ISLAMABAD: Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took oath on Thursday as the 21st Chief Justice of Pakistan.
President Mamnoon Hussain administered the oath of office to Justice Tassaduq, the senior most judge of the apex court after Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry stepped down a day earlier.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, members of the federal cabinet, envoys of foreign countries and Supreme Court judges attended the oath-taking ceremony held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Chaudhry, originally appointed in 2005 during the military rule of Pervez Musharraf and who came to be one of the architects of the former general's downfall, has divided opinion.
Some have praised him for fearlessly taking on politicians and security agencies, while others have criticised him for exceeding the proper authority of the chief justice and interfering in political matters.
Legal circles see the 64-year-old Jillani to be a far quieter presence.
Justice Jillani has been a Supreme Court judge since 2004 and, like Chaudhry, was sacked when Musharraf imposed emergency rule in November 2007.
Prime Minister Nawaz and President Mamnoon congratulated Justice Jillani after he was sworn in today.