Personality cult has always played a role in the decline of political standards. Personality cult, a phenomenon in which leaders are followed based on their external appearance rather than their performance or policies, is illustrated in the PMC research article. Cult leaders require emotional support from followers; here, loyalty counts in blindly accepting the leader’s decisions. This emerging type of support has transformed the heart and soul of politics, shifting the focus to loyalty to the leader and replacing progressive ideas. Personality cults overlook the leader’s blunders and justify them in an illogical manner.

In Pakistan, popular support usually builds around strong figures rather than ideology, and it has, as a result, damaged public interest and governance. In this process, social media is used as a tool to make the message accessible to the masses. Despair and hopelessness are the ideal indicators that a personality cult is going to rule the political environment, because, based on despair and hopelessness, Open Knowledge Repository explains that populists make narratives and attract hopeless people, and people get attracted to apparently strong figures, as also highlighted by The Wall Street Journal. This article will shed light on how personality cults undermine governance by weakening the rule of law, institutions, and public unity, as well as destabilizing policymaking. The solution lies in upholding democratic values, supporting independent media, and raising awareness regarding civic education.

Rule of Law and Personality Politics

One of the harmful aspects of a personality cult is the destabilizing rule of law. Laws are sometimes implemented specifically against opponents, and close people are protected from the law—as a result, people lose trust in laws and justice. Internationally, countries with selective enforcement of law lose credibility and transparency.........

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