Sindh Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput administers oath to PML-N leader Nihal Hashmi

KARACHI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-March 13rd, 2026) Nihal Hashmi took the oath of office as the Governor of Sindh on Friday, administered by Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, Zafar Ahmed Rajput.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Haq Lanjhar, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, PML-N Sindh President Bashir Memon, along with other political leaders and party workers.

The decision to appoint Nihal Hashmi as Sindh Governor was made yesterday and received formal approval from President Asif Ali Zardari.

Political career of Nihal Hashmi

Nihal Hashmi, a Karachi native, has been associated with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for several decades. He served as Legal and Justice Advisor to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from 1997 to 1999. In 2012, he held the position of PML-N president in Karachi, and in August 2014, he was appointed General Secretary of the party’s Sindh chapter.

In 2015, Hashmi was nominated as a Senate candidate from Punjab. He was expelled from PML-N in 2017 following a controversial statement related to the Panama papers case, but his party membership was reinstated in 2021.

His appointment as Governor is seen as part of PML-N’s efforts to strengthen its political presence in Sindh through experienced leadership.

The new governor’s tenure is expected to focus on political coordination and engagement with provincial institutions, marking a significant development in Sindh’s administrative and political landscape.