Unveiling the Politics of Resistance: Analysis of Imran Khan’s Post 9 May Twitter Space Sessions

Abstract

In the realm of politics, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for influencing public opinion and engaging with the masses directly. Pakistani politics has witnessed this trend immensely during the last decade when political parties turned to different social networking sites to present their respective ideologies as a public opinion. This study aims to examine the evolving role of social media in political communication, specifically focusing on former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan’s use of Twitter Space Sessions as an alternative means of interacting with his followers after his speeches were banned from the mainstream media following the incidents of 9 May 2023. The analysis will explore how Twitter Space Sessions facilitated direct engagement with the audience and allowed him to convey messages without traditional filter of mainstream media. The research will also investigate the implications and ethical considerations of restricting public interaction in the era of social media.