Syed Hashim Raza (16 February 1910 – 30 September 2003) was a Pakistani bureaucrat and civil servant who briefly served as the acting Governor of East Pakistan in 1961. He held a number of senior administrative positions in both pre‑partition British India and independent Pakistan, including the first Administrator of Karachi, the federal capital of Pakistan, and later senior roles in the Sindh provincial government. Raza was a recipient of the Sitara‑e‑Pakistan and Sitara‑e‑Quaid‑e‑Azam civilian awards for his service.
Early life and education
Raza was born in Unnao, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India, into a family of Mashhadi Persian origin. He completed a Master of Arts in political science at Lucknow University in 1932 and subsequently pursued further studies at the University of Oxford in England.
Career in the Indian Civil Service
In 1934, Raza entered the Indian Civil Service (ICS) of British India. Between 1934 and 1939 he served as an assistant collector and magistrate. From 1943 to 1946 he was deputy commissioner in the districts of Larkana and Tharparkar (present‑day Pakistan). In the final years of British rule, he held the post of deputy secretary of the Home and General Departments (1946‑1947).
Service in Pakistan
After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Raza continued his civil‑service career. From 1948 to 1951 he was appointed the first Administrator of Karachi, overseeing the city during the death of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in September 1948. He later served in various capacities within the Sindh administration (1951‑1953) and held positions such as provincial press adviser and secretary to the Governor of Sindh.
Acting Governor of East Pakistan
Raza was appointed acting Governor of East Pakistan on 1 July 1961, a role he held until 5 August 1961. His brief tenure occurred during a period of political transition in the province.
Awards and recognition
For his distinguished public service, Raza received the Sitara‑e‑Pakistan (Star of Pakistan) and the Sitara‑e‑Quaid‑e‑Azam (Star of the Founder of Pakistan).
Personal life and death
Raza married Salma Raza and was the father of two daughters and two sons. His sons, Syed Ali Raza and Syed Salim Raza, later held prominent positions as President of the National Bank of Pakistan and Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, respectively. Syed Hashim Raza died on 30 September 2003 in Karachi, Pakistan, at the age of 93, reportedly from kidney failure following a prolonged illness.
