ISLAMABAD, June 30: Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was sworn in as the 20th Chief Justice of Pakistan at the Aiwan-i-Sadr, on Thursday. President Pervez Musharraf administered the oath at an impressive ceremony also attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Justice Iftikhar has replaced Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui who retired on June 29.

Justice Iftikhar, who was elevated as judge of the apex court on Feb 4, 2000, was born in Dec 12, 1948, and holds the degree of LLB. He started his practice in 1974. Later, he was enrolled as advocate of high court in 1976 and then that of Supreme Court in 1985.

Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain, members of the federal cabinet, governor and chief minister of Balochistan, parliamentarians, senior judges, lawyers and senior government officials were present on the occasion.