Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar named Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister
Islamabad, Aug 12: Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar was on Saturday appointed the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan to head a neutral political set-up to run the cash-strapped country until the next general elections.
Kakar's name was agreed upon during the final day of consultations between outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Leader of Opposition in the dissolved National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmad, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
"The prime minister and leader of the opposition jointly signed the advice (to appoint Kakar) and it was sent to the president," read the PMO statement.
Kakar, 52, is an ethnic Pushtun from Balochistan province and a part of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) -- a party considered close to the powerful establishment of the country.
In his first reaction, Kakar tweeted: "Thank you to Allah Almighty who gives me the opportunity to Serve the Nation as Caretaker PM of Pakistan. I.A (inshallah) will do the best which will be in favour of Pakistan."
Speaking to the media, Opposition leader Riaz said: "We decided that the interim prime minister would be from a smaller province".
He said that Kakar's name was suggested by him which was approved.
President Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Kakar as the caretaker prime minister under Article 224(1A) of the Constitution.
Sharif also thanked Riaz for his cooperation during the consultation process and for his excellent leadership of the opposition during the past 16 months.
Former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also confirmed that Kakar emerged as a consensus candidate during a discussion between the prime minister and the opposition leader.
The premier and opposition parties began rounds of meetings to pick a caretaker prime minister following the dissolution of the National Assembly on August 9.
Under Provision of Article 224 (1A) of the Constitution, the president appoints the caretaker prime minister in consultation with the prime minister and leader of the opposition in the outgoing National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament.
Kakar was elected to the Senate in 2018 and has been a very active politician. He has also served as the spokesperson of the Balochistan provincial government prior to his election to the upper house.
Born in 1971 in the Muslim Bagh area of Qila Saifullah district of Balochistan. He holds a Master's degree in Political Science, Sociology and is an alumnus of the University of Balochistan.
The appointment of an interim government is a constitutional requirement and the outgoing prime minister is bound to choose his successor in consultation with the leader of the opposition within three days of the end of the National Assembly.
If the two leaders fail to reach a consensus, they send two names each to a bipartisan parliamentary panel which creates consensus on a single candidate within the next three days. However, in case of failure, the panel sends all names to the election commission which within two days appoints the caretaker premier.
The national assembly was dissolved on August 9 and Saturday was the last day for the prime minister and the leader of the opposition to agree upon a caretaker premier.
The general elections are expected to be held within 90 days but the election commission may take more time if it organises delimitation on the basis of a new census. Kakar will soon take an oath and choose his cabinet for the interim period to run the country.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
