Asif Ali Zardari takes oath as 14th president of Pakistan

Islamabad, March 11: Asif Ali Zardari took oath as the 14th President of Pakistan during a ceremony held at the President's House on Sunday, according to a statement from the President's Office.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath of office to the newly-elected President at the ceremony attended by the outgoing President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, chiefs of the armed forces, politicians and foreign dignitaries.

Earlier on Saturday, Zardari, Co-chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples' Party Parliamentarians, won the election by taking 411 against 181 votes from all the electoral colleges, including the parliament and four provincial assemblies, the Election Commission of Pakistan said.

Ruling coalition candidate Zardari received 255 votes in a joint session of the two houses of the parliament, including the Senate and the National Assembly, 43 votes from the eastern Punjab province, eight from the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 47 votes from the southwest Balochistan province and 58 votes from the southern Sindh province, Xinhua news agency reported.

This is 68-year-old Zardari's second term as President after he served as the country's 11th President from 2008 to 2013. He is also the first civilian who reached this position for the second time in the country's history.