->GoingBatty at 16:38, 31 October 2021

2021-10-31T16:38:33Z

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{{short description|Pakistani politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Pakistani English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Khawaja Saad Rafique
| image = Khawaja Saad Rafqiue (cropped).jpg
| office = [[Ministry of Railways (Pakistan)|Federal Minister for Railway]]
| term_start = 4 August 2017
| term_end = 31 May 2018
| president = [[Mamnoon Hussain]]
| primeminister = [[Shahid Khaqan Abbasi]]
| predecessor = (himself)
| term_start1 = 7 June 2013
| term_end1 = 28 July 2017
| predecessor1 = [[Ghulam Ahmad Bilour]]
| successor1 = (himself)
| president1 = [[Mamnoon Hussain]]
| primeminister1 = [[Nawaz Sharif]]
| office2 = Federal Minister for Culture
| term_start2 = 31 March 2008
| term_end2 = 13 May 2008
| president2 = [[Pervez Musharraf]]
| primeminister2 = [[Yousaf Raza Gillani]]
| office3 = Federal Minister for Youth Affairs
| term_start3 = 31 March 2008
| term_end3 = 13 May 2008
| president3 = [[Pervez Musharraf]]
| primeminister3 = [[Yousaf Raza Gillani]]
| office4 = Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Youth Affairs
| term_start4 = 1997
| term_end4 = [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|12 October 1999]]
| president4 = [[Farooq Leghari]] <br> [[Wasim Sajjad]] <br> [[Muhammad Rafiq Tarar]]
| primeminister4 = [[Nawaz Sharif]]
| office5 = [[National Assembly of Pakistan|Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan]]
| term_start5 = 14 October 2018
| term_end5 =
| constituency5 = NA-131 Lahore
| term_start6 = 11 May 2013
| term_end6 = 2018
| constituency6 = NA-125 Lahore
| term_start7 = 18 February 2008
| term_end7 = 2013
| constituency7 = NA-125 Lahore
| term_start8 = 10 October 2002
| term_end8 = 2007
| constituency8 = NA-119 Lahore
| office9 = [[Provincial Assembly of Punjab|Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab]]
| term_start9 = 15 August 2018
| term_end9 = 14 October 2018
| constituency9 = PP-168 Lahore
| 1blankname9 = Speaker
| 1namedata9 = [[Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi]]
| term_start10 = 18 February 1997
| term_end10 = [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|12 October 1999]]
| constituency10 = PP-119 Lahore
| 1blankname10 = Speaker
| 1namedata10 = [[Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1962|11|4}}
| birth_place = [[Lahore]], [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], [[Pakistan]]
| party = [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)]]
| nationality = Pakistani
| spouse = [[Ghazala Saad Rafique]] <br /> {{marriage|Shafaq Hira|2017}}
| children = 3<ref name="arynews.tv">{{cite news|url=https://arynews.tv/en/saad-rafique-admits-second-marriage-nomination-papers/|title=PML-N’s Saad Rafique admits to second marriage in nomination papers|date=16 June 2018|publisher=ARY News|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref>
| parents = [[Begum Farhat Rafique]] (mother)
| relations = [[Khawaja Salman Rafique]] (brother)
| alma_mater = [[Punjab University, Lahore|Punjab University]]<br />({{small|[[Bachelor of Arts|BA]]}} and {{small|[[Master of Arts|MA]]}})
| successor = [[Roshan Khursheed Bharucha]] (caretaker)
}}

'''Khawaja Saad Rafique ''' ({{Lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|خواجہ سعد رفیق}}}}; born 4 November 1962) is a [[Pakistani]] politician who has been a member of the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]] since October 2018.

A leader of the [[Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)]], Rafique previously served as the [[Ministry of Railways (Pakistan)|Minister for Railways]] in [[Abbasi cabinet]] from August 2017 to May 2018 and in the [[Third Sharif ministry|Sharif's third ministry]] from 2013 to 2017 and held the cabinet portfolio of Minister for Culture and the Minister for Youth Affairs briefly during the [[Gillani ministry]] in 2008.

Rafique had been a member of the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]] from 2002 to May 2018 and served as Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Youth Affairs from 1997 to 1999 under Sharif's second ministry.

