Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan

{{Short description|Acting head after dissolution of the National Assembly}}

{{Infobox Political post

| post = Caretaker Prime Minister

| body = the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
{{nobold| نگران وزیر اعظم پاکستان}}

| flag = Flag of the Prime Minister of Pakistan.svg

| flagsize = 200px

| flagcaption = {{nowrap|Standard of the Prime Minister of Pakistan}}

| incumbent =

| incumbentsince =

| image =

| imagesize =

| imagecaption =

| style = His Excellency
(diplomatic)
Mr. Prime Minister
(informal)
Honourable Prime Minister
(formal)

| member_of = {{hlist |Cabinet
Common Interests Council
National Security Committee
National Command Authority}}

| residence = {{hlist |Prime Minister's Office}}

| appointer = De jure: President of Pakistan
De facto: Consensus between Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition;
If consensus is not reached, then the ECP shall appoint one

| termlength = Up to 3 months

| formation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1990|08|06}}

| first = Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi
(1990)

| last = Anwaar ul Haq Kakar
(2023–2024)

| website = [http://pmo.gov.pk/ www.pmo.gov.pk/]

|}}

The caretaker prime minister of Pakistan ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|نگران وزیر اعظم پاکستان}}}}) is the acting head of the Caretaker Government in Pakistan following the dissolution of the National Assembly. The purpose of this post is to ensure free and fair elections are held.{{cite web|url=http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part8.ch2.html|title=Chapter 2: "Electoral Laws and Conduct of Elections" of Part VIII: "Elections"|website=www.pakistani.org}} The most recent Caretaker PM was Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, who took office on 14 August 2023, after the National Assembly was dissolved; he served until 4 March 2024.{{cite web |title=Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif takes oath as prime minister |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistans-shehbaz-sharif-takes-oath-prime-minister-2024-03-04/ |website=Reuters |access-date=4 March 2024 |date=4 March 2024}}

Federal law and constitution

Following the dissolution of the National Assembly, whether it is dissolved by the completion of its term or by an early dissolution, the President shall appoint a Caretaker government. However, this must be done with the consultation of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, who should reach a consensus on whom to choose as Caretaker PM. If this consensus is not reached, the President is free to choose a Caretaker Prime Minister of his choice, although this is usually done in consultation with the Election Commission of Pakistan.{{cite web|url=https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/432501-ECP-decision-caretaker-set-up-govt-opposition-PM|title=ECP to take decision on caretaker set-up if govt-opposition fails to reach consensus: PM - Pakistan - Dunya News|publisher=Dunya News}}

List of caretaker prime ministers of Pakistan

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+List of prime ministers of Pakistan

! width=1% | No.

! style="width:100px;"| Portrait

! width=20% | Name
(Birth–death)

! width=10% | Took office

! width=10% | Left office

! width=10% | Tenure

! colspan="2" width=20% | Political party
(Alliance)

! width=40% | Note(s)

align="center" | 1st Caretaker

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" | Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi

{{Script/Nastaliq|ٖغلام مصطفی جتوئی}}

{{cite web|date=21 November 2009|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C11%5C21%5Cstory_21-11-2009_pg1_4|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416085241/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C11%5C21%5Cstory_21-11-2009_pg1_4|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 April 2013|title=Ex-PM Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi passes away|work=Daily Times|access-date=20 October 2012}}
(1931–2009)

| align="center" | 6 August 1990

| align="center" | 6 November 1990

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|1990|8|6|1990|11|6}}

| align="center" | National Peoples Party

| align=center style="background-color: Maroon" |

| Jatoi was appointed by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan as a caretaker Prime Minister.{{cite web|date=2004-06-27|title=20 prime ministers since independence|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-6-2004_pg7_43|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002174343/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-6-2004_pg7_43|archive-date=2013-10-02|work=Daily Times}} Led the first caretaker government in Pakistani history.{{Cite web |title=Pakistan has had seven caretaker PMs till date |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1098133-pakistan-has-had-seven-caretaker-pms-till-date |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}

align="center" | 2nd Caretaker

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" | Balakh Sher Mazari

{{Script/Nastaliq| ناصر خان}}


(1928–2022)

| align="center" | 18 April 1993

| align="center" | 26 May 1993

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|1993|4|18|1993|5|26}}

| align="center" | Pakistan People's Party

| align=center style="background-color: Black" |

| Appointed by President Khan as a caretaker Prime Minister, Mazari's term ended when the Supreme Court overturned the Presidential order and restored Nawaz Sharif's government.

align="center" | 3rd Caretaker

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" | Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi

