Governor of Sindh

Governor of Sindh
Governor of Sindh's Seal
Provincial Flag of Sindh
Incumbent
Nehal Hashmi
since 13 March 2026
StyleThe Honorable
(formal)
ResidenceGovernor House
SeatKarachi, Sindh, Pakistan
NominatorPrime Minister of Pakistan
Appointer
Term length
  • 5 years
Constituting instrument
Constitution of Pakistan
Formation15 August 1947; 79 years ago (1947-08-15)
First holderSir Charles Napier
Salary10000$
Websitewww.governorsindh.gov.pk

The governor of Sindh is the appointed head of the province of Sindh, Pakistan. The office of the governor as the head of the province is largely a ceremonial position; the executive powers lie with the Chief Secretary and the Chief Minister of Sindh.

However, there were instances throughout the history of Pakistan, the powers of the provincial governors were vastly increased, when the provincial assemblies were dissolved and the administrative role came under direct control of the governors, as in the cases of martial laws of 1958–1972 and 1977–1985, and governor rules of 1999–2002. In the case of Sindh, there were two direct instances of governor's rule under Mian Aminuddin and Moinuddin Haider respectively, in 1951–1953 and 1998 when the provincial chief ministers of those times were removed and assemblies dissolved. There was indirect governor's rule briefly in June-July 1988 when Akhtar Ali Kazi took leave of office as caretaker chief minister, and Rahimuddin Khan served as acting Governor until Kazi resumed office on 31 August.

The governor is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. The Governor House in Karachi is the official residence of the governor of Sindh. Nehal Hashmi is the current governor of Sindh.

Caliphate

The Muslim province of Sind was under the reign of Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates. The governor of Sind was an official of Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates.

Mughal Empire

Following its annexation of Sindh's independent sultanates, the Mughal Empire administered southern Sindh as the Thatta Subah or Sarkar from 28 Mar. 1593 until the early 18th century. Northern Sindh was ruled separately by the Kalhora dynasty until around 1739, when Persian assistance allowed them to annex Thatta Subah as well. Following the 1783 Battle of Halani, Kalhora control was replaced by the Talpur dynasty.[citation needed]

British Raj

Sir Charles Napier (1843-1847) became the first ever Chief Commissioner and Governor of Sind.

List of governors of Sindh

Following is a list of the governors of Sindh since Sind was established as a separate province on 1 April 1936.

  British colonial, independent, civil, judicial or military administration   Muslim League   Pakistan Peoples Party   Pakistan Muslim League (N)   Pakistan Muslim League (Q)   Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf   MQM   Acting governor or office abolished

