Fifth generation warfare: Role of social media in promoting ethnic rift among youth of Pakistan

Abstract

This paper aims to highlight the contemporary threat of 5th generation warfare in Pakistan with a special focus on the role of social media in promoting ethnic rift among youth of different communities. The growing influence of social media among youth is becoming a cause of ethnic rift because of the propaganda shown on it. This is having a serious impact on social unity among different ethnicities of Pakistan. For our study, Focus group discussions were conducted from students of the Punjab University belonging from different ethnicities. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample of participants ranging between 20 to 28 years of age. Factors ranging from peer influence, propaganda on the social media and emergence of anti-state groups like PTM, BLA are influencing the youth of FATA, KPK and Balochistan against the state. Role of foreign powers is also a major factor for promoting 5th generation warfare inside Pakistan. Finally the paper recommends promotion of preventive behavior among discontented youth of affected areas through social media, educational institutions, conferences, seminars, improvements in local administration system of war affected areas (FATA, Balochistan) and resolving the genuine grievances of people to promote harmony and social cohesion among the Pakistani society.