar would ensure fair elections. He said the “trust reposed by all parties in Kakar’s name proves their proper choice as the upcoming caretaker Prime Minister is an educated person and a patriot”.

According to the outgoing premier, Kakar was decided upon under a constitutional process as he was the “most suitable person” to head the interim set-up.