Balochistan senator Anwaarul-Haq Kakar becomes Pakistan's caretaker prime minister

PAKISTANI senator Anwaarul-Haq Kakar was on Saturday (12) picked as the country's caretaker prime minister to govern at the time of financial woes and oversee general elections later this year.

Outgoing prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the opposition leader Raja Riaz finalised his name after two rounds of deliberations.

Kakar, a lawmaker belonging to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), will lead a caretaker government until a fresh election is held.

Speaking to the media, 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 Pakistani Constitution.

The president signed the advice soon after it was dispatched for his approval.

Sharif recommended the dissolution of the National Assembly on Wednesday (9), three days before the mandated term on Saturday (12). According to the constitution, the next general elections will be held in 90 days.

The polls are expected to be delayed for a couple of months as new census results have been approved by the outgoing government, which makes it a constitutional obligation to carry out delimitation before elections.

(With PTI inputs)