Asif Ali Zardari, from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has become Pakistan’s 14th president after winning by a large margin in the recent elections. He was sworn in by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.
New Era Begins: Asif Zardari Takes Oath as Pakistan’s 14th President
The swearing-in event was attended by many notable figures including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, outgoing president Arif Alvi, top military officials, governors, chief ministers, and foreign diplomats.
Zardari, who had support from the ruling alliance, secured a total of 411 electoral votes from parliament and all provincial assemblies. His main opponent, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, only managed to secure votes in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
In the National Assembly, Zardari received 225 votes compared to Achakzai’s 119. Similarly, in the Sindh Assembly, Zardari gained 53 votes while his opponent got only three.
This is Zardari’s second term as president, having previously served from 2008 to 2013. He is a member of the National Assembly since August 2018. Zardari, who was born in 1955 and educated in Karachi, was married to Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Zardari replaces Dr. Arif Alvi, who continued in office for an additional five months after completing his five-year term in September 2023.
Asif Ali Zardari Sworn in for Second Term as President of Pakistan