On September 8, 2025, Kathmandu woke up restless with a sudden ban on social media and tighter censorship which ultimately lit the spark, but what really spilled young people into the streets ran much deeper. They spoke of their freedom of speech being strangled, but also of the weight they had carried for years—corruption, joblessness, ministers hiring their own, a government deaf to its own people. Most were standing shoulder to shoulder in their twenties some even younger, angry but determined.
Democratic Consolidation in Pakistan: A Distant Reality
Democracy promises freedom, justice, and equality — yet in Pakistan, these ideals remain distant. Despite regular elections and constitutional guarantees, questions persist: Are our polls truly free and fair? Do citizens enjoy genuine freedom of speech? Does justice serve all equally? Allegations of vote-rigging, dynastic politics, elite manipulation, and corruption scandals continue to weaken public trust. Instead of strengthening institutions, political interference and power struggles keep democracy hostage. Until transparency, accountability, and electoral fairness are ensured, democratic consolidation in Pakistan will remain more of a dream than a reality.