Populism, Social Media, and the Crisis of Bureaucratic Governance in Pakistan

Over the past decade, Pakistan has witnessed a transformative shift in bureaucratic governance. Social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, have become central to administrative performance assessment. This article examines the rise of bureaucratic populism in Pakistan, with a particular focus on Sindh, where officers increasingly rely on digital visibility, viral videos, and live updates to establish credibility. While this produces the appearance of hyperactive governance, it undermines legal frameworks, due process, and institutional accountability. Drawing upon constitutional provisions, administrative law principles, and landmark Supreme Court judgments, the article demonstrates how governance by optics has distorted public trust, created reactive administrative culture, and generated symbolic rather than substantive development. Policy recommendations emphasize a return to institution-centered, law-bound, and impact-driven administration.