PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi takes oath as Sindh governor

Senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Nehal Hashmi, took oath as the new governor of Sindh on Friday, replacing Kamran Khan Tessori of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Governor House. The oath was administered by Zafar Ahmed Rajput, Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court.

Several officials attended the ceremony, including Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh, and Murtaza Wahab, Mayor of Karachi. Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, Sindh’s Home Minister, along with other provincial ministers, was also present.

Bashir Memon, president of the PML-N Sindh chapter, attended the ceremony along with other party leaders and workers.

Hashmi took oath a day after Asif Ali Zardari approved his appointment as governor on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The prime minister had sent a summary to the president recommending Hashmi for the post. PM Shehbaz also met Hashmi in Islamabad and congratulated him on his appointment.

Sources said former governor Tessori had left for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and plans to stay there for a few days. Before leaving, he thanked protocol staff and officials who came to the airport to see him off.

A spokesperson for MQM-P said the party was not consulted by the federal government about the decision. The spokesperson added that the party will decide its future course of action after internal discussions.

Hashmi belongs to Karachi’s Malir area and has been associated with PML-N for many years. He served as an adviser on law and justice to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from 1997 to 1999.

In 2012, he became president of PML-N’s Karachi chapter. Later, in 2014, he was appointed general secretary of the party’s Sindh chapter. In 2015, Hashmi was elected as a senator on a PML-N seat from Punjab. His party membership was suspended in 2017 but was restored in 2021.