Exit Tesori, enter Hashmi

The replacement of MQM’s Kamran Tessori as Sindh Governor with PML-N stalwart Nehal Hashmi is the culmination of the PPP’s frustration with Tessori, who had frequently courted controversy through his implicit and explicit criticism of Sindh’s ruling party. While his supporters may say that was an example of him being independent in his role as governor, his detractors would pounce on the fact that his criticism was reserved solely for the MQM’s rivals, and many of his initiatives reflected elements of political patronage directed at the MQM’s power base, which is mostly centred in and around Karachi.

Meanwhile, rural Sindhis, who overwhelmingly vote for the PPP, got the cold shoulder. And it was not just politicians — the Sindh Bar Council had also been calling for Tessori’s sacking, declaring his political activities a violation of the Constitution and deeming him “unfit for representing the federation”.

At the same time, it should be noted that Hashmi’s own biggest qualification is that he is a loyal PML-N stalwart and is almost certain to avoid ruffling feathers. Under the terms of the coalition agreement, the PPP couldn’t really challenge the PML-N’s pick for Sindh’s top job, so the fact that the new governor is from the PML-N rather than a third coalition partner is probably the best they could expect. Still, as a former lawyer and political veteran, Hashmi is likely to be acceptable to the PPP and lawyers. The PML-N will benefit by having placated its biggest coalition partner.

For the MQM-P, however, the sacking is a seminal moment, as they have forced themselves into a lose-lose situation by threatening to quit the coalition, with the alternative being to stay in, but potentially with no senior roles. This is because even without MQM-P, the coalition controls over 60% of the National Assembly and Senate, meaning a few ‘reliable’ absences from the opposition during votes would still guarantee passage of all legislation.