In a momentous ceremony held at the President’s House in Islamabad, Asif Zardari, the co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), took the oath of office as the 14th President of Pakistan on Sunday. This marks a historic occasion as Zardari assumes the presidency for the second time, following his landslide victory in the presidential election held a day earlier.
Zardari’s victory was resounding, securing a staggering 411 electoral votes, in stark contrast to his opponent, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, chief of the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), who garnered a total of 181 electoral votes, as reported by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa officiated the swearing-in ceremony, which was attended by notable figures including newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and outgoing President Dr Arif Alvi. The distinguished presence of Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza underscored the significance of the occasion.
Among the esteemed guests were prominent political leaders, including former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and former federal ministers Sherry Rehman, Syed Naveed Qamar, Khursheed Ali Shah, and Ishaq Dar. The ceremony also witnessed the presence of provincial Chief Ministers Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sarfraz Bugti, as well as Governors Kamran Tessori and Baligur Rehman.
Family members of President Zardari, including his daughters Aseefa Bhutto Zardari and Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, along with his sister Faryal Talpur, graced the occasion with their presence.
Zardari’s re-election signifies a remarkable feat, as he becomes the only individual to serve as head of state for a second term and one of the four democratically elected presidents to complete a five-year constitutional term.
Nominated as the joint candidate of the PML-N-led coalition government, Zardari’s ascension to the presidency comes as part of a quid pro quo agreement, with PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif elected as prime minister. Zardari’s inauguration marks the conclusion of Dr Arif Alvi’s tenure, who remained in office for an extended period due to the absence of the electoral college required for the election of a new president following the completion of his five-year term in September 2023.
