Role of Social Media in Pakistan

Is social media promoting the image of Pakistan

or damaging it globally?

Media is a means of communication and media through web and mobile based technologies which are used to convert this communication into a form of dialogue among communities, organizations and individuals is known as Social media. Social media technologies take on many different forms including magazines, Internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, micro blogging wikis, social networks, pod-casts  photographs or pictures, video, rating and social bookmarking.

Social media is strongly influencing Pakistan’s international relations. Anybody with a basic knowledge of internet and other media tools can reach out and interact with the global audiences any time. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Orkut have taken over the world by storm. Marketers in Pakistan want to tap into these technologies to gain advantages. Social networks act as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool for various companies and brands. To get into this business creativity is the key here. If you have got something far more exciting and creative then it will help you spread your brand name and publicize it.

Social media has provided a wide platform for the exchange of opinions between individuals and different communities from one corner of the world to another. The exchange of views and opinions is more convenient than ever before and due to this the world has become a global village having no cultural boundaries. The usual Social media optimization (SMO) methods include distributing internet content widely across the social media sites and inviting the opinion and thoughts of individuals. Social media can serve as a great setback for the development of Pakistan’s industry and business worldwide. As compared to traditional media the audience can participate any time they wish. Users can express their views by submitting their comments to various forums and blogs. Hence this can contribute a lot to the popularity of a brand or business in and outside Pakistan. To achieve business goals social marketing sites are being encouraged by the companies to promote products and influence communities by their services.

Considering the technology and the power of social media it can shape the future of Pakistan taking it to the higher levels internationally. Social networking sites are not only limited to Pakistan but these websites allows young Pakistanis to connect with young people all across the world which helps in maintaining relationships with other countries. When utilized for business social media accelerates business process and helps in generating income. It also provides ease to customers due to which overall the industry grows. Through this people get a chance to observe our traditional lifestyle and activities closely which helps to heal differences between Pakistan and other countries. Currently social media tools particularly networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are being utilized extensively to build the popularity growth of the youth icon Imran Khan and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Social media empowers youngsters and ensures socio-political transformation in our country. If the content of social networking sites is used in the proper way then through social media Pakistan can flourish to new level of heights.

Author Bio:

Umair Maqsood is a Financial Analyst and a Tech Writer. He also writes about Technology and financial solutions across the world.

Poll Result - Most Famous Pakistani Politician

Most Famous Pakistani Politician - Poll Result

PakistanHotline.com conducted a poll to find out the most famous Pakistani Politician. For this purpose we created a list of Top-15 Pakistan Politicians with brief introduction of all of these. You can visit that post by visiting following link.

Top-15 Pakistani Politicians

We created a poll with the help of twiigs.com on 10 June 2011 and allow people to participate in this poll in either of the three ways; by visiting the above page about top Pakistani politicians, by visiting any page of this weblog as poll was available on sidebar of all pages or by visiting twiigs. 

Span of this poll is one year and this poll is ended up on 09 June 2012. 

1000 people voted in this poll in about first two months. And I published a post about its results on this weblog. Up to that time Imran Khan was the most famous politician on my poll with 58 percent votes. Mian Nawaz Sharif was on Second, Pervez Musharraf was on third and Mian Shahbaz Sharif on fourth position. While all other could get less than 5 percent votes each, including Altaf Hussain who got 4 percent votes till that time. You can read more about results of first 1000 votes by visiting following link.

First Poll Result

Poll was running slowly and steadily, then Altaf Hussain suddenly taken over the poll and reached on top by getting 43 percent votes at the end of the poll. Altaf Hussain left Imran Khan and others behind.

This poll also got 138 comments on its blogpost page, 21 comments on twiigs page and many comments on Facebook and other social media networks.

Final Poll Result

Following is the final result of the poll.

