Media Education (Mediaobrazovanie). 2021.

17(1)

Copyright © 2021 by Academic Publishing House Researcher s.r.o.

Published in the Slovak Republic

Media Education (Mediaobrazovanie)
Has been issued since 2005
ISSN 1994-4160
E-ISSN 2729-8132
2021. 17(1): 54-63

DOI: 10.13187/me.2021.1.54
www.ejournal53.com

Social Media Political Campaign in District Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

Abdul Razaque Chhachhar a , *, Rubab Rafique Malik a, Muhammad Ramzan Pahore a

a Department of Media and Communication Studies, University of Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract
Since decades, a new era of the election campaign has grown in Pakistani politics by shifting
the purpose of consideration from the streets to Social media. This undertaking can be called as
social media political campaigning. Political communication is a very huge and fascinating part of
Social media. For about 2 decades, the domain of World Wide Web has transformed the globe and
developed by what means information is kept, circulated, explored and used. Each political party is
trying to make its full and extreme struggle to cover the cyberspace better than its rivals do. In this
way, this study hence, is an attempt to know that what level of social media Political campaign
offers the opportunities and prospects to the voters to know about their leaders, party thoughts,
ideology, and party manifestos. These help voters to decide who is the best party or candidate for
the nominated position. In this research study, there are three main Political Parties of Pakistan,
having most of the public affiliation. These political parties are “Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz
(PML N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) The data was
collected by applying a purposive non probability sampling technique. Whereas, the finding are
presented in tabular form and then the data findings in table have been described. The key finding
showed those respondents were frequently users of social media specifically Facebook and Twitter.
They have enough exposure to political content through social media. Finding shows that users
consume knowledge regarding party manifestos and have much knowledge of political content
through social media political campaign.
Keywords: social media, political campaign, political content, voters perception

1. Introduction
Traditionally, the most prevalent means to carry out campaign strategies and policies is the
mass media. Whether it be newspapers, radio or television, mass media have subjected for election
campaigns for over a hundred years. Since last two decades, Election results were suffering from
social media in a very large portion of the country that using voting system and it's obvious to
visualize that almost all the winners in election campaigns are those that put more resources on
online campaigns comparing with their opponents. To find out the core impact of social media into
the context of political communication, Media and communication scholars, political scientists,
sociologists, and international relations scholars have conducted hundreds of studies on various
aspects of social media usage (Golan et al., 2019). Researcher also observed this political attitudes
and engagement in the case of individuals on digital platforms in Spain. Study findings show
significance difference between cognitive and effective components of attitude (Marco et al., 2017).
Pakistan is a democratic country in which people elect a legislature by casting their vote (Ahmed et

*Corresponding author
E-mail addresses: [email protected] (A.R. Chhachhar)
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al., 2014). The citizens who cast their vote to elect a legislature are above the age of 18. Discussing
political viewpoint, we see that political parties regularly reinforce their voters to boost their vote
bank and political power utilizing social media forums in Pakistan. The idea is to attract young
community that is elderly 18 to 24 age have not ever cast their votes in any elections previously.
This lead to poll for their party in the forthcoming elections in Pakistan 2013 (Udayakumar, 2005).
In election 2013, all major political parties of Pakistan had also used Social media for this
purpose. In this research study, there are three main Political Parties of Pakistan. These parties are
those who are having most of the public affiliation. These political parties are “Pakistan Muslim
League Nawaz (PML N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI)”
headed by Imran Khan. Pakistan Muslim league (PMLN) has a very powerful, popular, and
analytical page on Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Orkut. However, the utilization of
social media into the context of politics and election campaign during the time of General Election
in Pakistan can be traced back in 2008, when a new era of the election campaign has evolved in
Pakistani politics by shifting the aim of attention from Social median (Globalization…, 2013).
Writing for Thought Co. (Murse, 2019) reveals that “the utilization of social media in politic
significantly transformed the way election campaigns are run.” In politics the use of social media is
a new sensation in communications studies. Similarly, political campaigns now use social media
networking sites to create the candidate’s political identity, to inform and appeal voters, and to
spread information regarding party manifestos. Gosman (Gosman, 2016) describes that social
media “has come to be a effective tool for political campaigns to employ their communiqué plans”
leading to the formation of content that candidates and their supporters can practice to enhance
understanding, involve publics, and attract them for votes. Together with traditional party
affiliation and exit polls, social media sites are being effective in forecasting voter behavior.
In 21st century’s politics it is essential to understand the various social media platforms, their reach,
resources, and procedure.