==Early life and education==
Rafique was born on 4 November 1962 in Lahore, Pakistan<ref name="pildat/dob">{{cite web|title=Detail Information|url=http://www.pildat.org/mna/rsDetail.asp?detid=125|access-date=9 July 2017|date=19 April 2014|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419144726/http://www.pildat.org/mna/rsDetail.asp?detid=125|archive-date=19 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=If elections are held on time…|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/404658|access-date=4 December 2017|work=www.thenews.com.pk|language=en}}</ref> to [[Begum Farhat Rafique]] and Khawaja Mohammad Rafiq.<ref name="pap/1997">{{cite web |title=Legislators from LAHORE (PP-116 to PP-133) |url=http://pap.gov.pk/uploads/previous_members/1997-2001//dist18.htm#pp119 |website=pap.gov.pk |publisher=Punjab Assembly |access-date=3 August 2018}}</ref> His father migrated from [[Kashmir]] to [[Amritsar]] and then to Lahore<ref>{{cite web|url=http://krsf.org.pk/history|title=Welcome to KRSF|website=krsf.org.pk|access-date=23 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621223408/http://krsf.org.pk/history|archive-date=21 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was a small-time businessman in Lahore who was murdered in the early 1970s. The family blamed the crime on [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]].<ref name="dawn/7june2013" />

Rafique enrolled at the [[Govt. M.A.O College Lahore|M.A.O College]]<ref name="dawn/7june2013" /> and made a [[College transfer|transfer]] to [[Punjab University, Lahore|Punjab University]] in 1982. He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[Political science]] in 1984, and later attained [[Master of Arts|MA]] in [[Political science]] in 1986.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, April 2013" />

==Political career==

Rafique started his political career as a student leader representing Muslim Student Federation, from MAO College Lahore in early 1980s, and later on joined the PML-N.<ref name="dawn/7june2013">{{cite news|last1=Ghumman|first1=Khawar|title=Experience and loyalty count in the PML-N kitchen cabinet|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1016645|access-date=1 November 2016|publisher=Dawn|date=7 June 2013|ref=dawn/7june2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029084423/http://www.dawn.com/news/1016645|archive-date=29 October 2016}}</ref>

In [[1997 Pakistani general elections]], Rafique participated in the elections on the PML-N's ticket and elected as the member of [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab]] for the first time.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, April 2013">{{cite news|last1=Dawn.com|title=Khawaja Saad Rafique by Dawn|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1024456/khawaja-saad-rafique|access-date=23 September 2014|agency=Dawn Newspaper|publisher=Dawn Newspaper, April 2013|date=28 April 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025135222/http://www.dawn.com/news/1024456/khawaja-saad-rafique|archive-date=25 October 2014}}</ref> He was appointed as Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Youth Affairs by then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif,<ref name="AajNews">{{cite news|last1=Jamil|first1=Farah|title=26 member Cabinet to take oath today|url=http://aaj.tv/2013/06/26-member-cabinet-to-take-oath-today/|access-date=31 October 2016|work=Aaj News|date=7 June 2013|ref=AajNews|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121082150/http://aaj.tv/2013/06/26-member-cabinet-to-take-oath-today/|archive-date=21 January 2017}}</ref> but his tenure was terminated by General [[Pervez Musharraf]] after the latter [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état]]. He was among the PML-N leaders who confronted Musharraf in the absence of Nawaz Sharif.<ref name="dawn/7june2013" />

In [[2002 Pakistani general elections]], Rafique elected as member of National Assembly from [[Constituency NA-119]] for the first time.<ref name="tribune/8june2013">{{cite news|title=Federal cabinet unveiled: Enter the ministers - The Express Tribune|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/560553/federal-cabinet-unveiled-enter-the-ministers/|access-date=7 August 2017|work=The Express Tribune|date=8 June 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226212957/https://tribune.com.pk/story/560553/federal-cabinet-unveiled-enter-the-ministers/|archive-date=26 February 2017}}</ref> During the period, he served as president of PML-N Punjab.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, April 2013" />

In [[2008 Pakistani general elections]], Rafique was re-elected as the member of the National Assembly for the second time from [[Constituency NA-125]].<ref name="tribune/8june2013" /> He was appointed as the [[Ministry of Culture (Pakistan)|Minister for Culture]] and Minister for Youth Affairs in the [[Gillani ministry]]<ref name="tribune/8june2013" /> but he resigned after PML-N's went on to lead the [[Lawyer's movement]] to restore the [[Court system of Pakistan|judiciary]].<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, April 2013" /><ref name="Dawn Newspapers">{{cite news|last1=Wasim|first1=Amir|title=Coalition move gathers momentum: President’s impeachment|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/315875/coalition-move-gathers-momentum-president|access-date=23 September 2014|agency=Dawn Newspapers, 2008|publisher=Dawn Newspapers, 2008|date=10 April 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025142252/http://www.dawn.com/news/315875/coalition-move-gathers-momentum-president|archive-date=25 October 2014}}</ref>

