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Influencers test limits for clicks
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Institutions react emotionally instead of procedurally
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Violence becomes a substitute for accountability
This pattern was visible during repeated TikTok bans, despite high-level meetings with global tech firms and public commitments to digital inclusion. The contradiction remains unresolved.
The Core Question We Should Be Asking
Did Rajab Butt’s courtroom assault happen because of what he said—or because Pakistan lacks a mature system to discipline speech without violence?
If offensive content is criminal, prosecute it transparently.
If it is unethical but legal, challenge it publicly.
If it violates platform rules, de-monetize and de-platform it.
What must never happen is vigilante justice—especially inside a court.
The Bottom Line
Rajab Butt’s assault was unlawful, unjustifiable, and corrosive to the rule of law. At the same time, the incident exposes a deeper crisis: a society where outrage sells, institutions retaliate, and restraint is absent on all sides.
Pakistan does not need influencer worship.
It does not need mob lawyers.
It needs law, consistency, and the courage to let courts—not crowds—decide
