The Rise Of Populism and the Transformation of Political Culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: A Case Study of Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaaf, 2013-2025

Abstract

This study explores the rise of populist politics and its impacts on the political culture of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 2013 to 2025. The study is based on secondary data, which includes research articles, books, institutional reports and newspaper articles. It is guided by two theories: the Theory of Populism, which discusses the division among the people, and Political Communication Theory, which concerns how messages are constructed and delivered to the public by a party or its leaders. The findings show that populism emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after 2013 general elections with the rise of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Through the use of social media PTI was succeeded to mobilize public by populist narratives, emotional rhetoric and anti-elites attitude, while it also contributed to political polarization in the society. The study also highlights that, political discourses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were shifted from actual policy making and addressing socio-economic problems to nationalist rhetoric and identity based politics. Populist politics also promoted leader-centric politics, where politics is all around from the personality of Imran Khan and have shift the political loyalty and trust toward Khan rather than democratic institutions. Overall, from 2013 to 2025 the political culture of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has dramatically transformed with the rise of Populism.