Asif Ali Zardari sworn in as President of Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Veteran statesman and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has taken the oath as Pakistan’s 14th president.

Following his victory in the recent presidential electoral process held across parliamentary and provincial assemblies, Zardari will be sworn in at the country’s top constitutional position today.

ECP releases breakdown of president’s election results

Yesterday, Zardari secured 411 votes, paving the way for his return to the highest office in the land. His opponent, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Mahmood Khan Achakzai could only muster 181 votes.

The oath-taking ceremony took place at the prestigious Aiwan-e-Sadr. Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa presided over the administering of the oath of office to the incoming president, which also witnessed the attendance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with the country’s three armed forces chiefs as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).

Furthermore, dignitaries including Governors from all four provinces, Chief Ministers, and Foreign Diplomats also graced the occasion with their presence, adding to the significance of the event.

Asif Ali Zardari elected 14th President of Pakistan

However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, another PTI-backed politician, has announced that he will not be part of the oath taking ceremony.

Zardari, during his previous tenure from 2008 to 2013, spearheaded constitutional reforms such as the 18th amendment, aimed at decentralising power and granting greater autonomy to provincial authorities while curtailing presidential powers.