Senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nehal Hashmi officially took oath as the new governor of Sindh on Friday. He replaced Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Kamran Khan Tessori, who previously held the position.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Governor House in Karachi. Sindh High Court Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput administered the oath to Hashmi during the formal event.

Several senior political leaders attended the ceremony, including Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar. PML-N Sindh President Bashir Memon and other party leaders and workers were also present at the event.

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Hashmi’s appointment came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari approved the summary sent by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The prime minister had forwarded the proposal recommending the PML-N leader for the position of Sindh governor.

According to officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz Sharif also met Nehal Hashmi in Islamabad and congratulated him on his nomination before the official approval was announced.

Meanwhile, outgoing governor Kamran Khan Tessori reportedly left for Saudi Arabia earlier to perform Umrah and is expected to stay there for a few days. Before leaving, he thanked protocol staff and officials who came to the airport to see him off.

However, the decision sparked concern within the MQM-P. A party spokesperson said the federal government did not consult the party before making the appointment. The spokesperson added that MQM-P leadership would soon hold internal discussions to decide its future course of action.

Nehal Hashmi belongs to Karachi’s Malir area and has been associated with the PML-N for many years. During the government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, he served as adviser on law and justice from 1997 to 1999.

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In 2012, Hashmi became president of the PML-N Karachi chapter. Later in 2014, the lawyer by profession was appointed general secretary of the party’s Sindh chapter.

In 2015, he was elected to the Senate on a PML-N ticket from a seat allocated to Punjab. His party membership was suspended in 2017 but was later restored in 2021. Since then, he has remained active in party politics.