Farooq Sattar stated, “It was decided in meetings with PML-N that Kamran Tessori would continue as governor.”
Amid ongoing uncertainty regarding the future of Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has warned that it will reconsider its position in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif if any unilateral decisions are made regarding this constitutional role. Tessori is affiliated with the MQM-P. “It was agreed in meetings with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) that Kamran Tessori would remain governor,” stated senior MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar.
This warning from the Karachi-based party follows reports that the PML-N-led federal government is negotiating with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which governs Sindh, to replace Tessori with Bashir Memon, a former leader of the PML-N and ex-chief of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Tessori responded to these rumors, asserting that he has the confidence of PM Shehbaz, President Asif Ali Zardari, and his party, and he plans to continue serving the public as long as he remains in office. “To those spreading these rumors, I want to clarify that I don’t panic easily,” he said.
Sattar dismissed the rumors outright, stating, “No one has consulted us or discussed this matter.” His colleague, Khawaja Izharul Hassan, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that the potential removal of Tessori contradicts a social contract designed to ensure representation of urban areas in the governorship when the chief minister comes from rural regions.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar indicated that a decision regarding the Sindh governorship is expected soon but denied reports about Memon’s appointment.
The MQM-P played a pivotal role in the ousting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government by supporting the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) no-confidence vote against then-Prime Minister Imran Khan in April 2022. The party later allied with the PML-N following the February 8 elections, where no single party secured a majority in the National Assembly.
Currently holding 21 seats in the lower house—17 general and four reserved—the MQM-P is a crucial ally for the Shehbaz-led government, which relies on a slim majority. The potential loss of MQM-P support could significantly impact the current administration and the broader political landscape, particularly after the July 12 Supreme Court ruling that reinstated the PTI in the assemblies and granted it eligibility for reserved seats.
