Caretaker Shake-Up: Hopefuls Step Down in Anticipation of Election Schedule
ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Senator Sarfaraz Bugti, the Caretaker Interior Minister, tendered his resignation from the federal cabinet on Friday, as confirmed by sources. In a parallel development, Nawabzada Jamal Raisani, the Balochistan Caretaker Minister for Sports and Culture, and Mir Umair Muhammad Hasni, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Mines and Minerals, also stepped down from their roles in the interim provincial cabinet.
Sources indicated that Senator Bugti submitted his resignation to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on December 13, citing personal reasons. The resignation was accepted on Friday afternoon, just hours before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the poll schedule, setting February 8 as the date for the upcoming general elections.
Insiders close to Senator Bugti revealed that he resigned with the intention of contesting the upcoming elections. According to the law, members of a caretaker set-up are barred from participating in elections, prompting Bugti to make this strategic move.
Belonging to the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Senator Bugti was elected as a senator from Balochistan in 2021. The 42-year-old senator had previously served as the interior minister for Balochistan after winning the 2013 election as an independent candidate. Later, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Speculation arises about the possibility of his rejoining the PML-N before the upcoming polls.
Given the significant role of the interior ministry in overseeing security arrangements for elections and the poll campaign, questions arise about the timing of the resignation and its potential impact on security.
