Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday took oath as Pakistan's 14th President, a day after the veteran politician was overwhelmingly elected as the next head of state.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to the 68-year-old Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the Presidential Palace.
Zardari will replace Dr Arif Alvi, who stayed in office for five more months despite completing his five-year term in September 2023.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, all three service chiefs, senior officials and diplomats.
Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman, the joint candidate of the ruling alliance, was elected as the country's president for the second time on Saturday after he defeated PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai by a huge margin.
He secured 411 electoral votes in Parliament and all four provincial assemblies with the backing of allied parties mainly Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.
His rival, Achakzai bagged 181 votes as he was only able to secure the majority of votes in the PTI-backed SIC-dominated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. -- PTI
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