Altaf Hussain (MQM) - 43 %

Imran Khan (PTI) - 33%

Mian Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) - 9%

Mian Shahbaz Sharif (PML-N) - 6%

Pervez Musharraf (APML) - 6%

Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) - 2%

Javed Hashami - 2%

Shaikh Rasheed (AML) - 1%

Asfandyar Wali Khan (ANP) - 1%

Ch. Aitzaz Ahsan (PPP) - 1%

Ch. Shujaat Hussain (PML-Q) - 0%

Ch. Pervez Ellahi (PML-Q) - 0%

Maulanan Fazl-ur-Rehman (JUI-F) - 0%

Ch. Nisar Ali Khan (PML-N) - 0%

Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani (PPP) - 0%

Above poll was conducted by PakistanHotline.com and the results are representing only a limited community of Pakistan. While other people of Pakistan may have different opinion. If you have any views or comments, you are welcome to share in comments section below.

Poll Results: Imran 1st, Nawaz 2nd, Musharraf 3rd, Zardari 5th and Gillani 10th

To know the opinion of educated Pakistanis about Pakistani Political Leaders, I conducted a survey here on this Blog. Then publicize it via facebook, twitter, email and SMS to make it successful.

I included the names of 15 most famous politicians in this survey from almost all national level political parties. This poll was started on 10 June, 2011. Today this poll has gotten its 1000^th vote. However this poll is still running up to next year but here I am sharing its so far results with my readers.

Imran Khan of PTI is established as the Most Famous Politician with about 58percent votes, which are more than the total votes of all the 14 remaining politicians in this list.

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) holds 2^nd position with 14 percent votes while his brother got 4^th position (8%).

Ironically, Pervez Musharraf (APML) got 3^rd position with 12 percent votes. It is very strange that generally it is said that Pervez Musharraf has loosed his support in Pakistan but this online survey shows that he still has enough support in Pakistan.

Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) and Altaf Hussain (MQM) and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi (PML-N) are competing for 5^th position with 4 percent votes each.

Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed and Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan got about 2, 2 percent votes.

While Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervez Ellahi, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, Asfandyar Wali Khan and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan got only 1, 1 percent votes.

Note: These figures show only the opinion of online participants.

Top 15 Pakistani Politicians

Top 15 Most Popular Pakistani Politicians

Pakistan has a very rich political background. Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Chaudhry Rehmat Ali Khan and Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan were great leaders of this nation. After independence too, several leaders were born in this nation who got worldwide fame.

I am giving here a list of today’s Top 15 Political Leaders of Pakistan. This list includes list of only those politicians who have countrywide recognition and followers. This list is prepared upon a general perception and should not be used for reference at any point.

1. Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (PML-N)

Mian Nawaz Sharif is the Founder Leader of Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz. His date of birth is 25 December, 1949 (Lahore).

Nawaz Sharif is the Ex Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. First time he became Prime Minister of Pakistan in November 1990 and then again he was elected as Prime Minister in February 1997. During his second tenure, Pakistan conducted successful Nuclear Blasts on May 28, 1998. Lahore Declaration was signed between him and Atal Behari Vajpayee in 1999. His Government was terminated by General Pervez Musharraf on 12 October 1999.

Nawaz Sharif had also played first class cricket representing Pakistan Railways in 1973~47.

2. Imran Khan (PTI)

Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi was born in Mianwali on 25 November, 1952. He is the President of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He is the best Pakistani Cricketer; Pakistan won Cricket World Cup under his captaincy in 1992. Imran Khan founded Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital Lahore and Namal University Mianwali.

He married Jemima Khan in 1995 and announced divorce in 2004. They have two sons; Suleman Khan and Qasim Khan.

3. Chaudhry Shujat Hussain (PML-Q)

Chaudhry Shujat Hussain is the President of Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam. He was born on 27 January, 1946. He became the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a short tenure of three months in June 2004. He belongs to a political family of Gujrat.

