Career
Al-Ghashmi assumed power when his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Hamdi, was assassinated. Ghashmi himself was assassinated later. His assassination occurred when he was meeting an envoy sent by People's Democratic Republic of Yemen President Salim Ali Rubai and a briefcase, reportedly containing a secret message, exploded, killing both al-Ghashmi and the envoy.
It is not conclusively known who set off the explosion. Coincidentally, Rubai died in a coup three days after this event.