Tenure
no.		 Governor Political affiliation Term of office
Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office
1 Sir Lancelot Graham British colonial administration April 1, 1936 March 31, 1941 4 years, 364 days
2 Sir Hugh Dow British colonial administration April 1, 1941 January 14, 1946 4 years, 288 days
3 Sir Robert Francis Mudie British colonial administration January 15, 1946 August 14, 1947 1 year, 211 days
4 Shaikh Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah Muslim League August 15, 1947 October 4, 1948 1 year, 50 days
5 Shaikh Din Muhammad Independent October 7, 1948 November 19, 1949 1 year, 43 days
6 Mian Aminuddin Independent November 19, 1949 May 1, 1953 3 years, 163 days
7 George Baxandall Constantine Civil administration May 2, 1953 August 12, 1953 102 days
8 Habib Ibrahim Rahimtoola Muslim League August 12, 1953 June 23, 1954 315 days
9
Portrait of Iftikhar Hussain Khan Mamdot
 Iftikhar Hussain Khan Mamdot Muslim League June 24, 1954 October 14, 1955 1 year, 112 days
– Office abolished
Sindh became part of the province of West Pakistan		 October 14, 1955 June 30, 1970 14 years, 259 days
10 Rakhman Gul Military administration
(Pakistan Army)		 July 1, 1970 December 20, 1971 1 year, 172 days
11 Mumtaz Bhutto PPP December 24, 1971 April 20, 1972 118 days
12 Mir Rasool Bux Talpur PPP April 29, 1972 February 14, 1973 291 days
13
Portrait of Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan
 Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan Independent February 15, 1973 February 28, 1976 3 years, 13 days
14 Muhammad Dilawar Khanji PPP March 1, 1976 July 5, 1977 1 year, 126 days
15 Abdul Kadir Shaikh Civil administration July 6, 1977 September 17, 1978 1 year, 73 days
16 S. M. Abbasi Military administration
(Pakistan Army)		 September 18, 1978 April 6, 1984 5 years, 201 days
17 Jahan Dad Khan Military administration
(Pakistan Army)		 April 7, 1984 January 4, 1987 2 years, 272 days
18 Ashraf W. Tabani Independent January 5, 1987 June 23, 1988 1 year, 170 days
19
Portrait of Rahimuddin Khan
 Rahimuddin Khan Military administration
(Pakistan Army)		 June 24, 1988 September 12, 1988 80 days
20 Qadeeruddin Ahmed Judiciary September 12, 1988 April 18, 1989 218 days
21
Portrait of Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim
 Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim Judiciary April 19, 1989 August 6, 1990 1 year, 109 days
22
Portrait of Mahmoud Haroon
 Mahmoud Haroon
(first tenure)		 Independent August 6, 1990 July 18, 1993 2 years, 346 days
23 Hakim Muhammad Saeed Independent July 19, 1993 January 23, 1994 188 days
24
Portrait of Mahmoud Haroon
 Mahmoud Haroon
(second tenure)		 Independent January 23, 1994 May 21, 1995 1 year, 118 days
25 Kamaluddin Azfar PPP May 22, 1995 March 16, 1997 1 year, 298 days
26 Moinuddin Haider Military administration
(Pakistan Army)		 March 17, 1997 June 17, 1999 2 years, 92 days
27
Portrait of Mamnoon Hussain
 Mamnoon Hussain PML(N) June 19, 1999 October 12, 1999 115 days
28 Azim Daudpota Military administration
(Pakistan Air Force)		 October 25, 1999 May 24, 2000 212 days
29
Portrait of Muhammad Mian Soomro
 Muhammad Mian Soomro PML(Q) May 25, 2000 December 26, 2002 2 years, 215 days
30
Portrait of Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan
 Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan MQM December 27, 2002 November 9, 2016 13 years, 318 days
31 Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui Independent November 11, 2016 January 11, 2017 61 days
32 Mohammad Zubair PML(N) February 2, 2017 August 3, 2018 1 year, 182 days
33
Portrait of Imran Ismail
 Imran Ismail PTI August 27, 2018 April 18, 2022 3 years, 234 days
– Agha Siraj Durrani
(acting)		 PPP April 20, 2022 October 9, 2022 172 days
34 Kamran Tessori MQM-P October 10, 2022 March 12, 2026 3 years, 153 days
35 Nehal Hashmi PML(N) March 13, 2026 Incumbent 221 days

See also

References

  1. ↑ Al-Ya'qubi, pp. 388, 557, 448, 599; al-Tabari, v. 32: p. 106
  2. ↑ "General Charles Napier and the Conquest of Sind". www.victorianweb.org. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Governors". Sindh Governor House. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  4. ↑ Miall, Leonard (18 August 1999). "Obituary: David Graham". The Independent. London.
  5. ↑ "No. 38161". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1947. p. 7.
  6. ↑ "Governors of Sind". Sindh Governor official website. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Tessori sacked as PML-N stalwart Nehal Hashmi made Sindh governor". Dawn. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Nehal Hashmi takes oath as Sindh governor, replacing Kamran Tessori". The News International. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 11 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Governor Sindh Syed Muhammad Nihal Hashmi meets Chairman Senate". Press Information Department. Government of Pakistan. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 11 July 2026.