Social media will play a pivotal role in the upcoming general elections.
Former Chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, Professor Dr. A.H. Hilali, stated that all major political parties, including PML-N, PPP, ANP, JUI-F, MQM, IPP, and PTI, have established a presence on various social media platforms to gain political leverage.
According to a report from Digital Pakistan, the number of internet users in Pakistan surged to a record 87.35 million in January of last year, indicating a 4.4 million increase between 2022 and 2023. The number of social media users also reached a record 71.70 million in 2023, with 37.30 million users on Facebook, 71.70 million on YouTube, 12.95 million on Instagram, and 16.51 million on TikTok.
Professor Dr. A.H. Hilali mentioned that prominent political leaders, such as Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Pervez Khattak, and Jahangir Tareen, have opened official handles with blue ticks for authentication on platforms like X
(formerly Twitter) and official pages on Instagram.
Ehtisham Qaiser, a Lecturer in Urdu literature, emphasized the importance of political party manifestos and noted that they can be easily accessed by individuals with a single mobile click on the respective social media websites and pages.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), approximately 127 million registered voters are expected to exercise their right to vote in the general election. Among them, about 72.31 million are registered in Punjab, 26.65 million in Sindh, 21.69 million in KP, and 5.28 million in Balochistan. The youth, aged between 18 and 35, make up around 57.1 million voters, constituting 45 percent of the eligible voting population.
Experts emphasized that due to chilly weather and security challenges, the significance of social media has increased even further in the elections. All political parties have already begun showcasing their programs through various social media platforms for quick information dissemination an
d to secure maximum seats in national and provincial assemblies.
Source: Radio Pakistan