2. Materials and methods

For this research, survey method has been designed to collect data from the target
population. The data was collected using questionnaire in this study researcher simply used Krejcie
and Morgan Table (Krejcie Morgan, 1997). This is the simplest and reliable way to determine
sample sizes to conduct a survey. For this purpose, a sample of 384 out of 1049586 respondents
from district Hyderabad has drawn from the four main taluka of Hyderabad (Latifabad,
Qasimabad, Hyderabad city, and Rural Hyderabad). Where 96 respondents had selected from each
Taluka for the data collection. The data was collected from the age group of 18 to 35, years old
respondents because the voter of this age group usually uses social media frequently. The data for
this research study is collected with well-designed questionnaire. This questionnaire was consisting
of close-ended questions according to needs and desires of researcher. Finally, the data was
analyzed using data analysis software SPSS version 20 software.

3. Discussion
As a fifth estate, Social media is also having a characteristic of democratic. According to
A. Elahi (Elahi, 2013) people normally communicate their opinions and decide after peers’ views
also. Individuals know how to modify or establish a belief or conviction after taking into concern
peers’ opinions and views spread over social media web sites. Similarly, a strong democracy is the
essence of the role and contribution in government of its citizens. Some would claim that SNS has
now improved the nationwide democratic system, by means of offering a platform over which public to
be able to link and connect along with the representatives of our government. This characteristic of
democratic system remains to be challenged more over in our consequential sections devoted to how
established agenda and creating of public opinion is influenced by social media. Hence political
expression on social media can affect young people’s engagement in political life (Lane, 2020).
According to study was done by PEW research centre, around 20 % of the users in social
media changed their views on political issues by the contents of social media (Pew..., 2016).
Globally Netherlands is on the topmost standing in the usage of Social media throughout the globe.
63.5 % inhabitants of Netherland are almost using Social media often on daily basis. Social media
has appeared as a crucial influential means in recent years and likes of the many politicians and
parties have used it to their advantages. With the phase of local elections around the corner,
the parties and candidates had taken up social media like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to

