ISLAMABAD – Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, a politician from Balochistan province of Pakistan and a leader of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), on Monday took oath as the eighth caretaker prime minister of the country as nation awaits next general elections.
President Arif Alvi administered the oath to Kakar at a ceremony attended by outgoing premier PM Shehbaz Sharif, 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.
His appointment as the caretaker PM was mutually decided by the government and opposition as they hoped that Kakar would ensure free and fair elections in the country.
The National Assembly was officially dissolved last week, with elections due within 90 days according to the constitution.
Following the oath-taking ceremony, Kakar went to the PM House where he met with the officials.
Who is Anwaarul Haq Kakar?
Family details
He was born in 1971 in Muslim Bagh area of Balochistan. He belongs to the Kakar tribe of Pashtun ethnicity, so he represents both Pashtuns and Balochs.
Education
He completed his early education in Quetta. Later, he joined the Cadet College Kohat, but he returned home due to death of his father.
He holds a Master’s degree in Political Science, Sociology and is an alumnus of the University of Balochistan.
Political career
In 2008, Kakar contested the National Assembly election from Quetta on the ticket of Q-League.
Kakar was elected to the Senate as an independent candidate on general seat from Balochistan in 2018 Senate elections. He took oath as Senator on March 12, 2018.
Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Balochistan Awami Party
He co-launched a new political party Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), and was appointed the party’s central spokesman in 2018.
He also worked as chairperson Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and as member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology.
Besides politician, Kakar is widely regarded as an intellectual in the country.
8th Caretaker PM of Pakistan
On August 12, 2023, Anwaarul Haq Kakar was picked as the caretaker Prime Minister by the opposition leader Raja Riaz and the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. President Arif Alvi signed the summary making him the 8th caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan.
The new caretaker PM also enjoys good ties with the mainstream political parties including PML-N and PPP.
