Nobody can deny the role of social media in our daily lives as a tool for routine communication, shopping, knowledge sharing, opinion making, online education, medical treatment and discourse in all walks of life. Whether we are literate or illiterate, living in urban or rural areas, like it or not, social media has become an integral part of our life.
During the last few years, a new breed of social media experts have emerged in Pakistan that are attracting millions of followers by using Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter, Ticktock and many other platforms. Viewing it from political angle, social media has also brought about a dramatic change in electioneering even at grassroots level as witnessed during the first phase of the Local Body election campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Its manifestation could also be witnessed in district Haripur where a young independent contender Sami Ullah Khan fully benefited from this tool to win Tehsil Mayor seat by defeating two seasoned PML-N and PTI ticket holders. “Before the start of the election campaign, nobody was sure for such a great success.