172 - Chaudhry Saee Muhammad Gondal: The Man Who Voted for Pakistan!

I never expected to meet such a man in my life; honestly, I had never even imagined such an encounter. But life is full of surprises, and that’s exactly what I experienced when I met a very old, amiable gentleman in Kaluwal (32°32'29.21"N, 73°14'48.31"E), a village near Malakwal in the district of Mandi Bahauddin.

This chance meeting took place on March 8, 2025. However, the story began a few days earlier when my friend, Iftikhar Ahmad Bhatti, shared some sad news with me: his close and longtime friend, Mr. Ghazanfar, had lost his elder brother a week earlier, and he wanted to offer his condolences to the family. I offered to accompany him, and so we set out on our journey from Islamabad to Kaluwal, about 200 kilometers to the south.

We embarked on a leisurely three-hour journey. Bhatti Sahib maintained strict speed control, never exceeding 110 km/hr on the M2—the finest motorway section in Pakistan. We paused briefly at the Kallar Kahar rest area, stretching our legs for a few minutes. Since it was Ramadan, there was little else we could do. The weather was pleasant, and the atmosphere was peaceful in the early hours of the day.

We arrived around 12:00 and offered our condolences to Ghazanfar Sahib, praying for the departed soul. A few minutes later, his father, Chaudhry Saee Muhammad Gondal sahib (چودھری سعی محمد گوندل),  came specifically to meet us. His amiable personality and demeanor immediately left an impression. Despite losing a son just a couple of weeks earlier and being physically fragile, he was in good spirits. He graciously inquired about our well-being and expressed his gratitude for our visit.

The conversation soon shifted to their area and family, and Ghazanfar Sahib mentioned that his father was 100 years old. I received that information with skepticism, as he appeared to be in his early eighties. However, he captured my full attention when he mentioned that Saee Muhmmad Sahib was born in 1925 and had voted in the 1946 elections. That was both surprising and fascinating information.

Chaudhry Saee Muhammad Gondal s/o Chaudhry Khushi Muhammad (08.03.2025.)

According to the information I gathered, Chaudhry Saee Muhammad Gondal, son of Chaudhry Khushi Muhammad Gondal Sahib, was born in 1925 in Kaluwal and lived his entire life in the same village. His father had a considerable land holding of about 90 acres. As a result, he was eligible to vote even during that era of limited franchise.

The election for the Central Legislative Assembly was held in December 1945, followed by the provincial assembly elections in January 1946. Chaudhry Saee Sahib voted in both. For the central assembly, he voted for an AIML candidate; he could not recall the name, probably Zafar Ali Khan. While for the Punjab Provincial Assembly, he cast his vote for Chaudhry Jahan Khan Bosal. Both were candidates of the All India Muslim League, contesting against the Unionist Party. The AIML candidates won the election, and as they say, the rest is history. These elections were historic, laying the foundations of Pakistan. Chaudhry Saee Muhammad Sahib was not only a witness to this defining moment but also actively participated in shaping history by voting for Pakistan in this momentous event.

Chaudhry Saee Muhammad sahib, came out of the house to see us off. 

At that time, voting rights were not universal. They were largely restricted to landowners, taxpayers, and certain privileged groups, excluding the vast majority of the Indian population.

Chaudry Sahib and his son, Ghazanfar Sahib, insisted that we should stay until Iftar in the evening. However, that was not possible for us, so we took our leave, promising to visit them again sometime. Thus, a very fruitful and pleasant meeting came to an end.

L to R: Tariq Amir & Iftikhar Ahmad Bhatti

Motorway M2 near the Salt Range (08.03.2025.)

I believe very few people who voted in this historic election are still alive today. Chaudhry Saee Sahib's caring and gracious personality left an everlasting impression on my mind. May Allah grant him a life filled with health and happiness.

Tariq Amir
Islamabad
May 22, 2025.