Pakistan: How Kakar’s appointment as caretaker PM will further strengthen Army stranglehold

Balochistan Awami Party Senator Anwaar ul Haq Kakar has been chosen as the interim Prime Minister of Pakistan. The announcement came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing Opposition Leader in the National Assembly (NA) Raja Riaz reached a consensus over Kakar’s name for the coveted post in a meeting today. According to a press release issued by the PMO, PM Shehbaz and Riaz sent an advice regarding Kakar’s appointment as the caretaker Prime Minister to President Arif Alvi, who gave his assent to Article 224A of Pakistan’s Constitution. Senator Raja Riaz was quoted as saying, “We had earlier decided that the caretaker PM should be someone from a smaller province and a non-controversial personality. Our aim was to remove the sense of deprivation in small provinces. We have finally reached a consensus that Anwaar ul Haq Kakar will be the caretaker PM.” Who is Anwaar ul Haq Kakar? It is reported that Anwaar ul Haq Kakar took the oath of caretaker PM today. Who is Anwaar ul Haq Kakar? Kakar was elected as an Independent senator from Balochistan in 2018, for a six-year term that will end in March 2024.Simultaneously, he worked as chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and as a member of the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology. Kakar also undertook the role of parliamentary leader for the Balochistan Awami Party — formed in 2018 within the Senate. Kakar navigated this leadership position for a considerable five-year duration. Nonetheless, a mere five months ago, the party resolved to opt for new leadership, leading to his replacement. The probable candidates The process for the appointment of the caretaker PM started soon after the premature dissolution of the National Assembly on 9 August. The first meeting between PM Shehbaz Sharif and Leader of the Opposition Raja Riaz was held on 10 August wherein reportedly both the leaders exchanged a list of probable candidates. The second round of consultations was held during a dinner hosted by PM Shehbaz Sharif for leaders of the outgoing ruling alliance on 11 August after which he had expressed confidence that the name of the head of the interim set-up would be finalised by 12 August. Apparently, Nawaz Sharif was insisting, through PM Shehbaz Sharif, on former finance minister Ishaq Dar to be picked as caretaker Premier, and if not Dar, then former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. However, Riaz, a PTI dissident, was proposing the name of Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani. During consultations between the ruling allies on the issue of caretaker Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had also stated that an apolitical person or a technocrat could be made the interim Prime Minister. The minister also hinted that the names of former finance minister Hafeez Shaikh and a former Supreme Court judge had been shortlisted. Apparently, the name of former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jilani had been circulating amongst those being considered as caretaker Prime Minister. The other probables included Fawad Hassan Fawad, former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister; Abdullah Hussain Haroon, former Permanent Representative to the United Nations; Pir of Pagaro VII, Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi; and former Punjab Governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood of PPP. On 11 August, Dr Arif Alvi, the President, had written to PM Shehbaz Sharif to finalise a name along with Senator Riaz Ahmed by 12 August. However, Shehbaz Sharif had stated that the Constitution gave him time to complete consultations to their satisfaction. He added that per the Constitution, he still had eight days to serve as Prime Minister, as the procedure for appointment of the caretaker Prime Minister as prescribed in the Constitution stipulates that even if talks between the Leader of the House and Opposition fail, the matter will be handed over to a bipartisan Parliamentary Body to resolve in another three days. Failing that, the matter will be taken up by the Election Commission of Pakistan to resolve. While the Constitution mandates that the fresh elections are to take place within 90 days of dissolving the National Assembly, there is likely to be a delay due to the ongoing. The President The five-year term of President Arif Alvi is also set to end next month; however, as per Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, according to the Constitution, the President would retain his seat until the new one was elected. A founding member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he was elected as President of Pakistan on 4 September 2018. However, in case President Alvi resigns, the Senate chairman would take his place. And if the Senate chairman was also unavailable, the National Assembly Speaker would take this slot. With former Prime Minister Imran Khan in jail and virtually out of the race in the next elections there is very little President Alvi can do in order to influence matters on his behalf. It is therefore likely that he will continue more so as there will be no electoral college in the country to elect a new president in his place. According to the Constitution, a new president will be voted by the electoral college comprising the Senate, the National Assembly and all the provincial assemblies. Conclusion Anwaar ul Haq Kakar’s appointment as caretaker PM is merely a constitutional necessity. He will hardly assert himself independent of the Army and his decisions will be dictated by Rawalpindi rather than Islamabad. The more things change in Pakistan, the more it remains the same. The author is a retired Major General of the Indian Army. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.