ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday approved the appointment of Nehal Hashmi as the new Governor Sindh.
The summary of appointment was approved on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif under Articles 48 and 101 of the Constitution. Chief justice of Sindh High Court will administer the oath of office to him.
President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Nehal Hashmi on his appointment as Governor Sindh and expressed his best wishes for him. Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed confidence that Nehal would play a constructive role in strengthening coordination between the federal and provincial governments and perform his duties in accordance with the Constitution and law. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also congratulated Hashmi on his appointment. During the conversation, both leaders expressed their resolve to work together to resolve the province’s challenges.
In a separate development, outgoing Governor Kamran Khan Tessori thanked President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and CDF Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for affording him the opportunity to serve the province. He also congratulated Nehal Hashmi.
Speaking to the media at the Governor’s House, Karachi, before the appointment of the new governor, Kamran Tessori said no one could hold a public office forever adding that he had never been a “silent or dummy governor”. Tessori said he had taken the office with a pledge to serve for the sake of public welfare and pleasure of God. Tessori added that he came to know about the appointment of the new governor through television but still extended his best wishes to Nehal Hashmi, urging him to continue the initiatives launched at the Governor’s House.
The development triggered a political reaction, with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) stating that they had not been taken into confidence by the federal government on the decision. In a statement, the party’s spokesperson said they will soon determine their future course of action after internal consultations over the matter.
Speaking to the media at the Governor’s House, MQM-P senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar criticised the decision saying Tessori had undertaken significant welfare initiatives and alleged that the decision to remove him had been taken under pressure from feudal interests.
He further claimed that the federal government had not taken the MQM-P leadership into confidence on the decision and warned that if the party did not treat the issue as a “red line”, it could suffer serious political damage. He said the matter had been conveyed to the party chief Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and the party leadership, which would decide its future course of action in an upcoming meeting.
Earlier, Hashmi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House, Islamabad, where he was greeted by the prime minister on his appointment.