He was eventually arrested and imprisoned after calling for [[Pervez Musharraf|Musharraf]]'s removal. He, along with party colleagues and lawyers, took to the streets calling for the resignation of the Musharraf and the reinstatement of judges deposed by him. He was also put behind bars for partaking in violent protests for the said purpose.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, April 2013" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Saad finally on other side of bars|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/277124/saad-finally-on-other-side-of-bars|access-date=12 October 2016|publisher=Dawn|date=23 November 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013074142/http://www.dawn.com/news/277124/saad-finally-on-other-side-of-bars|archive-date=13 October 2016}}</ref> Among [[PML-N]]'s leaders, Rafique was one of the activist who kept the PML-N alive during the Musharraf government.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, April 2013" />

In [[2013 Pakistani general election]], Rafique was re-elected as the member of the National Assembly for the third time.<ref name="tribune/8june2013" /><ref name="dawn/7june2013" /> His wife, Ghazala Saad, was also allotted PML-N's ticket.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, 2 March 2013">{{cite news|last1=Mahmood|first1=Amjad|title=PML-N influential groups prevail: Workers ‘ignored’ for women’s reserved seats|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/799190/pml-n-influential-groups-prevail-workers-ignored-for-womens-reserved-seats|access-date=23 September 2014|agency=Dawn Newspaper|publisher=Dawn Newspaper, 31 March 2013|date=31 March 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025175623/http://www.dawn.com/news/799190/pml-n-influential-groups-prevail-workers-ignored-for-womens-reserved-seats|archive-date=25 October 2014}}</ref> In June 2013, Rafique was appointed as [[Ministry of Railways (Pakistan)|Minister of Railway]] by the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Nawaz Sharif]] and took [[Oath of office|oath]] on 8 June 2013.<ref name="Pakistan Today">{{cite news|last1=Hussain|first1=Tayyab|title=25-member cabinet takes oath|url=http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/06/08/national/25-member-cabinet-takes-oath/|access-date=22 September 2014|agency=Pakistan Today|publisher=Pakistan Today|date=8 June 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042724/http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/06/08/national/25-member-cabinet-takes-oath/|archive-date=4 March 2016}}</ref>

He had ceased to hold ministerial office in July 2017 when the federal cabinet was disbanded following the resignation of Prime Minister [[Nawaz Sharif]] after [[Panama Papers case (Pakistan)|Panama Papers case]] decision.<ref>{{cite news|title=PM Nawaz Sharif steps down; federal cabinet stands dissolved|url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pm-nawaz-gives-up-his-post-federal-cabinet-stands-dissolved/|access-date=28 July 2017|work=Daily Pakistan Global|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728114411/https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pm-nawaz-gives-up-his-post-federal-cabinet-stands-dissolved/|archive-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> Following the election of [[Shahid Khaqan Abbasi]] as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Rafique was inducted into the federal cabinet of Abbasi and was appointed Minister for Railways for the second time.<ref>{{cite news|title=New cabinet takes oath: Khawaja Asif foreign minister, Ahsan Iqbal interior minister|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1349562/new-cabinet-takes-oath-khawaja-asif-foreign-minister-ahsan-iqbal-interior-minister|access-date=4 August 2017|work=DAWN.COM|date=4 August 2017|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804113543/https://www.dawn.com/news/1349562/new-cabinet-takes-oath-khawaja-asif-foreign-minister-ahsan-iqbal-interior-minister|archive-date=4 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Pakistan Swears In New Federal Cabinet|url=http://newsweekpakistan.com/pakistan-swears-in-new-federal-cabinet/|access-date=4 August 2017|work=Newsweek Pakistan|date=4 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804174632/http://newsweekpakistan.com/pakistan-swears-in-new-federal-cabinet/|archive-date=4 August 2017}}</ref> Upon the dissolution of the National Assembly on the expiration of its term on 31 May 2018, Rafique ceased to hold the office as Federal Minister for Railways.<ref>{{cite web |title=Notification |url=http://www.cabinet.gov.pk/userfiles1/file/fm-mos-noti-01-06-2018.pdf |publisher=Cabinet division |access-date=1 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601180526/http://www.cabinet.gov.pk/userfiles1/file/fm-mos-noti-01-06-2018.pdf |archive-date=1 June 2018}}</ref>

