Khawaja Saad Rafique calls for political party reforms in Pakistan

Former federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has called for significant internal reforms within Pakistan’s political parties to prevent public disillusionment. Speaking in a personal capacity, Rafique criticized the culture of producing sycophants and “yes men” within political organizations, urging parties to allow members the freedom to express dissenting views without fear.

Rafique emphasized that political parties must respect electoral mandates and the decisions of the people to avoid further national tragedies. He noted that while he won his election by 40,000 votes, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did not accept the victory. He warned that if existing parties fail to reform, they risk losing relevance to new, undefined political forces.

To address administrative challenges, Rafique advocated for an empowered local government system with constitutional protection to allow new leadership to emerge. He also suggested that while he supports the concept of smaller provinces, administrative issues cannot be solved by provincial division alone; rather, there must be a correction of political intentions and a reduction in the concentration of power.