Mohammad Afzal Cheema

Mohammad Afzal Cheema (1913–2008) was a Pakistani politician and judge. Cheema was the only Pakistani to reach the top positions in all branches of state. He served as Acting President of Pakistan, Judge of the High Court and the Supreme Court,Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan and as Federal Law Secretary. He is considered the most prominent personality in the Cheema tribe and is commonly referred to as the "Chief of Cheemas".

Cheema was born in a small village named Kathore Kalan, 303 JB near Gojra, Toba Tek Singh in 1913. After graduation from Islamia College in 1932, he received his master's degree in English literature from the University of the Punjab in 1934. Later, circumstances forced him to return to his native village, where he oversaw the affairs of his family and the village following his father's sudden demise, who was the head of the village. A desire for continued professional education led him into the field of law in 1945. In 1947, he received his law degree and subsequently started a law practice in Lyallpur, now known as Faisalabad.

Cheema played an active role in the Pakistan movement and supported Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He also participated in the gathering in Lahore on the 23 March 1940. He had several meetings with national poet Allama Iqbal and had cordial and personal relations with many Muslim leaders of the Indian subcontinent, including Mohammad Ali Bogra, Feroz Khan Noon, Syed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari, Molvi Tamizuddin Khan.

Cheema 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 for Toba Tek Singh (The largest Constituency of the country at that time). Subsequently, he was elected Senior Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan by a single vote, defeating the Treasury Candidate. Throughout his tenure as Senior Deputy Speaker, he served as the Speaker of the National Assembly because of the illness of Molvi Tamiz Ud Din Khan and absence of Fazul Ul Qadir Ch. Cheema is the only Speaker in the history of the National Assembly who cast his Casting vote in the House twice: once in favour of the Treasury and once in favour of the Opposition. He also served as the Acting President of Pakistan in the absence of Field Marshal Ayub Khan more than three times.

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