Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has officially forwarded a summary to President Asif Ali Zardari recommending Nehal Hashmi, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), for appointment as the Governor of Sindh. The meeting between the prime minister and Hashmi took place at the PM’s Office in Islamabad, where Shehbaz congratulated him on the proposed appointment.
Once approved, Hashmi will replace Kamran Khan Tessori of MQM-P, whose tenure has been under scrutiny. Reports suggest that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which governs Sindh, had expressed dissatisfaction with Tessori’s performance, fueling speculation about a change in the governorship.
Following the announcement, MQM-P initiated internal consultations to assess the situation and determine its stance. Party sources revealed that senior leaders are reviewing the development and will issue an official response after completing discussions. A spokesperson for MQM-P stated that the federal government did not take the party into confidence before making the decision.
Nehal Hashmi, who hails from Malir, Karachi, has been a prominent figure in PML-N for years. He previously served as adviser to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on law and justice from 1997 to 1999. In 2012, he led the party’s Karachi chapter and was later appointed general secretary of PML-N Sindh in 2014.
Hashmi’s political journey includes his election to the Senate in 2015 from a Punjab seat. Although his party membership was suspended in 2017, it was reinstated in 2021, reaffirming his standing within PML-N.
The appointment of Hashmi as Sindh governor marks a significant shift in the province’s political landscape and may influence future dynamics between federal and provincial stakeholders. His legal background and longstanding affiliation with PML-N position him as a strategic choice for the role.
