ISLAMABAD: New chief justice took his oath of office on Thursday after his outspoken predecessor retired, ending an eight-year turbulent and at times controversial era.

President Mamnoon Hussain administered swore in Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani after Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry stepped down a day earlier.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chaudhry and other top government officials including ministers attended the ceremony.

Legal circles see the 64-year-old Jillani to be a far quieter presence.

Jillani has been a Supreme Court judge since 2004 and, like Chaudhry, was sacked when Musharraf imposed emergency rule in November 2007.