OPINION: Gen Z and rewriting of national dialogue |
The growing discourse around Generation Z is not a fleeting trend, nor is it merely a generational complaint.
It reflects a deeper transformation in how young citizens relate to the state, institutions, and the national narrative itself.
What we are witnessing is not rebellion for its own sake, but the outcome of a long, cumulative process shaped by history, governance choices, and an unprecedented access to information.
For decades, public opinion in Pakistan was shaped largely through centralized narratives. Political rallies, newspaper headlines, and repeated messaging through radio and television played a defining role in constructing national consensus and reassurance.
For a long time, these mechanisms were effective. They offered simplicity, certainty, and a sense of cohesion.
Today’s young generation, however, engages with the world very differently. It evaluates claims against outcomes, compares narratives across multiple sources, and measures credibility through transparency rather than repetition. A system or authority that fails to meet its expectations or align with its lived realities can no longer rely on inherited trust. Patience, once extended by default, is now conditional.
Pakistan’s own history provides essential context to this shift. The trauma of 1971, repeated disruptions of democratic continuity........