Pakistan’s Youth Bulge: Digital Threat or Opportunity?
With 64% youth under 30, Pakistan stands at a digital crossroads. Will this be our transformation era or a time bomb waiting to explode?
WebDesk MQM Digital
7/5/20252 min read
Pakistan’s Youth Bulge: A Digital Turning Point or a Ticking Time Bomb?
Pakistan currently ranks third in the world in terms of youth population, with nearly 64% of its citizens under the age of 30. This unprecedented youth bulge presents both a powerful opportunity and a pressing challenge.
If this generation is equipped with modern digital skills, guided by a clear national vision, and engaged through constructive platforms, Pakistan has the potential to emerge as a digitally driven economy. However, without guidance, access, or inclusion in national development agendas, this same demographic can fuel frustration, radicalization, and social instability.
This critical juncture places digital political leadership at the heart of youth empowerment. Political parties must move beyond slogans and genuinely mobilize the youth through civic education, digital upskilling, and economic engagement.
One of the earliest examples of digital dominance came from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which captured mass attention online. However, instead of channeling this influence into freelancing, tech innovation, or e-commerce models, much of it was used to amplify a personality cult, sidelining the real opportunity for digital economic growth.
As Co-Head of MQM Pakistan’s Digital Wing, I, Nadir Qureshi, believe Pakistan must reclaim the true purpose of digital platforms, not just for communication but for transformation. Guided by the vision of Syed Mustafa Kamal, MQM Pakistan is leading a youth-centric digital revolution through its initiative “Connect with Next Gen.” This program aims to deliver digital literacy, e-commerce training, and socio-political awareness to empower young people with tools for meaningful participation.
Our efforts go beyond digital messaging. We are using social media to address national policy blind spots. MQM Pakistan has launched powerful campaigns like #MardumShumariHamariRedLine, raising awareness around flawed urban population counts in the national census, and #StopCapacityPaymentsToIPPs, which spotlighted the massive financial burden of idle power generation on the national budget. These campaigns demonstrate our commitment to using digital spaces not only for political reach but also for policy influence and accountability.
This is more than digital activism. It is strategic narrative building with a vision for national development. We believe Pakistan, like Europe, the United States, and the Gulf states, can achieve progress in technology, human capital, and economic resilience, but only if its youth are given direction, skills, and hope.
The youth bulge can either be a ticking time bomb or the engine of transformation. The outcome depends entirely on how we choose to lead them today.