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transmit across their messages (Brichacek, Andra, 2017).Political candidates on social media
communicates with their audiences to boosted campaign participation and can be a mechanism for
young population’s experience to campaign news (Marquart et al., 2020).
In 2008, elections a new era of the election campaign have grown in Pakistani politics by
shifting the purpose of consideration from the streets to Social media. This undertaking can be
called as social media political campaigning. For about 2 decades, the domain of World Wide Web
has transformed the globe and developed by what means information is kept, circulated, explored
and used. The immense influence propagated that much that it effects not just trades and
industries but cross over into politics, medication, mass media and openings geological positions,
socio-cultural boundaries and eventually, alters people’s lives day to day (Jennifer, Alejandro,
2010) However, the performance of the mass media, which are driven by power and money to
select and form information, fosters Work in media effects has measured for years the extent to
which the media inform and update and also notify the public what to think about and how to think
about it (Lippmann, 1922). If we examine at the effect of social media had over political decision
making of a country, we will find that everywhere in the world every major country to some level or
the other have been realised by it. For example, the 2008 US Presidential Election, when Barack
Obama became the President for the first time, had been called by various critics as a win by social
media. It is now an acknowledged fact that Barack Obama cast-off social media to its full potential
(Moldovan, 2013).
Hence since last two decades social media shift political communication and campaign from
traditional media to new media. Within the 2012 US President Election，Barak Obama spent
around $47 million on the digital side of the campaign which is 10 times of his rival Mitt Romney
(McMahon, 2016). In 2016 US election, Trumps had the foremost followers and subscribers on
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram among all the candidates (McMahon, 2016). Apart from the
prevalence of social media in Western elections, recently some researchers investigating the Indian
general elections 2014 and according to the research investigation, BJP remained highly successful
and popular in digital campaigning which was a main party and therefore the final election winner
(Baishya, 2015). These examples show that social media affect the choice of voters.Presidential
elections 2008; Barrack Obama government make realizes the public in what way they make use of
social media and immediate communication as a component of their campaign to win the
presidential elections 2008. Foremost, Obama created a social networking site as a backbone of
Obama’s campaign of social media ‘My.BarackObama.com’ which set variety of social media
channels. Meanwhile, considering the Trump campaign strategy and tactic is of important
substances of both perspectives of politics and communication. Several scholars advocate that
Twitter employed by Donald Trump was one of the most significant aspects among those that
preceded him to the presidential office (Morris, 2017).
Moreover, the 2008 US Presidential Election was the primary example of in what manner
social media is able to use to gather popular votes and prompt popular feelings and sentiments.
Later the massively effective social media campaigns of the 2008 election and Arab Spring
2011.given new approach to public. Social Media networking sites played a fundamental part in
determining political debates in the Arab Spring. This research tries to investigate this tendency in
political communication especially into the context of Pakistan general election 2018.The new
usage pattern of Social media in Pakistan seems to be no different than the United State and UK
(Metzgar, Maruggi, 2009). This will lead to cast vote for their respective party in the upcoming
elections in Pakistan (Udayakumar, 2005). This is only because, on social media immediate
response systems such as retweets or likes indicate to politicians which messages are in trend
which make them politician to run their SNS political campaign according to the trends. Research
indicates that negative dialect rises the number of retweets of a particular tweet obtains, showing
likings for negativity among the Twitter audience (Mueller, Saeltzer, 2020). Thus Social media can
open channels for political expression, engagement, and participation for both candidates and
voters simultaneously (Tucker et al. 2017).
These Political parties are trying to establish political communication between voter and
political party to develop their party ideology as well as providing day-to-day report revisions about
their authority and party efforts (Carty, 2010). On the Social media, active and regular
participation in Pakistan has become a political norms and attitude for the leading political parties.
Moreover, it also tries to comprehend how social media sets the agenda for election campaigns
amongst people (Karamat, 2016).
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Study of literature reveals that politicians, particularly in the United States and Europe, have
accepted social media broadly, as instruments that can boost communication with their voters
(Gattermann, Vreese, 2020). Hence provide opportunity for voters to understand more about party
manifestos and platforms (Fazekas et al., 2018).

4. Results
The objective of this study was to asses respondents level of utilization of Facebook and
Twitter, to what extent exposure to various content and political parties manifestos of social media,
assess political information by social media and to what extent change party affiliation by social
media political campaign.
Table 1 the respondents were asked about their gender where result shows that, more than
half 58.3 % of the respondents were male while 41.7 % of the respondents were female. Moreover,
the result regarding age indicated table 1that 45.1 % of the respondents age was 18 to 22 years,
23.7 % of the respondents age was 23 to 26 years, 16.1% of the respondents age was 27 to 30 years
and 15.1 % of the respondents’ age were 31 to 25 years old. However, the respondents were inquired
about their education level where result revealed that 1.8 %of the respondents were illiterate, 3.1 %
respondent’s education level were primary, 11.2 % of the respondents education were Matriculation
while 26.3 % of the respondents were intermediate, 47.1 % of the respondents education level were
graduation and rest 10.4 % of the respondents education level was Masters. The respondents were
also asked about their marital status most of the respondents 65.9 % was Single while rest of the
34.1 % were married. The result regarding profession indicated that majority 39.6 % were students,
15.6 % were government employed, 19.5 % were private employed, 14.6% have their own business,
while rest of the 10.7 % were unemployed. Overall 55 % earn approx. 10,000 to 20,00/month while
45 % earn above 20,000 approximately.

