The writer is a former Senior Advisor to the Government and a sector development specialist. He is a member of the APP Think Tank and Pakistan’s Buddhist Heritage Promotion Ambassador for Green Tourism, a company under SIFC.
Gen Z has emerged as a major force for change in the past few years. They seem to be unstoppable when they get going, and they have the advantage of strength in numbers, particularly in South Asia. Before we get into their impact and what lies in the future for them, let us qualify who they are.
Gen Z is the generation that was born between 1995 and 2012. They are in the age bracket of 13 to 27 years. Their numbers as a percentage of the population are substantial in the South Asian region, being approximately 25 – 35% of the population, highest proportion being in Pakistan. Truly, a force to reckon with.
In the South Asian region, Gen Z has been very politically active. In Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the impact of their activism has been notable. Before diving into the country specifics, let us discuss some overlapping features and Gen Z’s unique traits.
Gen Z is very comfortable in the digital world and have been classified as Digitally-native – into heavy use of social media, viral campaigns, livestreams and so on. They are less tied to traditional political party structure and are more likely to mobilize around specific issues such as corruption, job quotas, media policy, etc.
They are idealists and concerned with fairness, meritocracy, governance issues, and transparency. Concurrently, they are frustrated with inequality, nepotism and elite capture. They are rightfully also frustrated with the old guards and who can blame them – the world they are inheriting is a mess; numerous senseless wars, autocratic and populist leaders continuing to emerge with marked fascist tendencies, morally and ethically bankrupt politicians, and economies that are teetering.
All of these lead them to engage and organize quickly online when their patience is breached and they subsequently pour onto the streets with remarkable impact. While the fore-mentioned traits are positive, there is one trait that is very disconcerting. Gen Z’s reliance on social media does not lend them to be knowledge seekers on issues.
Most do not do a deep dive into understanding issues but rather react to sound bites, WhatsApp messages, tweets, and viral campaigns. They easily fall victim to doctored or fake news.
Moving on to the country specific impact, in Bangladesh in mid-2024, large student protests erupted over a reinstated quota system in government jobs which reserved positions for descendants of war veterans, etc. Students saw it as unfair and not merit-based.
The students organized quickly through memes, videos, and online platforms, leading to massive protests which changed the trajectory of Bangladeshi politics. PM Sheikh Hasina’s long term and autocratic rule ended. The Supreme Court scaled back the quota system.
Youth and student voices made inroads into the future political landscape in the shape of a National Citizens Party and other forums. And, Gen Z is demanding freedom of expression, government accountability and limitations on authority. In short, the Gen Z has changed the political landscape of Bangladesh.
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In Nepal, in September 2025, the government banned 26 social media platforms for not registering under a new regulation. For Gen Z, limitations on social media – their favorite medium of communication, activism and entertainment – is a red line and protests quickly erupted.
However, these protests succumbed to pent-up frustrations and expanded quickly to go beyond social media issue to corruption, nepotism, inequality and dissatisfaction with the governance. The impact has been that social media ban was lifted, the government has been routed with resignation of PM Sharma and his ministers. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the first female CJ, has been appointed the Caretaker PM.
In Pakistan, the impact of Gen Z has not been as drastic as Bangladesh or Nepal, but it has been notable nonetheless. In the last elections, despite one party being literally banned from elections, its candidates ended up winning the largest majority. The Gen Z bucked the regime and the powers-that-be to vote contrary to their wishes. The impact has been that political parties and media are beginning to pay attention to this neglected age group and block of voters.
Gen Z has changed the politics of Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. What is in store for the future? Gen Z is likely to become a more decisive force in elections and political parties will need to address youth concerns proactively. New political formations will emerge in the form of student unions, youth parties, online activist communities, etc.
Policies on social media limits, quotas, jobs and meritocracy will be increasingly impacted by Gen Z. Unless the old guard changes their ways, tensions will increase between them and Gen Z. Overall, Gen Z can bring changes for good, however, there are a couple of disturbing Gen Z traits as well.
There is evidence of increasing mental health issues, and there seems to be a tilt towards instant gratification for income and wealth. The old work ethos are changing and the new ones are not clear yet.
Gen Z has a 90 percent potential to be a positive force of change, albeit with the right guidance and mentoring, but there is the 10 percent potential for them to be a force of devastation, a tinderbox ready to catch fire at the slightest provocation. Political parties need to pay need!