4. Asif Ali Zardari (PPPP)

Asif Ali Zardari is the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He is also Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party - Parliamentarians while his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the Chairman of Party. He is the husband of Benazir Bhutto, Ex – Prime Minister of Pakistan and Son-in-Law of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

His date of birth is 21 July, 1956.

5. Altaf Hussain (MQM)

Altaf Hussain is the Founder Leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (previously Mohajir Qaumi Movement). He was born on 17 September, 1953 in Karachi. He moved to London in 1992 and later on got UK citizenship. His party is very strong in Karachi and Hyderabad. And now it is extending nationwide.

6. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani (PPPP)

Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was born on 9 June, 1952 in Karachi however he belongs to a political and spiritual family of Multan. He was elected as Prime Minister on 24 March, 2008. He belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party – Parliamentarians.

7. Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman (JUI-F)

Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman is the President of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - F. He was also Secretary General of MMA. He belongs to Dera Ismail Khan. He was born in 19 June, 1953.

8. Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan (PPPP)

Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan was born on 27 September, 1945. He belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party – Parliamentarians. He is Ex-President of Supreme Court Bar Association and Ex-Federal Interior Minister. He is a founder and Vice-President of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. He is a Barrister-at-Law and a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He successfully represented Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry's case in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

He is also the writer of “The Indus Saga and the Making of Pakistan” and co-author of “Divided by Democracy”.

9. Asfandyar Wali Khan (ANP)

Asfandyar Wali Khan is the President of Awami National Party. He was born on 19 February, 1949 in Charsadda. Changing the name of his province from NWFP to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a big success of him.

10. Chaudhry Pervez Elahi (PML-Q)

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is the former Chief Minister of Punjab (2002~2007). He was born on 1 November, 1945. He was PML-Q’s candidate for Prime Minister in 2008 elections. He is the cousin of Chaudhry Shujat Hussain and father of Moonis Elahi.

11. Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif (PML-N)

Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is Chief Minister of Punjab and President of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz. This is his second tenure as CM of Punjab; firstly he became CM in 1997. He is younger brother of Nawaz Sharif (Former Prime Minister of Pakistan).

12. Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed (AML)

Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed is the Ex-Federal Information Minister during PML-Q tenure. He was born on 6 November, 1950 in Rawalpindi. He is the President of newly formed Awami Muslim League. He is among only few politicians who have been elected as MNA consecutively 6 times. He wrote 2 books; “Farzand-e-Pakistan” and “Sub Achha Hai”.

13. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (PML-N)

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is the Opposition Leader in National Assembly. He is the Ex-Senior Minister. He is a seasoned and courageous politician. He belonged to Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz.

14. Makhdoom Javed Hashmi

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi is the Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz. He is a very committed and brave politician. During the exile of Nawaz Sharif, Javed Hashmi continued his struggle for the restoration of democracy from the platform of PML-N. He is the author of famous book “Main Baaghi Hoon”.

He was born on 1 January, 1948 in Multan.

He has left PML-N and has join PTI.

15. Pervez Musharraf (APML)

General (R) Pervez Musharraf is the Ex-President of Pakistan. He has also established his own political party named All Pakistan Muslim League. He was born on 11 August, 1943 in Delhi. He took part as Army Officer in 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars. He also fought 1998’s Kargil War. He was appointed as Chief of Army Staff on 7 October, 1998. Musharraf took over the government as Chief Executive on 12 October, 1999. He remained the ruler of Pakistan until 2008.

He also wrote a book “In the Line of Fire”.

Who is the Most Famous Pakistani Politician?

Select your favorite Pakistani Political Leader from the list below!

Poll has now been closed. You can view its results by clicking on following link

Poll Results 

Disclaimer: Information given here is only based upon the thoughts of writer and the readers of this blog and is not based upon judgment of a wider group of public. Opinions of others may be different from these. If any body has any reservations, views or thoughts upon this article he can share with us via comments section. If any Political Leader’s name is not listed here, you can write in comments section of this article.