Anwaar ul Haq Kakar

{{short description|Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan (born 1971)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar

| native_name = {{No bold|{{Script/Nastaliq|انوار الحق کاکڑ}}}}

| native_name_lang = ur

| image = Ilham Aliyev met with caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan in Tashkent (1) (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Kakar in 2023

| office = Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan

| president = Arif Alvi

| term_start = 14 August 2023

| term_end = 4 March 2024

| predecessor = Shehbaz Sharif

| successor = Shehbaz Sharif

| office1 = Member of the Senate of Pakistan

| term_start1 = 9 April 2024

| term_end1 =

| constituency1 = General seat from Balochistan

| term_start2 = 12 March 2018

| term_end2 = 13 August 2023

| constituency2 = General seat from Balochistan

| office3 = Spokesperson of the Government of Balochistan

| term_start3 = 2015

| term_end3 = 2018

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|05|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Muslim Bagh, Qilla Saifullah, Balochistan, Pakistan

| nationality = Pakistani

| country = Pakistan

| party = IND (2024-present)

| otherparty = {{plainlist|

BAP (2018–2023){{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430620/kakar-leaves-bap-senate-seat-for-neutrality|title=Kakar leaves BAP, Senate seat for neutrality|date=13 August 2023|work=The Express Tribune (newspaper)|access-date=17 August 2023}}
PMLN (2013–2018)
PML(Q) (2006–2013)

}}

| education =

| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|teacher}}

| alma_mater = {{plainlist|

}}

| profession =

}}

Anwaar ul-Haq Kakar{{efn|{{langx|ur|انوار الحق کاکڑ}}; {{langx|ps|انوار الحق کاکړ}}}} (born 1971) is a Pakistani politician who served as the longest-serving caretaker prime minister of Pakistan between 14 August 2023 and 4 March 2024. He was succeeded by his predecessor Shehbaz Sharif.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/03/shehbaz-sharif-sworn-in-as-prime-minister-of-pakistan|title=Shehbaz Sharif sworn in as prime minister of Pakistan|first=Hannah|last=Ellis-Petersen|work=The Guardian|date=3 March 2024|accessdate=3 March 2024}}{{cite web | url=https://pakobserver.net/anwar-ul-haq-kakar-to-be-the-new-caretaker-prime-minister-of-pakistan/ | title=Anwar Ul Haq Kakar to be the new caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan|work=Pakistan Observer|date=12 August 2023|access-date=2 October 2023}} He assumed membership in the Upper House of Pakistan in March 2018.{{cite web | url=https://senate.gov.pk/en/profile.php?uid=921 | title=Senate of Pakistan }} Before taking on the role of caretaker prime minister, Kakar had resigned from the upper house of parliament. Subsequently, he publicly declared his resignation from both the Senate and the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a political party he established in 2018.{{cite web | url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430690/anwaar-ul-haq-kakar-sworn-in-as-caretaker-pm | title=Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar sworn in as caretaker PM | date=14 August 2023 }}{{Cite web |title=Ministry of Human Rights |url=https://mohr.gov.pk/ProfileDetail/MTBiNmQ4NDMtYTRmMy00MDI1LWIxYjQtYjJmNzc5OWFhZjhi |access-date=2024-06-21 |website=mohr.gov.pk}}

Kakar also served as the spokesperson of the Government of Balochistan from 2015 to 2017.

