Why a Pakistani village is mourning Manmohan Singh's loss
What's the story
Gah, a small village in Pakistan's Punjab province, is mourning the death of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The villagers gathered after Friday prayers to honor Singh, who spent his early years in Gah before moving to India post-Partition. "The entire village is in mourning. We feel that someone from our family has died today," local teacher Altaf Hussain told news agency PTI.
Childhood roots
Singh's early life and education in Gah
Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah Begal village (now in Chakwal district), Singh started his education at a local primary school. His admission details, including admission number 187 dated April 17, 1937, are still preserved at the school. Ghulam Mustafa, former headmaster of the village school, revealed how they use Singh's story to inspire students: "We tell them that one of them could be like him."
Lasting bonds
Singh's impact on Gah and enduring friendships
Muhammad Zaman, a local, remembered his father's happiness when Singh became India's PM in 2004. Despite Partition's separation, friendships like those between Singh and Muhammad Ashraf survived. Raja Ashiq Ali said Singh promised development projects for Gah in 2004 and delivered them through initiatives like school renovations and solar-powered systems.
Developmental initiatives
Singh's contributions to Gah's development
India's The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) was instrumental in these projects by installing solar-based systems in Gah. In 2008, Singh invited his schoolmate Raja Muhammad Ali to New Delhi for a visit. Though Singh never got to visit Gah during his tenure as PM, the villagers mourned deeply on hearing of his passing.