{{Script/Nastaliq|معین الدین احمد قریشی}}


(1930–2016)

| align="center" | 18 July 1993

| align="center" | 19 October 1993

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|1993|7|18|1993|10|19}}

| align="center" | Independent

| align=center style="background-color: White" |

| After Sharif's resignation in July 1993, Qureshi was appointed as the caretaker Prime Minister.

align="center" | 4th Caretaker

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" | Malik Meraj Khalid

{{Script/Nastaliq|ملک معراج خالد}}

{{cite web|first= John |last=F. Burns |date=15 November 1996|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/15/world/caretaker-premier-leads-pakistan-into-90-days-of-no-frills.html |title=Caretaker Premier leads Pakistan into 90 days of no frills|work=The New York Times|access-date=20 October 2012}}
(1916–2003)

| align="center" | 5 November 1996

| align="center" | 17 February 1997

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|1996|11|5|1997|2|17}}

| align="center" | Independent

| align=center style="background-color: White" |

| Khalid was appointed as a caretaker Prime Minister after the dismissal of Benazir Bhutto's government in November 1996.

align="center" | 5th Caretaker

| align="center" | File:Muhammad Mian Soomro.jpg

! scope=row align="center" | Muhammad Mian Soomro

{{Script/Nastaliq|محمد میاں سومرو}}

{{cite web|date=16 November 2007|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-11/16/content_6260363.htm|title=Soomro takes oath as Pakistan's caretaker PM|publisher=Xinhua News Agency|access-date=21 October 2012}}
(1950–)

| align="center" | 15 November 2007

| align="center" | 25 March 2008

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|2007|11|15|2008|3|25}}

| align="center" | Pakistan Muslim League (Q)

| align=center style="background-color: {{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (Q)}}" |

| Soomro took the office as caretaker Prime Minister in November 2007.

align="center" | 6th Caretaker

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" | Mir Hazar Khan Khoso

{{Script/Nastaliq|میر ہزار خان کھوسو}}

{{cite news | url=http://dawn.com/2013/03/24/ecp-selects-mir-hazar-khan-khoso-as-caretaker-pm/ | title=ECP selects Mir Hazar Khan Khoso as caretaker PM | access-date=25 March 2013 | work=Dawn |publisher=Herald |date=24 March 2013}}
(1929–2021)

| align="center" | 24 March 2013

| align="center" | 5 June 2013

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|2013|3|24|2013|5|6}}

| align="center" | Independent

| align=center style="background-color: White" |

| Khoso was appointed by the Election Commission of Pakistan on 24 March,{{cite news | url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/525608/justice-r-mir-hazar-khan-khoso-named-interim-pm-of-pakistan/ | title=Justice (r) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso named interim PM of Pakistan | access-date=24 March 2013 | work=The Express Tribune |agency=AFP/Web Desk |date=24 March 2013}} and took the oath of office on 25 March 2013.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21922586 | title=Pakistan's caretaker PM Mir Hazar Khan Khoso sworn in | access-date=25 March 2013 | publisher=BBC News |date=25 March 2013}}

align="center" | 7th Caretaker{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1720804/1-former-cjp-nasirul-mulk-take-reigns-caretaker-premier/?amp=1|title=Mulk picked out to serve as caretaker PM|date=28 May 2018|publisher=The Express Tribune}}

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" |Nasirul Mulk

{{Script/Nastaliq|جسٹس(ر) ناصر الملک}}
(1950–)

| align="center" | 31 May 2018

| align="center" | 18 August 2018

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|2018|5|31|2018|8|18}}

| align="center" | Independent

| align=center style="background-color: White" |

| Nasirul Mulk was appointed by a consensus between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and opposition leader Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah on 28 May. He took the oath of office on 1 June 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1410523/former-cjp-nasirul-mulk-to-be-caretaker-pm|title=Former CJP Nasirul Mulk to be caretaker PM|date=2018-05-28|work=Dawn|access-date=2018-05-28}}

align="center" | 8th Caretaker

| align="center" | 100px

! scope=row align="center" |Anwaar ul Haq Kakar

{{Script/Nastaliq|انوار الحق کاکڑ}}
(1971–)

| align="center" | 14 August 2023

| align="center" | 4 March 2024

| align="center" | {{Age in years, months and days|2023|8|14|2024|3|4}}

| align="center" | Balochistan Awami Party

| align=center style="background-color: {{party color|Balochistan Awami Party}}" |

| Anwaar ul Haq Kakar was appointed after opposition leader Raja Riaz Ahmad Khan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif agreed on his name, and President Arif Alvi signed on the summary.{{Cite web |last1=Khan |first1=Sanaullah |last2=Guramani |first2=Nadir |date=2023-08-12 |title=BAP's Anwaarul Haq Kakar named caretaker prime minister |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1769757 |access-date=2023-08-13 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}