Table 1. Demographic Profile

Variables Frequency Percentage

Gender
Male 224 58.3
Female 160 41.7
Age
18-22 173 45.1
23-26 91 23.7
27-30 62 16.1
31-35 58 15.1
Education
Illiterate 7 1.8
Primary 12 3.1
Matric 43 11.2
Intermediate 101 26.3
Graduation 181 47.1
Masters 41 10.4
Other 0 0
Marital status
Single 253 65.9
Married 131 34.1
Occupation
Govt. employed 60 15.6
Private employed 75 19.5

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Unemployed 41 10.7
Own Business 56 14.6
Student 152 39.6
Monthly Income
10000-20000 211 55.0
21000-above 173 45.0
Resident
Hyderabad city 96 25.0
Latifabad 96 25.0
Qasimabad 96 25.0
Hyderabad 96 25.0
n = 384

Table 2 respondents inquiring about the frequencies of social media utilizing where result
indicated that (27.6 %) Are those respondents who answered as very much in use of Face book
(33.3 %) is those who responded as much. In the somewhat category of Facebook (19.3 %)
respondents provided their response. In rarely category, total (19.5 %) respondents gave answers,
while (3.0 %) responded as they didn’t use Facebook at all. Twitter was the second popular location
for respondents who are utilizing and visiting this site. (20.3 %) of respondents provided a
response as they are using Twitter very much. Furthermore, (19.5 %) are following that they are
utilizing twitter in much categories. (19.8 %) respond as somewhat. (14.3 %) as rarely and (26.0 %)
answered as not at all. The mean and standard deviation of Facebook is 2.3 and 1.0 respectively.
Meanwhile twitter mean is 3.0 and standard deviation is 1.4.

Table 2. How frequently do you use the following social media

Variables Very Much Somewhat Rarely Not at all Mean St.

Much Deviation
Face book 106 128 74 75 1 2.3 1.0
(27.6 %) (33.3 %) (19.3 %) (19.5 %) (3 %)
Twitter 78 75 76 55 100 3.0 1.4
(20.3 %) (19.5 %) (19.8 %) (14.3 %) (26.0 %)
n = 384

Table 3 it displays the exposure of Social media contents on the respondents. The analytical
outlook shows that a total of (27.6 %) are revealing from informative education contents very
much. (26.5 %) answered as Much exposing to this category (18.8 %) answered as somewhat
(9.4 %) are rarely and (17.7 %) of respondents are granted response as not at all. The mean of
education category is 2.6 and standard deviation is 1.4. In answer to exposing from Social media
entertainment contents, most of respondents responded as very much and much. (37.8 %)
responded as very much and (28.9 %) granted answer as much. (14.1 %) Responded as Somewhat,
(10.1 %) as rarely and (9.1 %) of overall feedback as not at all. If we look at the political content’s
category, we preview than a very large no of respondents who are utilizing Social media to gratify
their desires. The mean and standard deviation of entertainment category is 2.2 and 1.3.
A total of figure of (25.3 %) is revealing to political contents of Social media very much.
(20.8 %) of respondents are revealing to political contents, and they responded as much. (20.5 %)
responded as somewhat and (14.6 %) conveyed their eager as rarely, and Figure of (18.8 %)
responded as not at all. If we investigate much and somewhat category on the respondents, then we
can observe that there is a little difference on both categories with difference of 0.3 percent. This
appears that respondents are approximately identically revealing from political contents of Social
media. However, the overall view shows that respondents are very strongly revealing from political
contents of Social media but not in the comparisons to entertainment and education category as
the frequency of the both category as much higher than political category. The results also reveal
that the political category’s mean is 2.8 and standard deviation is 1.4.
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In the religious contents, the (21.4 %) of respondents answered that they are exposed from
devout contents very much and total of (22.4 %) responded as much. (25.5 %) answered that they
are revealed as somewhat and (14.6 %) are revealing rarely in religious contents of Social media.
(16.1 %) of respondents responded there will as not at all. The mean and standard deviation of this
category is 2.8 and 1.35 respectively. Sports content's category shows that a total of (24.5 %)
respondents responded very much on the exposure of sports contents, while (18.5 %) of
respondents are granted their answer as much exposure from sports contents of Social media.
(19.3%) of respondents of responded that they are revealing from sports contents as somewhat.
(9.4 %) responded that they are revealing rarely and (28.3 %) responded as not at all. The mean of
sports category is 2.9 and standard deviation is 1.5.

