| Kakar’s appointment ‘surprising’
Former lawmaker Kishwar Zehra, whose party was part of the last government, told DW Kakar’s name was never mentioned during the consultations.
“His name suddenly appeared, which was really surprising,” she said.
A native of Balochistan and a political newcomer, Kakar caught the media’s attention in 2018 after he formed the BAP, which defended the Pakistani military in speeches to parliament against accusations of rights violations in Balochistan province.
Kakar’s patriotic rhetoric also drew positive attention from the military, and he was invited to deliver lectures at the army-run National Defense University of Islamabad.
Lashkari Raisani, a former lawmaker from Balochistan, told DW that Kakar was “patronized” and made prime minister by the military establishment.
However, the caretaker information minister, Murtaza Solangi, said Kakar and his cabinet were all appointed by due constitutional process.
Nevertheless, Pakistan’s military remains a powerful force in the country’s politics, and enjoys popular support among the population.
Qamar Cheema, an Islamabad-based analyst, said parties supported by the military could better improve Pakistan’s socioeconomic stability and internal security.
Read the rest of S Khan’s report |
