Pakistan, a South Asian country with a population of about 233 million, is undergoing a political transition as it prepares for general elections scheduled for October 2023. The country’s parliament was dissolved on August 9, 2023, following the completion of the five-year term of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to the constitution, a caretaker government has to be formed to oversee the electoral process and ensure a free and fair vote.
After days of consultations and negotiations, President Arif Alvi announced on August 12, 2023, that Senator Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, a representative from Balochistan province, has been appointed as the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan. Kakar was chosen by consensus between Sharif and the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmad Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Kakar will head a cabinet of technocrats and experts who will run the country until a new government is elected.
Who is Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar?
Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar is a veteran politician and journalist who has been active in public life for over three decades. He was born in 1962 in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, and belongs to the Kakar tribe, one of the largest Pashtun tribes in the province. He obtained his master’s degree in mass communication from the University of Balochistan and started his career as a reporter for various newspapers and magazines. He also worked as a producer and anchor for Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) and Radio Pakistan.
Kakar joined politics in 1990 as a member of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), a nationalist party that advocates for the rights and autonomy of Balochistan. He served as the party’s secretary-general and spokesperson for several years. He also contested elections for the provincial assembly and the National Assembly but failed to win any seat.
In 2018, Kakar left the BNP and joined the newly formed Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a pro-federation party that emerged as the largest party in Balochistan after the 2018 general elections. He was elected as a senator from Balochistan on a BAP ticket in March 2018 for a six-year term. He also became the parliamentary leader of BAP in the Senate, the upper house of parliament.
Kakar is known for his moderate and pragmatic views on various national and regional issues. He has been vocal about the need for dialogue and reconciliation among different political forces and ethnic groups in Pakistan. He has also advocated for greater development and investment in Balochistan, which is one of the poorest and most neglected regions of Pakistan despite its rich natural resources.
What are the challenges and opportunities for Kakar?
As the caretaker prime minister, Kakar faces several challenges and opportunities in leading Pakistan during this critical period. Some of the major issues he will have to deal with are:
- Ensuring a smooth and credible electoral process: Kakar’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the upcoming general elections are held in a free, fair, transparent, and peaceful manner. He will have to work closely with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is responsible for conducting and supervising the elections, as well as with other stakeholders such as political parties, civil society, media, security agencies, and international observers. He will also have to address any complaints or controversies that may arise before or after the polls.
- Managing the COVID-19 pandemic: Pakistan is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected over 1.2 million people and killed over 27,000 people in the country so far. Kakar will have to ensure that adequate measures are taken to contain the spread of the virus, especially during the election campaign and voting. He will also have to oversee the vaccination drive, which has been slow and uneven across different regions and segments of society.
- Dealing with economic challenges: Pakistan’s economy is facing multiple challenges due to the pandemic, high inflation, low growth, fiscal deficit, debt burden, balance of payments crisis, and structural reforms. Kakar will have to maintain fiscal discipline and macroeconomic stability while ensuring that essential public services are not disrupted. He will also have to continue engaging with international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has provided a $6 billion bailout package to Pakistan since 2019.
- Handling foreign relations: Pakistan’s foreign relations are complex and dynamic, involving various regional and global actors and interests. Kakar will have to maintain cordial and constructive relations with key partners such as China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, India, and the United States. He will also have to deal with the evolving situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have taken over most of the country after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces. He will have to balance Pakistan’s role as a facilitator of peace and stability in Afghanistan with its own security and strategic interests.
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