By Hamid Zaffar

ABBOTTABAD, Feb 1 (APP): Through social networking websites and increasing penetration of internet access, political parties and candidates from across the board are using social media platforms to get engaged with voters for shaping their opinions during the general election 2024 campaign.
Prior to this general election, political campaigns were primarily conducted through traditional media channels such as television, radio, and newspapers. The increasing use of social media platforms, which proved their efficiency during the local bodies’ elections 2020, is now providing a level playing field for all participants enabling even the smaller parties and independent candidates to reach a wide range of audience.
Social media serves as a platform for alternate narratives and diverse voices that may be marginalized in mainstream media outlets. It enables citizens to access a wide range of perspectives and information sources, facilitating informed decision-making during the election process.
In Hazara Division, social media has become a game-changer during the local bodies’ elections 2020 when the present Tehsil Mayor of Haripur, Sami Ullah Khan, launched a comprehensive campaign on social media. This brought a dramatic transformation in the first phase of the Local Body elections campaign in district Haripur where the young independent candidate has won the race of Tehsil Mayor against the two seasoned PML-N and PTI ticket holders with a huge margin.
This trend continued in the second phase of LG elections in the remaining six districts of the region, where candidates utilized this tool very effectively and reached their target audience, achieving their goals. During the current general elections campaign for both national and provincial assembly constituencies, candidates are using social media.
Former Tehsil Nazim Abbottabad and independent candidate for NA-17 Abbottabad-II, Muhammad Ishaq Zakaria, told APP that with meager resources, he launched his election drive by hiring an expert social media team, and up till now, the results are satisfactory.
He said that most of the areas in his constituency consist of difficult hilly terrain where physical reach is time-taking task and costly. But thanks to social media platforms, every rally, corner meeting, and public gathering is duly shared with supporters and voters.
Both independent and political party candidates have launched their election campaigns on social media and successfully delivered their message to the voters and supporters. On one hand, social media is helping politicians, and on the other, it also gives an opportunity to the masses to analyze candidates.
Renowned journalist and social media expert Syed Kamal Hussain Shah said that besides youth, people from other age groups are also using social media applications to get updates. He said that the increasing use of social media has also challenged the dominance of electronic media in Pakistan, and most of the Television channels have also started their platforms on social media to compete. Talking about the new generation of social media experts and influencers, he said they were attracting millions of followers by using Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter, Ticktock, and many other platforms.
Kamal Shah said that interestingly, in most hilly areas of Hazara division, the internet facility was not as good to use smartphones or other devices and interact on social media, but still, candidates are utilizing social media for their campaign and getting better results as compared to reaching the voters living in difficult areas at high altitudes.
Nowadays, Facebook is the most favorite social media platform where advertisements of candidates can be seen. TV anchor and social media influencer Tahir Mahmood said that during the previous LG elections, up to 60 percent of candidates for Tehsil mayor hired professional social media experts and influencers to run their election campaign.
Tahir said that for 7 national assembly and 18 provincial assembly seats of Hazara division, the candidates have hired more than 40 social media teams comprising up to 100 influencers. He said that digital media has brought about a revolution in traditional advertisement – whatever is published on social media has an impact and immediate response.