Early life and education

Kakar was born on 15 May 1971 in Qilla Saifullah, Balochistan into a prominent middle-class Kakar Pashtun family. His grandfather, Dr Noor Ul Haq Kakar, was the personal physician of the Khan of Kalat, his father Ehtesham ul Haq Kakar was a civil servant, while his maternal uncle Arbab Yousaf Kasi and other relatives have been involved in politics. He lost his mother when he was 4, while his father died when he was 18.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E41Zl313d-c |title=Anwar ul Haq Kakar (Caretaker Prime Minister) - Aik Din Geo Ke Saath - Suhail Warraich - Geo News |language=en |access-date=2024-05-08 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1769861|title='BAP architect' in the driving seat|first=Saleem|last=Shahid|date=August 13, 2023|website=DAWN.COM}}

Kakar was educated at St. Francis School, Quetta and later attended Cadet College Kohat.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1099545-anwaarul-haq-kakar-a-brief-profile|title=Profile: Who is Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar?|website=The News International}} He holds a master's degree in political science and sociology, which he completed at the University of Balochistan in the 1990s.{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Who-is-Anwaar-Kakar-Pakistan-s-new-caretaker-prime-minister|title=Who is Anwaar Kakar, Pakistan's new caretaker prime minister? |first=Adnan |last=Aamir |date=14 August 2023 |website=Nikkei Asia}} He further attempted to study law at Birkbeck, University of London in the United Kingdom but did not complete the program.{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2023/08/what-does-pakistans-new-caretaker-prime-minister-mean-for-balochistan/ |title=What Does Pakistan's New Caretaker Prime Minister Mean for Balochistan? |first=Kiyya |last=Baloch |date=15 August 2023 |website=The Diplomat}}

He returned to Pakistan in 2005.

Academic career

Kakar started his career as a teacher.{{Cite web |last=Bagchi |first=Disha |date=12 August 2023 |title=Anwaar-ul Haq Kakar — teacher-turned-politician from Balochistan appointed Pakistan's caretaker PM |url=https://theprint.in/world/anwaar-ul-haq-kakar-teacher-turned-politician-from-balochistan-appointed-pakistans-caretaker-pm/1708590/ |website=The Print}}

Kakar is fluent in Pashto, Urdu, Persian, English, Balochi and Brahui.{{Cite web |last1=Guramani |first1=Nadir |last2=Khan |first2=Sanaullah |date=2023-08-12 |title=BAP's Anwaarul Haq Kakar to be caretaker PM |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1769757 |access-date=2023-08-12 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

Political career

While acting as the Balochistan provincial spokesperson, Kakar founded an NGO called Voice of Balochistan (VOB) in 2016 and served as its CEO. The NGO managed a wide array of pro-military social media accounts aimed at refuting reports of human rights violations, enforced disappearances, and purported staged encounters by the armed forces in Balochistan. Despite being established in 2016, VOB was not officially registered until March 2021, according to government records.

=Senator, 2006–2023=

Kakar began his political career when he joined PML-Q in 2006. He contested a seat in the National Assembly from Quetta in the 2008 general election but was unsuccessful.

Kakar supported military actions in Balochistan during the ethnic nationalist insurgency from 2007 to 2013, often dismissing allegations of military abuses in the province and attributing unrest to external factors.{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2430441/who-is-newly-appointed-interim-pm |title=Who is newly appointed interim PM? |first=Mohammad Zafar |last=Baloch |date=12 August 2023 |website=The Express Tribune}} In December 2015, his stance led to his appointment as the spokesperson for the Chief Minister of Balochistan during the tenure of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) government, a position he held until 2018.

