The office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan announced today, Saturday, that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz have agreed to select Pakistani Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar to lead the caretaker government overseeing the upcoming general elections. Kakar, 52, will form a government and lead the country amid ongoing political and economic crises until a new government is elected. Kakar hails from the Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan and is not a widely recognized politician.
The statement read, "The Prime Minister (Sharif) and the opposition leader jointly signed the recommendation to be sent to the president for endorsement." The presidential office stated that President Arif Alvi has endorsed Kakar's appointment. The Constitution of Pakistan stipulates that a neutral caretaker government should oversee general elections that must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly, which in this case indicates elections should take place by early November.
As for Kakar, who Raja described as the opposition's candidate for the premiership, he has been a Senator since 2018 with a term lasting six years. His selection was surprising, as his name had not previously been mentioned among potential candidates. While Kakar is classified as an independent politician in the Senate, local media reports suggest he belongs to the Balochistan Awami Party, which is widely regarded as being close to the country's powerful military. The military continues to play a significant role behind the scenes in Pakistan, having directly ruled the country for over three decades and exerting considerable influence in the political sphere.
