Pakistan’s upcoming general elections are already facing doubts regarding the neutrality of the interim prime minister nomination. Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, who has been nominated for the position, is a member of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a party that critics claim has close ties with Pakistan’s military political establishment. Some even allege that the military handpicked members for Kakar’s cabinet.
However, the BAP firmly rejects these allegations, stating that the caretaker government was formed through a constitutional process. According to Pakistani law, the outgoing prime minister and the opposition leader collaborate to establish a caretaker government once a term ends or is dissolved, and they vet various candidates for the role of caretaker prime minister. Yet former lawmaker Kishwar Zehra, whose party was part of the previous government, expresses surprise that Kakar’s name suddenly appeared without being mentioned during the consultations.
Kakar, a political newcomer and native of Balochistan, gained media attention in 2018 when he founded the BAP, a party that staunchly defended the Pakistani military against accusations of rights violations in Balochistan province. His patriotic rhetoric caught the attention of the military, leading to invitations to deliver lectures at the army-run National Defense University of Islamabad.
Former lawmaker Lashkari Raisani claims that Kakar was essentially made prime minister by the military establishment. However, the caretaker information minister, Murtaza Solangi, asserts that Kakar’s appointment, along with the rest of his cabinet, was made in adherence to the constitutional process.
Despite the government’s position, Pakistan’s military retains significant influence in the country’s political landscape and enjoys popular support among the population. Analyst Qamar Cheema argues that parties with military support could bolster Pakistan’s socioeconomic stability and internal security, contending that a hybrid system of governance could facilitate the nation’s development.
Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party allege that the military establishment orchestrated Khan’s removal from power and aims to permanently keep the PTI out of office. Khan himself was recently sentenced to three years in jail on corruption charges he considers politically motivated.
A Lahore-based PTI leader, Fatima Haider, claims that there is an ongoing crackdown against the party, resulting in members being forced to leave. The PTI expresses concerns about a lack of a level playing field for fair elections, with Fauzia Kalsoom Rana, an Islamabad-based political analyst, suggesting that Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party will be favored in the campaign.
Nonetheless, the caretaker government denies allegations of political victimization and emphasizes that the PTI will have equal opportunity to compete. The information minister states that the government is not involved in practices targeting the PTI, adding that Khan’s conviction was a result of a court ruling, not government action. He assures that the election commission will ensure a level playing field and welcomes the PTI’s concerns to be addressed in court.
Analyst Cheema believes that a robust media and active judiciary in Pakistan will prevent election rigging, dismissing claims of rigging as mere propaganda by political parties. He remains optimistic that the upcoming elections will be fair and balanced.
In summary, with the nomination of Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar as interim prime minister, concerns have been raised about the neutrality of the government leading up to Pakistan’s general elections. While Kakar’s Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) faces allegations of close ties with the military establishment, the party maintains that the caretaker government was formed through constitutional processes. The power and influence of Pakistan’s military in politics are also under scrutiny, with supporters of Imran Khan’s PTI party claiming victimization. However, the caretaker government assures that fair elections will take place, with the election commission ensuring a level playing field. As the nation prepares for the upcoming elections, the hope is that they will be conducted transparently and without any biases.