Table 3. To what extent do you expose to the following contents of Social media

Variable Very much Much Somewhat Rarely Not at all Mean Std
Education 106 102 72 36 68
2.6 1.4
(27.6 %) (26.5 %) (18.8 %) (9.4 %) (17.7 %)
Entertainment 145 111 54 39 35
2.2 1.3
(37.8 %) (28.9 %) (14.1 %) (10.1 %) (9.1 %)
Politics 97 80 79 56 72
2.8 1.4
(25.3 %) (20.8 %) (20.5 %) (14.6 %) (18.8 %)
Religious 82 86 98 56 62
2.8 1.35
(21.4 %) (22.4 %) (25.5 %) (14.6 %) (16.1 %)
Sports 94 71 74 36 109
2.9 1.5
(24.5 %) (18.5 %) (19.3 %) (9.4 %) (28.3 %)
n = 384

Table 4 displays the frequency of information about the political party’s manifesto through
official pages of political parties utilizing Facebook. The first political party is Pakistan Muslim
League (N) (5.5 %) respondent responded that they are having very much manifesto information of
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). After that (14.8 %) of respondents who responded that they are
having much information about the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) manifesto utilizing
Facebook. In third category (23.4 %) responded as somewhat, (20.8 %) in rarely and at the end
(35.4 %) of general respondents responded as not at all for the manifesto information of Pakistan
Muslim League (N). The mean and Std of this category is 3.65 and 1.26 respectively.
In the second party evaluation which is Pakistan People’s Party (13.5 %) of respondents
responded that they are having manifesto knowledge very Much. (10.9 %) of respondents
responded as having PPP’s manifesto information as much and (20.8 %) of respondents gave a
response as somewhat. (19.3 %) of total respondents responded that they are having manifesto
information rarely. Furthermore, (35.4 %) answered as not at all. This category’s mean and Std is
3.5 and 1.4 respectively. In the third-party comparison, manifesto knowledge from the official page
of Pakistan Tehreek E Insaaf in a very much category is (21.6 %) after this (22.7 %) respondents
answered as they are having much knowledge about Pakistan Tehreek E Insaaf Manifesto. (15.1 %)
answered as somewhat and (13.0 %) answered as rarely. There are furthermore (27.6 %)
respondents in not at all categories. The mean of this category is 3.0 and Std is 1.5. In the other
party comparison, manifesto knowledge from the official page in a very much category is (4.2 %)
after this (6.8 %) respondents answered as they are having much knowledge about other party
Manifesto. (14.6 %) answered as somewhat and (26.0 %) answered as rarely. There are furthermore
(49.4 %) respondents in not at all categories. Moreover its mean is 4.0 and Std is 1.1.

Table 4. To what extent do you know about the following parties ‘manifesto on social media

Variable Very much Much Somewh Rarely Not at all Mean Std.
at deviation
PML (N) 2.1
57 90 80 136
(5.5 %) 3.65 1.2
(14.8%) (23.4 %) (20.8 %) (35.4 %)

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PPP 52 42 80 74 136
3.5 1.4
(13.5 %) (10.9 %) (20.8 %) (19.3 %) (35.4 %)
PTI 83 87 58 50 106
3.0 1.5
(21.6 %) (22.7 %) (15.1 %) (13.0 %) (27.6 %)
Others 16 26 56 100 186
4.07 1.1
(4.2 %) (6.8 %) (14.6 %) (26.0 %) (48.4 %)
n = 384

There is information in Table 5 about the use of Social media’s Political contents helps us in
understanding Political parties. Here are (20.8 %) of those who are responding very much,
(26.3 %) are those who responded as much. (22.3 %) of respondents answered that as somewhat.
Only (11.7 %) respondents responded as rarely, (18.8 %) responded as not at all. The mean and Std
is 2.8 and 1.29 respectively.

Table 5. Social Media helps in understanding political parties

Do you understand that, use of Social media’s Frequency Percent Mean Std. deviation
Political contents helps us in understanding
Political parties
Very much 80 20.8
Much 101 26.3
Somewhat 86 22.3 2.8 1.39
Rarely 45 11.7
Not at all 72 18.8
n = 384

Table 6 reveals the use of political contents and through this usage increase of information
level of Social media regarding political issues of Pakistan. An analytical outlook interprets that
(25%) responded as very much with this question and (26.6 %) responded as much. (17.4 %)
responded as somewhat from this question and (16.7 %) are responded as rarely from this
question. At the last (14.3 %) answered as not at all. Its mean is 2.68 and Std is 1.38.

