The Qazis of Hyderabad, Sindh are an established Pakistani and Sindhi political family from Hyderabad, Sindh. Most, though not all, members of the family that were in politics were known by their title, Qazi, which is the name given to certain Judges under Islamic Law, instead of their last name "Abbasi". The family has been involved in politics for at least five generations. The Qazi/Abbasi family originally hailed from Sehwan in Sindh and migrated to Hyderabad when Qazi Abdul Qayyum settled there. Qazi Abdul Qayyum's brother, Hakeem Fatheh Muhammad Sehwani, who chose to use the title Hakeem, settled in Karachi after leaving Sehwan, where he established another branch of the family. In journalistic circles, the family publishes several Sindhi language newspapers including the Daily Ibrat. In addition, the family served the journalistic community through its involvement in the All Pakistan Newspapers Society. Qazi Abdul Majeed Abid was its Secretary-General thrice, Qazi Aslam Akbar was its Secretary-General four times, and Qazi Asad Abid was its Secretary-General an unprecedented nine times. The Qazis have been elected from many constituencies outside of Hyderabad. For example, Pir Mazhar Ul Haq has traditionally been elected from Dadu and Fahmida Mirza and Zulfiqar Mirza from Badin. Members of the family that have held office have included the following: First Generation
Qazi Abdul Qayyum, the first Muslim President of the Hyderabad Municipality
Second Generation
Qazi Muhammad Akbar, former Sindh Provincial Home Minister, former Sindh Provincial Finance Minister, former Sindh Provincial Information Minister, former Sindh Provincial Public Works Minister, former Ambassador of Pakistan, and son of Qazi Abdul Qayyum
Hakeem Muhammad Ahsan, first Mayor of Karachi, Pakistan following independence of Pakistan in 1947, former Ambassador of Pakistan to numerous countries, former Senior Sindh Provincial Minister and Sindh Provincial Health Minister, and nephew of Qazi Abdul Qayyum and son of Hakeem Fatheh Muhammad Sehwani
Qazi Asad Abid, former Member of the National Assembly and son of Qazi Abid
Ameena Ashraf, former Member of the National Assembly and the Sindh Provincial Assembly and daughter of Qazi Muhammad Akbar
Zulfiqar Mirza, former Sindh Provincial Home Minister, former Member of the National Assembly, and nephew of Qazi Abid, Qazi Azam, and Qazi Akbar
Fourth Generation
Pir Mazhar Ul Haq, former Senior Sindh Provincial Minister and Sindh Provincial Education Minister, former Sindh Provincial Housing and Works Minister, former Sindh Provincial Law Minister, and grandson of Qazi Muhammad Akbar
Qazi Ashad Abbasi, Hyderabad Cantonment Board from Ward 7 and grandson of Qazi Akbar
Hasnain Mirza, a current Member of the Provincial Assembly in Sindh and son of Zulfikar Mirza
Pir Majeeb Ul Haq, a current Member of the Provincial Assembly in Sindh and son of Pir Mazhar Ul Haq.
United States Expansion The Family has also expanded to the United States.
Qazi Azfar Sonny Abbasi, also a grandson of Qazi Abjul Majid Abid, has been active in Democratic Party Politics for over twenty-five years in supporting various candidates at all levels. On July 13, 2018, Sonny was appointed to the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development by Governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam. On July 22, 2019, he was elected Vice Chairman of the Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development, only a year after first being appointed. More recently, his Afghan-American wife, Marzia Nawroz Abbasi, was appointed by Governor Northam to the Virginia Real Estate Board. Marzia is the granddaughter of Muhammad Nawroz, who served as a Federal Minister in Afghanistan and Speaker of the Afghan Parliament at the same time Hakeem Ahsan was Ambassador to Afghanistan from Pakistan.
