Pakistan: Imran Khan’s party hopes caretaker PM “will ensure free, fair and transparent election

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Reacting to the appointment of Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar as Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson expressed hope that that caretaker PM-designate Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar will ensure free, fair and transparent election within the constitution limit of three months in the country, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

PTI spokesperson’s remarks come after Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Anwarul Haque Kakar as Caretaker Prime Minister for the country. Taking to Twitter, the President’s Office said that under Article 224 A of Pakistan’s constitution, Alvi appointed Anwarul Haque Kakar as caretaker PM.

“President Dr Arif Alvi has approved the appointment of Anwarul Haque Kakar as Caretaker Prime Minister The President approved the appointment under Article 224 A of the Constitution,” the Pakistan President’s office said in a tweet.

PTI spokesperson said that a heavy responsibility now lies with Pakistan’s caretaker PM. The PTI spokesperson expressed hope that Pakistan’s caretaker PM will not allow any further damage to the constitutional and democratic rights of the people.

The spokesperson further said that one of the prime responsibilities of a caretaker government is to give equal opportunities to all political parties to run their election campaign, according to Geo News reported.

On Saturday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly Raja Riaz met and concluded their last round of talks and decided to make Senator Kakar as caretaker PM.
Kakar was elected to the Senate in 2018 and has also served as the spokesperson of the provincial government prior to his election to the upper house, as per the Geo News report.

Speaking to the reporters after a meeting with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing National Assembly Raja Riaz said, “We decided that the interim prime minister would be from a smaller province,” according to Geo News report.

He said that their main purpose was that the caretaker PM should be from a small province and have a non-controversial personality. He stated that their goal was to remove the sense of deprivation in small provinces. Riaz said that he had suggested Anwarul Haq Kakar’s name and it was given approval, Geo News reported.

Raja Riaz said that the Pakistan caretaker PM is expected to take the oath of his office on Sunday. When asked about the caretaker cabinet, he said no discussions regarding it. The development came after Pakistan President Arif Alvi wrote a letter to Shehbaz Sharif and the opposition leader, asking them to suggest a person for the caretaker interim PM by August 12. (ANI)