Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was sworn in as president of the country Tuesday.

Bhutto served two terms as prime minister of the country; she was killed in December. Her father – Zardari’s father-in-law – was prime minister in the 1970s before he was hanged.

Zardari, who, at 53, has spent 11 years in prison, is off to a rocky start. For one, The New York Times reports that he took the oath of office from Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who was appointed under an emergency decree by the former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf. Plus, there are unproven charges of corruption plaguing Zardari.

Zardari was joined by his three children, well-wishers and dignitaries for the swearing-in ceremony. When it ended, shouts of "Bhutto is alive!" rang out.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was also present. Karzai has blamed Pakistan for allowing the Taliban to gather strength in tribal areas, from which they have attacked Afghan targets, including an assassination attempt on Karzai. Zardari not only will have to grapple with the Al Qaeda-backed Taliban, but he also will have economic issues to confront.

The Bush administration, which praised the new democratic government (Musharraf, while a U.S. ally in the War on Terror, presided over a military regime), says it welcomes the chance for more cooperation to stamp out terrorism. U.S. ground troops have landed in Pakistan and a series of missile strikes into the country’s lawless tribal region indicate that Washington is getting more aggressive about militant havens just beyond the Afghan border.

"We are in the eye of the storm," Zardari told a joint news conference with Karzai. "I consider that an opportunity. I intend to take that and make it our strength. We intend to take the world with us in developing the future of Pakistan and changing the future of our neighbors also."

Added Karzai: "For each step that you take in the war against terrorism for bringing peace to two countries, for bringing stability to two countries, Afghanistan will take many, many steps with you."