Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Islamabad Wednesday was sworn in as Pakistan's 21st prime minister, according to the state-run Pakistan TV.

President General Pervez Musharraf administered the oath to Hussain, president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (QA), at a ceremony held in the Presidential House.

Top senior and military officials, diplomats and political leaders attended the ceremony.

Soon after Hussain was sworn in, Musharraf chaired the oath to Hussain's new cabinet. Hussain retained the old cabinet of outgoing Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali.

The former ministers who were retained in the new cabinet include Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, Defense Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, and Education Minister Zubaida Jalal.

Two new ministers from the Federally Administered Tribal Area were included in the cabinet. They are G.G Jamal and senator Ajmal Khan. Their portfolios have not yet been announced.

Hussain, 58, was elected prime minister Tuesday by the National Assembly. He replaced Jamali after his predecessor resigned last Saturday "for the interests of the party and the nation."

Hussain and his new cabinet will seek the vote of confidence from the National Assembly on Wednesday evening.

Hussain is expected to be replaced within two months once outgoing Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz finds a seat in the National Assembly.

"I will continue the policies of President Musharraf," Hussain told members of the National Assembly after his election Tuesday.

He said his priorities would be fighting terrorism and lawlessness and pursuing the president's goal of moderate Islam.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2004)