By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pakistan’s President-elect Asif Ali Zardari today moved into the presidential palace, where he will be administered the oath of office as the new head of the state tomorrow and will be unveiling his “vision” to tackle the challenges facing the nation.
Zardari, 53, swept last week’s presidential poll by bagging almost 70 per cent of the electoral college votes.
He will be sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar during a ceremony to be held in the Aiwan-e-Sadr (presidency) at 1 pm tomorrow.
State-run PTV beamed footage this afternoon of Zardari arriving at the presidential palace in the heart of the federal capital with his daughters Bakhtawar and Asifa and close aides. After some brief religious ceremonies, Zardari entered the mammoth building.
Shortly after former President Pervez Musharraf resigned last month, Zardari shifted from his private residence to the Prime Minister’s House due to security concerns.
Reports suggested that Zardari’s teenaged son Bilawal, who was made chairman of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party after his mother Benazir Bhutto’s assassination last year, is expected to arrive in Islamabad from Britain to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony began this morning after the Election Commission formally notified Zardari’s victory in Saturday’s presidential poll.