Syed Tabish
Islamabad:: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to nominate senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz, Nehal Hashmi, as the next governor of Sindh, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The decision was taken during a meeting between the prime minister and Hashmi at the Prime Minister House earlier this week. A summary regarding the nomination has been forwarded to Asif Ali Zardari for final approval.
A video of the meeting showed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and the premier’s political adviser Rana Sanaullah present on the occasion.
If approved, Hashmi would replace the incumbent Sindh governor, Kamran Tessori, who belongs to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P).
MQM-P Expresses Discontent Over Decision
The development has drawn a strong reaction from MQM-P leadership. Senior MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar expressed serious reservations about the move, saying the party considers the Sindh governorship its traditional political space.
“The governorship is MQM-P’s traditional right. Such one-sided decisions make it hard to continue in the government,” Sattar said.
We should immediately consider exiting the federal government, he further said.
His remarks signal possible tensions within the ruling coalition if the change proceeds.
Coalition Politics and Earlier Differences
Relations between MQM-P and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — both partners in the federal coalition — have remained strained in recent months.
Political differences intensified after the Gul Plaza incident and earlier disagreements over administrative and political matters in Sindh.
Following the 2024 general elections, the PPP and PML-N formed a cooperation arrangement to establish the federal government. Under the agreement, PPP secured key constitutional positions, including the presidency and Senate chairmanship, while the PML-N retained the right to nominate governors in Sindh and Balochistan.
Nehal Hashmi’s Political Background
Hashmi previously served as a senator after being elected in 2015 on a PML-N ticket.
In 2017, he faced controversy over remarks targeting individuals investigating former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family during the Panama Papers probe.
The Supreme Court, led at the time by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, took suo motu notice of the speech. In February 2018, the court convicted Hashmi of contempt of court, sentencing him to one month in prison and disqualifying him from holding public office for five years.