Table 6. Social Media increase information level regarding Political issues of Pakistan

What do you understand that, use of Social Frequency Percent Mean Std. deviation
media political content can increase your
information level regarding Political issues of
Pakistan
Very much 96 25
Much 101 26.6
Somewhat 67 17.4 2.68 1.38
Rarely 64 16.7
Not at all` 55 14.3
n= 384

Table 7 inquired by the researchers about the satisfaction from Social media than electronic
and print media of respondents considering government. We can glimpse the above table 7 and
investigate that (12.2 %) of respondents responded as very much upon this question, and they are
democratically persuaded from Social media as a contrast to electronic Media. (34.6 %) of
respondents are responded as much from this inquiry. A Figure of (18.4 %) respondent as
somewhat from this inquiry. In this question (12.0 %) of respondents are rarely and (22.7 %) are
granted their answer as not at all. The mean of this inquiry is 2.98 and standard deviation is 1.36.

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Table 7. Politically influenced from Social media Political Party official pages than Electronic
Media and Print Media

How much you politically influenced from Frequency Percent Mean Std. deviation
Social media Political Party official pages
than Electronic Media and Print Media?
Very much 47 12.2
Much 133 34.6
Somewhat 71 18.4 2.98 1.36
Rarely 46 12.0
Not at all 87 22.7
n = 384

Table 8 categorization of the response given by the respondent by taluka vise the figure in
terms of party affiliation by utilizing social media as YES, are for Hyderabad is (20 %), Hyderabad
city is (25 %), the figure (33 %) is for Qasimabad while the rest of the (22 %) is for Latifabad.
In category NO, Hyderabad response is (27 %), Hyderabad city is (21 %), Qasimabad is (29 %)
while (23 %) is for Latifabad respectively.

Table 8. Using a social media, have you change your party affiliation during the election campaign
of General election 2018

Variables Hyderabad Hyderabad Qasimabad Latifabad

city
Yes 40 (43.75 %) 54 (56.25 %) 36 (37.5 %) 46 (47.9 %)
No 56 (58.3 %) 42 (43.75 %) 60 (62.5 %) 50 (52.08 %)
Mean 48 48 48 48
Std. deviation 8 6 12 2
n = 384

5. Conclusion
Social networking sites are popular tools to engage citizens in political campaigns, social
movements, and civic life (Boulianne, 2019). Researchers realized that traditional campaigns in the
form of rallies and town hall meetings were no longer enough to win elections. In order to win
elections, garner support and spread information, politicians will now require combining new
media as well as some of the traditional campaign tactics to win elections asdifferent political
candidates themselves have different uses and gratifications of online media (Hoffmann,
Suphan, 2017).
This General Election has seen a major change with respect to the marketing actions done by
significant national as well as local/regional parties. The existence of social media has significantly
impacted the democratic scenario of the country. As many as 70% first time voters (12 crore) of the
age group between 18-23 years were supposed to be using social media platforms. And
henceforward to capture this significant amount of the voters, political parties geared up their
efforts to fit themselves into the communication behaviors of such people. Political workers
remained active on social media as part of their party’s election campaign. Recently, Social media
sites have become the utmost mighty and vigorous source of political news and information. Social
media is a very substantial means for the political mobilization and application of political ideology
all around the globe (Hindman, 2009). In carrying political and social changes, social media has
been instrumental by providing possibilities. Social media has performed a substantial part in the
political and social revolts in the recent political dominance of political parties (McChesney, 2004).
Through social media political parties also can transform the insight of common people by images,
voice mails and video clips.
Typically, users of the social media are the youngsters, according to explanations
professionals acknowledge as true that youngsters that seem impassive in government will play
more significant in elections. Furthermore, Pakistan is part of this international networking of
Social media mesh. The youth of Pakistan is also getting evolving in developing attitudes
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considering social and political matters. Debating political perspective, we perceive that in Pakistan
political parties regularly and frequently reinforce their voters to boost their vote bank and political
power employing social media forums. The idea is to appeal young community that is aged up to
18-24, who have not ever cast ballots in any elections previously.

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