ISLAMABAD: Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar officially became the 8th interim prime minister of Pakistan after taking the oath of office at the presidency. The ceremony took place at the Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad, where President Arif Alvi administered the oath to Kakar.
Several prominent figures including Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Asim Munir, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Nadeem Raza, and outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the event. Other attendees comprised former National Assembly speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali, as well as PTI Senator Shahzad Waseem and PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi.
The announcement of Kakar’s selection as the interim prime minister was made on the preceding Saturday, following discussions between Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing Opposition Leader Raja Riaz. This decision came after days of speculation about the potential candidate for the role.
In a statement, the outgoing prime minister expressed his confidence in Kakar’s ability to ensure fair elections. He emphasized that Kakar’s selection was carried out through a constitutional process. He highlighted Kakar’s education and patriotism as significant factors contributing to his suitability for the position.
Chairman Senate Approves Anwaar-Ul-Haq Kakar’s Resignation
Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, officially accepted Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s resignation from his position as a senator. This move follows Kakar’s appointment as the eighth caretaker prime minister of the country. He was elected as an independent candidate to the Senate in 2018. He has been an active participant in politics since then. His resignation signifies his intention to maintain neutrality in his role as the head of the interim government.
The Senate Secretariat released a notification that read: “Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, a Member of the Senate of Pakistan, has resigned from his seat. He took this step due to his principled stance of maintaining neutrality upon assuming the role of caretaker Prime Minister. The Honourable Chairman Senate has accepted the resignation, as per clause (1) of Article 64 of the Constitution. This vacancy is effective from 14 August.”