He was re-elected to Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency PP-168 (Lahore-XXV) in [[2018 Pakistani general election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Pakistan election 2018 results: National and provincial assemblies |url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/2018/07/live-pakistan-election-2018-results/ |access-date=3 September 2018 |work=Samaa TV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729083521/https://www.samaa.tv/news/2018/07/live-pakistan-election-2018-results/ |archive-date=2018-07-29 |url-status=live }}</ref> Rafique also ran for the seat of national assembly from Constituency NA-131(Lahore-IX) but was unsuccessful as he was defeated by Prime minister Imran khan along with 4 other seats from which he won in general election of 2018.

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-131 (Lahore-IX) in by-election held on 14 October 2018 after Imran khan resigned from this seat and kept his home-city seat of Mianwali.<ref>{{cite news |title=By-Election 2018: PTI, PML-N win four NA seats each |url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/214780-by-election-2018-unofficial-unverified-results |access-date=15 October 2018 |work=Geo News |date=15 October 2018}}</ref>

==Family==
He has married [[Polygyny in Islam|twice]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1415938|title=Marriage, assets and conjecture rule #Elections2018|first=Ramsha|last=Jahangir|date=25 June 2018}}</ref> His first wife [[Ghazala Saad Rafique]] has been a member of [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Punjab Assembly|url=http://www.pap.gov.pk/index.php/members/profile/en/19/691|website=www.pap.gov.pk|access-date=4 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805014815/http://www.pap.gov.pk/index.php/members/profile/en/19/691|archive-date=5 August 2017}}</ref> He has two daughters and one son from his first wife.<ref name="arynews.tv"/> His brother [[Khawaja Salman Rafique]] has been a member of [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab]] and was Provincial Minister of Punjab for Health.<ref>{{cite web|title=Punjab Assembly|url=http://www.pap.gov.pk/index.php/members/profile/en/20/1219|website=www.pap.gov.pk|access-date=4 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614100927/http://www.pap.gov.pk/index.php/members/profile/en/20/1219|archive-date=14 June 2017}}</ref>

In April 2017, it was reported that Rafique has secretly married with a [[Pakistan Television Corporation|PTV]] host Shafaq Hira, without the consent of his first wife, Ghazala.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/marvi-memon-secretly-married-ishaq-dar-for-rs1-5-billion-haq-meher/|title=Marvi Memon ‘secretly married Ishaq Dar for Rs1.5 billion haq meher’}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Silent scandal: Khawaja Saad Rafique ‘secretly marries’ PTV anchor Dr Shafaq |url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/silent-scandal-khawaja-saad-rafique-secretly-marries-ptv-anchor-dr-shafaq/ |access-date=14 June 2018 |work=Daily Pakistan Global}}</ref> In June 2018, Rafique disclosed his second marriage with [[Shafaq Hira]] in his nomination papers for 2018 general election.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saad Rafique admits second marriage with PTV news anchor in nomination papers |url=https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/elections-2018-pml-ns-saad-rafique-admits-second-marriage-with-ptv-news-anchor-in-nomination-papers/ |access-date=14 June 2018 |work=Daily Pakistan Global}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Youth Affairs|years=2008—2008}}
{{s-aft|after=}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Culture |years=2008—2008}}
{{s-aft|after=}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Railway|years=2013—present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Gillani Cabinet}}
{{Sharif III Cabinet}}
{{Abbasi Cabinet}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rafique, Khawaja Saad}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Punjabi people]]
[[Category:Pakistani prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Pakistani people of Kashmiri descent]]
[[Category:Punjab MPAs 1997–1999]]
[[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2002–2007]]
[[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2008–2013]]
[[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2013–2018]]
[[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (N) MPAs (Punjab)]]
[[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (N) MNAs]]
[[Category:University of the Punjab alumni]]
[[Category:Politicians from Lahore]]
[[Category:Government ministers of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Punjab MPAs 2018–2023]]
[[Category:Central Model School, Lahore alumni]]
[[Category:Minister of Railways (Pakistan)]]

Khawaja Saad Rafique - Revision history

->GoingBatty at 16:38, 31 October 2021