In 2018, Kakar left PML-N and helped found a new political party named Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).{{cite news|title=Anwarul Haq Kakar, Saeed Hasmhi launch Balochistan Awami Party|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1672152/1-anwarul-haq-kakar-saeed-hasmhi-launch-balochistan-awami-party/|accessdate=5 April 2018|work=The Express Tribune|date=29 March 2018}} Later, he was elected to the Senate of Pakistan as an independent candidate for a general seat from Balochistan in 2018 Pakistani Senate election.{{cite news|title=Senate elections: PML-N-backed independent candidates lead in Punjab, PPP in Sindh|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1649842/1-live-polling-begins-52-senate-seats/|accessdate=2 October 2023|work=The Express Tribune|date=3 March 2018}}{{cite news|last1=Khan|first1=Iftikhar A.|title=PML-N gains Senate control amid surprise PPP showing|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1393083/pml-n-gains-senate-control-amid-surprise-ppp-showing|accessdate=4 March 2018|work=DAWN.COM|date=4 March 2018}} He took oath as Senator on 12 March 2018.{{cite news|title=Senate elect opposition-backed Sanjrani chairman and Mandviwala his deputy|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/291451-51-newly-elected-senators-take-oath-pml-n-finalises-raja-zafarul-haq-for-chairman|accessdate=12 March 2018|work=The News|date=12 March 2018|language=en|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312085816/https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/291451-51-newly-elected-senators-take-oath-pml-n-finalises-raja-zafarul-haq-for-chairman|archivedate=12 March 2018}} He also remained chairperson for the Committee of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development and members of other committees including the Business Advisory Committee, Finance and Revenue, Foreign Affairs, Science and Technology.{{Cite web |title=Profile: Who is Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar? |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1099545-anwaarul-haq-kakar-a-brief-profile|url-status=live |access-date=12 August 2023 |website=The News |archive-date=12 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812145918/https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1099545-anwaarul-haq-kakar-a-brief-profile }}

In 2020, Kakar was briefly considered for the Federal Minister of Information position in Imran Khan's government, but he was ultimately not appointed.

=Caretaker Premiership, 2023–2024=

File:Ilham Aliyev met with caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan in Tashkent (2).jpg in November 2023]]

In 2023, Kakar was nominated to serve as Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan by the outgoing opposition leader and the outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The president Arif Alvi signed on the summary making him the 8th Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan. He took oath on the 76th independence day of Pakistan, 14 August 2023.{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Muhammad imran |date=2023-08-13 |title=From Pashtun Identity to National Leadership: Senator Kakar's Story |url=https://lifeinpakistan.net/from-pashtun-identity-to-national-leadership-senator-kakars-story/ |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=Life In Pakistan |language=en-US}} He resigned from the Senate on 14 August 2023 and the same day, his resignation was accepted by the Chairman of the Senate Sadiq Sanjrani.{{Cite web |last=Guramani |first=Nadir |date=2023-08-14 |title=Anwaarul Haq Kakar's Senate resignation accepted ahead of swearing-in as interim PM |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1770080 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

On 3 October 2023, Pakistan's caretaker government ordered that all undocumented immigrants, particularly the nearly 1.73 million Afghan nationals, voluntarily leave the country by 1 November 2023 or face deportation in a crackdown.{{cite news |date=October 3, 2023 |title=Pakistan wants undocumented migrants to leave by November 1 or get deported |publisher=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/3/pakistan-wants-undocumented-migrants-to-leave-by-november-1-or-get-deported}} Kakar said that the government's repatriation policy is not exclusive to Afghan nationals, but applies to all illegal immigrants in Pakistan. He stated that despite not being a signatory to the Geneva Convention, Pakistan has hosted over 4 million Afghan refugees for the past 40 years.{{cite web | url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/10/30/deportation-process-applies-to-all-illegal-aliens-kakar/ | title=Deportation process applies to all illegal 'aliens': Kakar | date=30 October 2023 | archive-date=4 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231104181309/https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/10/30/deportation-process-applies-to-all-illegal-aliens-kakar/ | url-status=live }} Taliban authorities condemned the deportations of Afghans as an "inhuman act."{{cite news |title=Taliban: Iran Deports Almost 350,000 Afghans Within 3 Months |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/taliban-iran-deports-almost-350-000-afghans-within-3-months/7392705.html |work=VOA News |date=11 December 2023}}

In October 2023, he called for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.{{cite news |last1=Saifi |first1=Sophia |title=Pakistan's prime minister calls for ceasefire in Gaza amid nationwide pro-Palestinian rallies |date=16 October 2023 |url=https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-news-hamas-war-10-16-23/h_775a2fd8dadea8032e74513ea2e1676a |publisher=CNN }} In November 2023, Kakar said that "We are witnessing a holocaust of Palestinian children in Gaza. This appalling and atrocious child holocaust must stop immediately."{{cite news |title='We are witnessing holocaust of children in Gaza,' says Pakistani premier |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/-we-are-witnessing-holocaust-of-children-in-gaza-says-pakistani-premier/3059517 |work=Anadolu Agency |date=20 November 2023}}

