Experiments in Suppressing Dissent and Criticism Through Harsh Punishments Have Failed: Khawaja Saad Rafique
Sajid Ali
Published November 01, 2026 | 05:21 PM
No state can progress without openness, tolerance, wisdom, and forbearance. Forcibly silencing every voice or imposing harsh punishments has never been, nor will it be, a solution to problems, according to the former federal minister.
LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Nov, 2026) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz senior leader and former federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has criticized the trend of enforced disappearances and harsh punishments for political opponents and those accused of violating the law.
He stated that repeated attempts to suppress dissent and silence voices through force have been unsuccessful, adding that such actions are contrary to justice, the Constitution, the law, and the national interest.
In a social media post on X, he acknowledged that political or social critics sometimes exceed legal and moral boundaries, but the solution is not to harshly suppress every emerging voice and impose severe punishments.
Referring to the case of lawyer and human rights activist Imaan Zainab Mazari and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, Khawaja Saad Rafique acknowledged that their actions, like removing a traffic barrier, were wrong. However, he considered the subsequent 10-year prison sentences for them as inappropriate and unjust.
He expressed personal disagreement with Mazari’s speaking style and narrative but emphasized that the harsh sentences were unwarranted. He emphasized that no state can achieve sustainable development solely through strict law enforcement unless it fosters openness, tolerance, wisdom, and forbearance.
Equal enforcement of the law across all sections of society and avoiding selective justice are crucial for the survival of states, he added.