ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar instructed relevant authorities to strengthen the physical connectivity of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province with the rest of the country during a briefing by various ministries on Tuesday, adding it was important to develop robust infrastructure to ensure the country’s development and prosperity.
Kakar, who took oath as Pakistan’s eighth caretaker PM a day earlier after President Arif Alvi notified his appointment to the post last weekend, belongs to the impoverished Balochistan province and became part of the upper house of parliament in 2018.
His administration is required to hold free, fair, and transparent national polls in the country in November as per the constitution. However, the electoral contest is widely expected to get delayed since the election commission is required to redraw national and provincial constituencies after the previous administration of Shehbaz Sharif approved the results of the recent census in May this year.
“Good infrastructure is key for the development of any country,” an official statement circulated by the PM Office quoted him as saying. “Road infrastructure needs to be built on a priority basis in those parts of the country where foreign investment is expected.”
“Special work is needed on road infrastructure in Balochistan,” he continued. “The government’s job is to make people’s lives easier.”
Kakar also held several meetings to form the interim federal cabinet, with local media reporting his plan to work with a limited number of team of ministers.
“Former chief minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal and Ali Mardan Domki met Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar,” informed another statement issued by his office. “Jam Kamal congratulated the prime minister for assuming responsibilities to his office and expressed sincere wishes. The prime minister also thanked Jam Kamal.”
Pakistan's Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar (center) holds a meeting with the former chief minister of Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan (right) and Ali Mardan Domki (left) in Islamabad, Pakistan, on August 15, 2023. (Photo courtesy: APP)
According to Pakistan’s Geo News TV, the interim PM has decided to form a small cabinet due to the ongoing economic constraints of the country.
It noted that the names of former foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, ex-civil servant Shoaib Suddle, and Senator Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti were being considered for various ministerial positions.
Kakar also held meetings with Senator Bugti and Mir Khalid Lango from his southwestern province earlier in the day.
