Asif Ali Zardari Sworn In As 14th President Of Pakistan

Zardari returns to the Aiwan-e-Sadr after a ten-year gap

Asif Ali Zardari Sworn In As 14th President Of Pakistan

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari was sworn in as the 14th  President of Pakistan. 

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, where Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath of office to Zardari in English, keeping with the tradition of the oath administered to Pakistan's first Governor General, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing President Dr Arif Alvi attended the ceremony.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other senior coalition members, including Ishaq Dar and Ayaz Sadiq, were in the front row.

Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir and all service chiefs were also present. 

Zardari's family, including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, were also in attendance.

This is Zardari's second tenure in the President's office, having first served as President from 2008 to 2013.

The PPP Co-Chairman was elected on Saturday after defeating his opponent, Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Zardari secured a total of 411 votes, while Achakzai got 181 votes.

Of these, Zardari secured 255 (calculated) votes in the National Assembly and the Senate, 43 from the Punjab Assembly, 58 from Sindh, eight from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 47 from Balochistan.

Achakzai secured 119 votes from the National Assembly and Senate, 18 from Punjab, three from Sindh, 41 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and none from his home province of Balochistan.