Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar was on Saturday appointed the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan to head a neutral political set-up to run the cash-strapped country until the next general election.

Kakar’s name was agreed upon during the final day of consultations between outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the leader of Opposition in the dissolved National Assembly, Raja Riaz Ahmad, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

“The Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition jointly signed the advice (to appoint Kakar) and it was sent to the President,” read the PMO statement.

Kakar, 52, is an ethnic Pushtun from Balochistan province and a part of the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), which is considered close to the powerful establishment of the country.

In his first reaction, Kakar tweeted: “Thank you to Allah Almighty who gives me the opportunity to Serve the Nation as Caretaker PM of Pakistan. I.A (inshallah) will do the best which will be in favour of Pakistan.”