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Kakar, a lesser known politician from the southwestern province
of Balochistan, will name a cabinet and head a government to
steer the nuclear-armed nation through an economic and political
crises until a new government is elected.
"The prime minister (Sharif) and leader of opposition have
jointly signed the advice which will be sent to the president
for approval," the statement said.
Pakistan's Geo News said President Arif Alvi approved Kakar's
appointment.
Under Pakistan's constitution, a neutral caretaker government
oversees national elections, which must be held within 90 days
of the dissolution of the parliament's lower house - which in
this instance means early November.
The choice of caretaker prime minister has assumed heightened
importance this time because the candidate will have extra
powers to make policy decisions on economic matters, and amid
fears the elections may be delayed by as much as six months.
The Election Commission has to draw new boundaries for hundreds
of federal and provincial constituencies and, based on that, it
will give an election date.
Kakar has been serving a six-year term in Pakistan's Senate
since 2018.
His mineral-rich home province of Balochistan is Pakistan's
largest by size, but smallest by population, and has been a
hotbed for a violent nationalist insurgency for decades.
Kakar is listed as an independent politician by the Senate, but
is reported by local media to be a part of the Balochistan Awami
Party, which is widely considered to be close to the country's
powerful military.
The military continues to have a huge role behind the scenes in
Pakistan. It has ruled the country directly for over three
decades of its 76-year existence, and wields significant power
in politics.
Political analysts say that if the caretaker set up stretches
beyond its constitutional tenure, a prolonged period without an
elected government would allow the military to consolidate its
control.
(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and
Mark Potter)
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