FEW among the older generations seem to realise it now, but Pakistani politics has undergone a paradigm shift that has been little understood and sparsely commented upon. The proliferation of new mediums through which highly potent political narratives can be disseminated, shared, commented upon and augmented has brought about a sea change in how narrative battles are being and will be fought. Most of those who hold traditional power were oblivious as our politics was taking this evolutionary leap forward; meanwhile, Pakistan’s largest demographic — its youth — experienced its political coming of age on social media. The authorities and strategic think tanks had woken up to the changing dynamics some years ago. However, they made the mistake of looking at it from the ‘Fifth Generation Warfare’ lens alone. The reality is far more complex, and is constantly being shaped by trends that rise and disappear quicker than they are being documented.

Take the PTI’s success in dodging the overwhelming restrictions placed upon it, for example. Despite facing arrests, police crackdowns, censorship on traditional media, prohibitions on political gatherings, internet blockades, and the loss of its electoral symbol, the party has managed to remain competitive in the race for the Feb 8 election. From TikTok jalsas to live-streaming events on YouTube, AI-generated speeches to public ‘spaces’ on X, the party has consistently broken new ground while engaging a segment of the population traditionally considered jaded or disinterested in mainstream politics. It has managed to do so because it is perhaps the only political party that has proactively evolved for the digital age. Other parties have attempted to replicate its successes, but they seem well behind the curve. The state does not know what to do: threatening traditional media into subservience is easy and non-disruptive, choking the internet means severing the entire backbone of the modern economy.

Of course, social media right now is the Wild West of the internet. There is a mad rush with everyone attempting to seize a slice of the influence pie. It is also difficult to keep track of what is true, what is misinformation, and what is an outright lie. This poses serious risks that can and are causing unprecedented social instability. As users grow more aware, these risks will subside. One must also be careful in estimating any party’s popularity or lack thereof based on its ‘social media numbers’ alone. However, while it seems easy now to deride someone by saying ‘they will only form their government on TikTok’, for the generation of Pakistanis dreaming of life in the metaverse, social media is where all their information will eventually be produced and consumed. Therefore, other Pakistani political parties will have to catch up. Those which cannot will see their influence decline.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2024