It was reported that the military establishment proposed his name and Sadiq Sanjrani for the top positions in the upcoming Senate election scheduled for March 3, 2024.{{cite news |last1=Wasim |first1=Amir |title=Situationer: Let there be (dis)order |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1818189 |access-date=1 March 2024 |work=DAWN.COM |date=1 March 2024 |language=en}}

class="wikitable sortable floatcenter" style="font-size:85%; text-align:right; margin:0 0 1.5em 1.5em;"

|+ Kakar Cabinet

style="text-align:left;" |Shamshad Akhtar

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs

style="text-align:left;" |Jalil Abbas Jilani

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister for Foreign Affairs

style="text-align:left;" |Anwar Ali Hyder

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Defence
● Minister of Defence Production

style="text-align:left;" |Sarfraz Bugti

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Interior
● Minister of Norcotics Control
● Minister of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development

style="text-align:left;" |Gohar Ejaz

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister for Commerce
● Minister of Industries and Production

style="text-align:left;" |Ahmad Irfan Aslam

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister for Law and Justice
● Minister of Climate Change
● Minister of Water Resources

style="text-align:left;" |Khalil Francis

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister for Human Rights

style="text-align:left;" |Sami Saeed

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Planning Development & Special Initiatives

style="text-align:left;" |Shahid Ashraf Tarar

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Communications
● Minister of Maritime Affairs
● Minister of Railways

style="text-align:left;" |Murtaza Solangi

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Information and Broadcasting

style="text-align:left;" |Muhammad Ali

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Energy
● Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Division

style="text-align:left;" |Madad Ali Sindhi

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Federal Education and Professional Training

style="text-align:left;" |Nadeem Jan

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination

style="text-align:left;" |Aneeq Ahmad

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony

style="text-align:left;" |Umar Saif

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunication
● Minister of Science and Technology

style="text-align:left;" |Jamal Shah

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of National Heritage and Culture

style="text-align:left;" |Kauser Abdullah Malik

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of National Food Security & Research

style="text-align:left;" |Fawad Hasan Fawad

|style="text-align:left;" |● Minister of Privatization

Political views

= Foreign policy =

Kakar's foreign policy is to form the bedrock of Pakistan's partnership with the United States, China and Gulf states as primary geopolitical, geoeconomics allies, especially as security actors.{{Cite web|title=A Conversation With Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar of Pakistan|url=https://www.cfr.org/event/conversation-prime-minister-anwaar-ul-haq-kakar-pakistan|access-date=21 September 2023}}

= Criticism of terrorism & Baloch separatism =

In 2018, Kakar and Saeed Ahmed Hashmi along with some dissident Balochistan-based politicians from PML-N and PML-Q founded Balochistan Awami Party.{{Cite web |last=Riaz |first=Sumeera |date=2024-01-03 |title=Elections 2024: BAP Defections Open Path for PPP, PMLN |url=https://www.pakistanstandard.com/elections-2024-bap-defections-open-path-for-ppp-pmln/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Who is Anwaar Kakar, Pakistan's new caretaker prime minister? |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Who-is-Anwaar-Kakar-Pakistan-s-new-caretaker-prime-minister |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}}{{cite news|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/188475-new-political-party-launched-in-balochistan|title=New political party launched in Balochistan|work=Geo News|date=29 March 2018}}{{Cite news|date=2018-03-29|title=PML-N dissidents, independents launch 'Balochistan Awami Party'|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1398266|access-date=2021-10-14|work=Dawn (newspaper)|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=2018-03-29|title=Anwarul Haq Kakar, Saeed Hashmi launch Balochistan Awami Party|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1672152/anwarul-haq-kakar-saeed-hasmhi-launch-balochistan-awami-party|access-date=2021-10-14|work=The Express Tribune (newspaper)|language=en}}

