Anwaarul Haq Kakar is Pakistan’s new caretaker prime minister.

He was sworn in Monday by President Arif Alvi in Islamabad in a ceremony at the presidential palace, attended by outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz Ahmad agreed on Alvi’s installment after talks Saturday.

Kakar’s resignation from the Senate was accepted Monday, ahead of his swearing-in.

The interim prime minister is a 52-year-old ethnic Pashtun from Balochistan. He is a member of the Balochistan Awami Party.

In the caretaker position, he is responsible for ensuring that the coming elections are free and fair. Kakar also decided that he needed to resign from his party, which he founded, to maintain neutrality in the elections.

Outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz said Kakar was the “most suitable person” for the caretaker role.

A caretaker prime minister is a temporary position that is held until elections take place and a regular prime minister can be installed. A caretaker politician maintains the status quo and does not govern. It is not an elected position.

Source: Voice of America