Who is Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar? The 'BAP' co-founder named as Pakistan's caretaker PM

Ahead of general elections, Pakistan on Saturday named Senator Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar as caretaker Prime Minister to govern the cash-strapped country. His appointment was confirmed by the Leader of the Opposition of the National Assembly Raja Riaz after two rounds of deliberations with outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif, Dawn reported. Kakar, a lawmaker belonging to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), will lead a caretaker government until fresh election in the country.

“We had earlier thought that the caretaker PM should be someone from a smaller province. We reached a consensus that Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will be the caretaker PM,” Riaz told journalists after the meeting. “I had given this name and the PM has consented to this name … I and the PM have signed on the summary,” he added. The NA leader of the opposition noted that Kakar would take oath as the head of the interim set-up tomorrow. As Pakistan gets a caretaker PM after a long wait, here’s a look at Kakar's journey from the Senate chair to the seat of the caretaker PM.

Who is Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar? 

According to the Pakistan Senate website, Kakar was elected to the Senate of Pakistan as an independent candidate for the general seat from Balochistan. After assuming office, he co-launched a new political party named Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). According to The Express Tribune, Kakar contested in the 2018 senate elections as an independent  and he was backed by the PML-N. 

As a Senator, Kakar has been part of several senate committees. He was the Chairperson of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Committee. Some of the other committees include Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs, etc. 

The birth of a new party: BAP

Former Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz leader Saeed Ahmed Hashmi and Kakar launched the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) in 2018, The Express Tribune reported. With the slogan of 'Stronger nation, unified people', the two leaders had the ambition to enter mainstream politics. "The people of Balochistan will decide who they choose to stand with and the party will not compromise on the rights of the people of Balochistan,” Kakar said while launching the party.

Since the launch of the party, Kakar has maintained that he does not take a rigid approach when it comes to dealing with the nationalist parties. "We have no stubbornness or rigidity with nationalist parties. The ball is in their court to decide what they want," he said in 2018. However, five months ago, the party leaders of BAP resolved to opt for a new leadership, which lead to his replacement. 

The long struggle of appointing a caretaker Prime Minister

Several names floated while the country’s ruling administration was struggling to come to terms with one name. The name of the country's former Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was part of the list as well. However, his name was ruled out after Prime Minister Sharif stated that a “neutral person” will assume the office.

Kakar’s appointment came after the first meeting between PM Shehbaz and Raja Riaz which was held on August 10, a day after the country’s National assembly dissolved. On Friday, Sharif hosted a dinner for the leaders of the ongoing ruling alliance, in which he confirmed that the final name will be given on Saturday. "[I] met Raja Riaz yesterday. I will meet [him] tomorrow," he said. The announcement came after President Dr Arif Alvi wrote a letter to Sharif reminding him and the opposition to suggest a “suitable person”, Dawn reported. In a subsequent letter, Sharif and Riaz informed the President that they will propose the name in the next three days in accordance with Article 224A of the Pakistani constitution. However, both leaders decided to end the waiting period and made the announcement on Saturday.