The international news agency, Nikkei Asia, published a report in August2023 titled “Who is Pakistan’s New Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar Kakar?”it went viral on social media.
According to Nikkei Asia’s report, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul HaqKakar has a long-standing conflict with Imran Khan. In 2020, during ImranKhan’s tenure as the Prime Minister, Anwar ul Haq Kakar was not appointedas the Federal Minister for Information despite pressure from theestablishment.
According to the report, in the general elections of 2008, Anwar ul HaqKakar was unsuccessful in winning a seat in the National Assembly fromQuetta. During the rule of the Muslim League-Nawaz in 2015, Anwar ul HaqKakar was appointed as the spokesperson for the Chief Minister ofBalochistan. Anwar ul Haq Kakar has been a supporter of the military’spolicies in Balochistan and has criticized Baloch insurgents who opposePakistani forces.
In 2018, Anwar ul Haq Kakar left the Muslim League-Nawaz and won a Senateseat with the help of defected leaders. A few months later, the BalochistanAwami Party was established to strengthen the control of pro-establishmentpoliticians in Balochistan. It is also believed that Anwar ul Haq Kakarplayed a key role behind the scenes, supported by military establishment.
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Speaking to Nikkei Asia, political analyst Asad suggested that the militaryleadership had informed Anwar ul Haq Kakar about giving him an importantrole in the caretaker setup a month ago. The Muslim League-Nawaz trieduntil the last moment to appoint former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as theCaretaker Prime Minister, but they lost to a favored candidate of themilitary leadership.
On the social media platform Twitter, a user shared Nikay Asia’s report andwrote: During Imran Khan’s tenure in 2020, there was a desire within themilitary to appoint Anwar ul Haq Kakar as the Federal Minister forInformation, but Imran Khan refused.”