- Writes letter to PML-N supremo, expressing reservations over ‘legislating for in the dark’
- Aimal Wali skeptical about transparency of polls under supervision of caretaker PM
ISLAMABAD: BAP Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar’s appointment as the interim prime minister has caused a “serious rift” between allied parties – the PML-N and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and the latter’s chief has penned a letter to former premier Nawaz Sharif on Sunday, expressing reservations over the [appointment].
In his letter, BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal expressed reservations over the coalition government’s decision to choose Kakar — without naming him — as the interim premier without consultations with allied parties. He also mentioned legislating for “in the dark” and expressed disappointment in the party’s actions, stating that he had hoped for greater empathy after past experiences.
Yesterday, after weeks of deliberations, Kakar was named the caretaker prime minister after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition Leader Raja Riaz reached a consensus over his “surprise” nomination.
The initial positive reactions over his surprise nomination demonstrated how Kakar was acceptable to all political parties, especially those part of the ruling coalition headed by outgoing PM Shehbaz Sharif. In addition, the BAP is thought to have the backing of the country’s establishment.
Many of the outgoing ruling coalition were surprised over Kakar’s “selection for the job” and in fact, “even those who signed the summary of Kakar’s nomination too were unaware about Kakar’s name.”
“Mr Kakar’s name came from somewhere else and it had to be accepted by all stakeholders,” a politician of the ruling told Dawn.com while responding to a question about the Sharifs’ failure to get their own man in the caretaker’s saddle.
A similar comment was made by PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah, who said no one was aware that Kakar would become the interim PM.
In the letter written on Sunday, Mengal lamented the actions of politicians to approach the establishment for every problem’s solution instead of resolving them politically.
He cited a letter written to Sharif last month on July 22, hoping the issues would reduce by now but instead, they increased.
He lamented that through the “establishment’s consultation” rather than resolving them through political means.
“Mian Sahib, what has befallen us might be our fate, but what’s surprising is that you people, after facing hardships, haven’t learned any lessons. We remember the atrocities from General Ayub to General Musharraf. But your party forgets the conspiracies and unconstitutional actions of Musharraf and Bajwa too quickly. Once again, you’re weakening democratic institutions by legislating in the dark without involving allies, thereby strengthening undemocratic powers.”
The former Balochistan chief minister said: “Legislation contrary to human rights will probably be used against you in the future, [we know] because we, the residents of Balochistan, have not been considered as human beings since day one.”
He said taking decisions without the confidence of allies will only perpetuate the mistrust between larger and small provinces.
“Laws are made and broken to protect their interests and pave the way for their future government, but on the contrary, it is against the law for the people of Balochistan to cry for their loved ones.
“All this happened in the last two periods of government and we thought this time maybe after those bitter experiences your party would have realized now but it has failed us again like before.”
Mengal expressed that he wished the true history of the past 76 years was available in the textbooks of Pakistan studies so “maybe we would have learned from history but now we and you are answerable to history and will remain to do so”.
Towards the end of the letter, the Baloch tribal elder made it clear that Kakar’s nomination as the interim prime minister not only put an end to his politics but Sharif’s decisions also “created more distance between the two”.
Kakar, who hails from Balochistan, will become the eighth caretaker prime minister. President Arif Alvi had signed a summary sent to him by the outgoing prime minister regarding his appointment after the second round of talks with Raja Riaz.
The BNP-M, which was previously allied with the then-ruling PTI in the Centre in 2018, joined hands with the PDM to eventually bring down Imran Khan’s government. Mengal’s party has since been vocal about its uneasiness with the outgoing PML-N-led coalition’s policies, hinting on several occasions at parting ways with it.
Anwaarul Haq Kakar cannot hold ‘transparent’ elections
Awami National Party (ANP) President Aimal Wali Khan has raised reservations about the transparency of the elections under the supervision of caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq.
On Saturday, the name of Senator Anwaarul Haq Kakar, a leader of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) was approved by the president on the advice of PM Shehbaz Sharif, after reaching a consensus in his meeting with Opposition Leader Raja Riaz.
Awami National Party President Aimal Wali Khan claimed there was no role of PM Sharif and Raja Riaz in the nomination of Anwaarul Haq and added there can be no transparent elections under his supervision۔
Aimal added that the caretaker prime minister in 2018 failed to hold free and fair elections and the current caretaker PM is also not different. He said that elections should be free of any interference as Constitution has been on ventilator since 2018.
Replying a question, the ANP leader said whatever is happening with the PTI chairman is in accordance with the law.
PM Shehbaz congratulates Kakar
PM Shehbaz, meanwhile, has congratulated Kakar on his appointment as the interim premier and expressed confidence that he would ensure free, fair and impartial elections.
A statement issued by the PM’s Office today quoted the outgoing premier as saying that the “trust reposed by all parties in Kakar’s name proves their proper choice as the upcoming caretaker PM is an educated person and a patriot”.
He said that “under a constitutional process, they agreed upon the name of a suitable person” for the interim PM’s slot and thanked the now-former opposition leader in the National Assembly, Raja Riaz, for holding consultations with him for the selection.
PM Shehzab said his government had struggled to bring economic stability in the country during its 16-month tenure and hoped that the “continuity of [this] process will be maintained”.
“Ensuring progress, prosperity and economic stability is critical for the progress and development of the nation,” the PMO statement quoted him as saying.