He is a notable critic of terrorism & Baloch separatism, he claims that because of the separatist propaganda of the Indian agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in the name of Baloch nationalism has destroyed Balochistan, and that citizens must unite for the peace, stability and progress in the region. He also clarified that thousands of Baloch youth were killed during the past 20 years, adding that only in 2014, 155 innocent Baloch people were killed as they refused to give extortion to the separatist groups.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/multimedia/2014/01/140126_sarfaraz_bugti_fz.shtml RAW involved in terrorism in Balochistan: Anwaar ul Haq Kakar]

Under his caretaker tenure, the Baloch separatists of the Baloch Nationalist Army: Sarfraz Bangulzai and Gulzar Imam surrendered to the Government of Balochistan, and were at the forefront of the low-level insurgency in Balochistan for more than two decades.[https://www.arabnews.com/node/2429131/pakistan Key Pakistani separatist commander ‘surrenders,’ renounces militancy]. 20 December 2023. Arab News. Experts have described their surrender as a significant boost for the government of Pakistan and for the progress of Balochistan.[https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-separatists-surrender-baluchistan-451250d7855e49c43b1ef01aa5cdc9f7 Separatist leader in Pakistan appears before cameras and says he has surrendered with 70 followers]. 20 December 2023. Associated Press.

Wealth

According to Election Commission of Pakistan, before assuming his role as caretaker PM, Kakar declared his net worth at {{PKRConvert|48.2|m}}. Among the mentioned assets are 10 tolas of gold, 50,000 shares in Pakistan Chagai Mining Limited, and 20 acres of inherited agricultural land valued at Rs 8 million. The acting prime minister also has more than Rs 20 million deposited in two different banks.{{Cite web |author=Web Desk |date=2023-11-16 |title=Caretaker PM holds 10 tolas of gold, valuing at Rs 80,000 |url=https://humnews.pk/pakistan/caretaker-pm-owns-10-tolas-of-gold-values-it-at-rs-80000/ |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=Hum NEWS |language=en-US}}

Controversies

=Illegally delaying elections=

Pakistan's laws require that elections are held within 90 days of the dissolution of parliament. The only job of the caretaker Prime Minister is to organise the elections, which were supposed to be held by March 2023.{{cite news |title=Pakistan: Will elections take place on time? |url=https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-will-elections-take-place-on-time/a-67595164}} In violation of the law Anwaar ul Haq Kakar delayed holding elections and found multiple excuses to not hold the vote, an action that was against the law.{{cite news |title=Pakistan’s parliament elections delayed till early February as political and economic crises deepen |url=https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-elections-body-elections-delayed-d8d23da6d6d2e6a0deb56197a192adf9}} The 2024 Pakistani general election when they were held were marred with allegations of vote rigging and manipulated results by the Pakistan Army.{{cite web |last1=Wolf |first1=Siegfried O. |title=Pakistan’s elections – between delays and engineering – C266 |url=https://www.sadf.online/pakistans-elections-between-delays-and-engineering-c266/ |website=South Asia Democratic Forum}}

=Pakistan wheat import scandal=

The Pakistan wheat import scandal refers to a controversy that emerged in 2024, involving the importation of a significant amount of wheat by Kakar caretaker ministry, despite the country having surplus wheat stocks. This decision allegedly caused a loss of more than 300 billion rupees to the national exchequer.{{Cite web|url=https://arynews.tv/wheat-import-scandal-2024-pakistan/|title=Pakistan Wheat Import Scandal: A Crisis of Accountability|first=Web|last=Desk|date=May 6, 2024|website=ARY NEWS}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2024/05/02/unnecessary-wheat-imports-allegedly-cause-billions-of-rupees-loss-to-the-country/|title=Unnecessary wheat imports allegedly cause billions of rupees loss to the country|date=May 2, 2024}}