POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND POLARIZATION: THE CASE OF IMRAN KHAN AND PTI ON X (TWITTER)

Abstract

This research explores the role of the social media platform "X" (formerly Twitter) in shaping political instability and polarization in Pakistan from 2022 to the present. It focuses on the digital narratives surrounding the fear of Imran Khan’s successful political movement, which challenged the decades-old dominance of entrenched elite structures. Following the removal of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government through a Vote of No Confidence in April 2022, Pakistan entered a phase of intense political chaos. The period has been marked by an economic downturn, widespread unemployment, accelerated brain drain, and growing psychological unrest among the public, which has been amplified through social media discourse. The study examines how Imran Khan’s calls for justice, accountability, and sovereignty resonated with millions, triggering panic among traditional elites, military, bureaucratic, industrial, and feudal—who have long controlled Pakistan’s socio-political order. The fear of losing their privileges led these elites to use both state apparatus and digital platforms to contain the PTI narrative. This research examines how "X" emerged as a key arena of resistance, where pro-PTI users, activists, and influencers disseminated counter-narratives against mainstream media and state institutions, exposing corruption, manipulation, and suppression. Moreover, the study examines the public's response to increasing political instability, rising inflation, growing unemployment, and the erosion of democratic freedoms. The fear of Imran Khan’s growing popularity and his ability to mobilize the masses through digital means led to widespread censorship, arrests, and internet blackouts. Yet, the resistance persisted online, creating a polarized digital public sphere that mirrored the deep divisions within the country. This research concludes that the political crisis in Pakistan is not merely a struggle for power but a reflection of the structural shift in public consciousness. Imran Khan’s movement, amplified by social media, has cracked the foundations of elite legacies, and platform "X" has become the frontline of both hope and hysteria in the country’s ongoing political transformation.

Keywords: Imranophobia, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Elite Class, Stakeholders, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)