PM Shehbaz recommends PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi as Sindh governor – Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: In a surprise move, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to appoint PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi as Sindh governor, according to a statement released from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

According to the PMO, PM Shehbaz met Hashmi at PM House on Tuesday and decided to nominate him as the governor of Sindh.

The premier has forwarded a summary in this regard to President Asif Ali Zardari for the final nod.

Hashmi has served as a PML-N senator from March 2015 to March 2021, as per the Senate’s website.

The news of the removal of incumbent Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, who belongs to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), has been circulating on social media for a few days.

While matters have been heated in recent months between the ruling PPP and MQM-P — both allies in the federal government — especially since the Gul Plaza incident, there have been concerns from the Sindh government since 2024 about Tessori’s role as the governor.

In April 2024, the PPP accused Tessori of “creating a political divide and further widening the gap between urban and rural areas of Sindh” and asked the PML-N-led government in the Centre to remove him from the post.

Then in August, amid reports that the Centre was considering replacing Tessori, the MQM-P threatened to quit the federal coalition government.

In December 2025, the MQM-P leadership shrugged off rumours about the possible removal of Tessori.

After the 2024 general elections, PPP and PML-N — with the support of other parties — had agreed on a cooperation mechanism to form a coalition government at the Centre.

As part of the deal, PPP has already got the posts of president, Senate chairman and National Assembly deputy speaker. PML-N also agreed to appoint PPP leaders as governors of Punjab and KP. In return, PPP had agreed to the PML-N’s right to appoint its nominees in Sindh and Balochistan as governors.

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