Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nehal Hashmi officially assumed the office of Sindh governor on Friday, marking a significant political transition in the province. He took the oath of office in a formal ceremony held at the Governor House in Karachi, succeeding Kamran Khan Tessori of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). The oath was administered by Sindh High Court Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, underscoring the constitutional importance of the occasion.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by several high-profile provincial figures, including Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab. Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar was also present, along with other members of the provincial cabinet. Representing the PML-N, Sindh president Bashir Memon and a number of party leaders and workers gathered to witness the event, highlighting the political weight of Hashmi’s appointment within the party ranks.
This appointment came just a day after President Asif Ali Zardari gave his formal approval for Hashmi to take over the gubernatorial role, acting on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The prime minister had submitted a summary to the president endorsing Hashmi’s nomination, signaling the federal government’s intent to strengthen PML-N’s influence in Sindh. Prior to the oath-taking, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Hashmi in Islamabad to personally congratulate him on his new role, reflecting the leadership’s confidence in his capabilities.
Meanwhile, Kamran Tessori, the outgoing governor from MQM-P, departed for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and is expected to remain there for several days. Before leaving, Tessori expressed his gratitude to the protocol staff and officials who gathered at the airport to bid him farewell. However, the MQM-P expressed dissatisfaction with the federal government’s decision, stating that the party was not consulted before Hashmi’s appointment. MQM-P’s spokesperson indicated that the party would deliberate internally to decide its next steps in response to this development.
Nehal Hashmi, a seasoned politician from Karachi’s Malir area, has been a longstanding member of the PML-N. His political career includes serving as an adviser on law and justice to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif between 1997 and 1999. Hashmi also held the position of president of the PML-N’s Karachi chapter in 2012 and was appointed general secretary of the party’s Sindh chapter in 2014. A lawyer by profession, he was elected to the Senate in 2015 on a PML-N ticket from Punjab. Despite a suspension of his party membership in 2017, which was later lifted in 2021, Hashmi has remained an active and influential figure within the party.
This change in Sindh’s governorship comes at a politically sensitive time, with the province being a stronghold of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and a contested area for various political forces. Hashmi’s appointment is seen as a strategic move by the PML-N to consolidate its presence and influence in Sindh’s political landscape. The unfolding reactions from MQM-P and other stakeholders will be closely watched as the province navigates this new chapter in its governance.
