Eulogizing the Military Role While Using Social Media in Pakistan (2013-17)

Normally military is considered as a conservative institution, depending on the conventional means of communication, but social media has accelerated the process of flow of information. In case of a post-colonial state like Pakistan, where maintaining secrecy and releasing very limited information has been an established policy, but in recent years, military has very successfully utilized social media to not only develop its image but to undermine civilian supremacy in the country. Because of this use of social media, at certain moments, country experienced political instability and regional conflicts. Excessive use of social media by military increased the Civil-Military gulf. Social Media was occasionally used as a tool to undermine the civilian supremacy.

This paper while focusing on the increasing use of social media by military since 2013 to influence public opinion will also discuss the effects and fallout of such excessive usage by military.