Justice (Rtd) Mohammad Afzal Cheema [1913-2008] was the most prominent Cheema, commonly referred to as the *Chief of Cheemas* in Pakistan.
1. Executive: Justice Cheema served as the Acting President of Pakistan.
2. Judiciary: Justice Cheema served as the Judge of the High court and of the Supreme Court.
3. Legislature: Justice Cheema served as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
4. Bureaucracy: Justice Cheema served as the Federal Law Secretary.
EARLY AGE AND EDUCATION
Justice (Rtd) Mohammad Afzal Cheema was born in a small village named Kathore Kalan, 303 JB near Gojra, Toba Tek Singh in 1913. He Graduated in 1932 from Islamia College Lahore and then got a Master's Degree in English Literature from the University of the Punjab in 1934. After his Masters he decided to go to his native city and try his luck finding a suitable job and also to overlook affairs of the family and the village after the sad and sudden demise of his father who was also the head of the Village 303 JB. (Numberdar). But his thirst for education did not end and after a long gap he decided to get another degree (LLB Honours) in order to become a Law graduate in 1945. It was in year 1947 (The Brith Year of PAKISTAN) when he established his law practice in Lyallpur now known as Faisalabad.
PARTICIPATION IN THE PAKISTAN MOVEMENT
Justice (Rtd) Mohammaf Afzal Cheema, was amongst very few educated young muslim fortunates in Late 1940's who actively played their role in the Pakistan movement and supported QUAID E AZAM Mohammad Ali Jinnah in the freedom struggle. He also participated in the famous and historic gathering of Lahore on the 23rd of March 1940. He had several meetings with the National Poet ALLAMA IQBAL and had cordial and personal relations with many Muslim Leaders of that era from the Indo Pak Sub Continent,including Mohammad Ali Bogra, Ch Mohammad Ali, Feroz Khan Noon, Sir Zafarullah, Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Syed Abu al Ala Maududi, Maulana Ashraf ali Thanvi, Molvi Tamizuddin Khan and many others.
POLITICAL CAREER
Justice Cheema has a great political record, he was elected as member of the West Pakistan Legislative Assembly in one unit system in 1951 and later elected as the Deputy Opposition Leader. He became the member of the National Assembly of Pakistan in 1962 from Toba Tek Singh (The largest Constituency of the country. Subsequently he was elected as Senior Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan by defeating the Treasury Candidate by 1 vote. Throughout his tenure as Senior Deputy Speaker he served as the Speaker of the National Assenbly because of the illness of Mohammad Tamiz Ud Din Khan and absence of Fazul Ul Qadir Ch.Justice Cheema is the only Speaker in the history of National Assembly who casted his Casting Vote in the House twice.Once in favour of the Treasury and once in favour of the Opposition. He also severed as the Acting President of Pakistan (East and West) in the absence of President Field Marshal Ayub Khan more than thrice.
JUDICIAL CAREER
Besides his political career, Justice (R) Mohammad Afzal Cheema served as Judge of West Pakistan High Court and also asFederal Law Secretary. His main contribution as the Federal Law Secretary was the drafting of the First complete, comprehensive constitution of Pakistan now known as the 1973 Constitution. He was then elevated to the Supreme Court and retired as the Senior Most Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
COUNCIL OF ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY
Adding to his achievements after his retirement from the Supreme Court, Justice Cheema was made as the full time Chairman of Council of Islamic Ideology (Islami Nazeryati Council) and was responsible for the conversion of the parts of the Pakistani common law into Sharia Laws.
SERVING PAKISTAN AT INTERNATIONAL LEVELS
AS,
1. SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE.
Justice (Rtd) Mohammad Afzal Cheema also served Muslim World League an international Muslim organisation running its functions parallel to OIC, as its Secretary General for more than 15 years. His contribution as Secretary General of the MWL was the tremendous Humanitarian and Mediatory work done by him in general for the Muslim Ummah and in particular for the Muslims of the Asian region.
His main accomplishments are:
1. Approval and Opening of the first Islamic Centre (largest in the Asian Region) in the Sinkiang province of China.
2. Repatriation efforts for the Strandid Pakistanis in Bangladesh often reffered to as Biharis.
3. Contribution for the revival of the Islamic Values and the religion in the Central Asian States after the dismemberment of USSR.
4. Successful Mediatory role amongst the various factions in Afghanistan to bring Peace in the Country.
5. Efforts to help poverty striken Muslims on Humanitarian grounds all over the globe notably in the Continent Africa.
6. To help MWL getting the observer status at the UN,OAU and SAARC.
2. AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
Justice (Rtd) Mohammad Afzal Cheema also headed the Pakistani Delegation at the United Nations annual conference twice as the Leader of the delegation.
HONOURS CONFERRED ON JUSTICE CHEEMA
Highest Civil Award of Saudi Arabia awarded by the Late KING FAISAL for his services for the Religion and the Islamic Ummah.
Highest Civil Award of South Korea awarded by the President ROH TAE WOO for bringing the two countries close by establishing the Pak Korea Friendship Association.
Highest Civil Award of China awarded by the Prime Minister LI Peng for his services towards the close Pak China bilatertal relations in different capacities.
ACTIVE LIFE AT GLANCE
1. Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the West Pakistan Legislative Assembly. 1951-1955
2. Senior Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. 1962-1965.
3. Acting President of Pakistan. More than thrice. 1962-1965.
4. Judge of the West Pakistan High Court. 1965-1973.
5. Federal Law Secretary. 1973-1974...
6. Judge of the Supreme Court Of Pakistan. 1974-1977.
7. Chairman Council of Islamic Ideology. 1977-1980.
9. Secretary General of Muslim World League. 1980-2000.