or decades, Pakistani has experienced extremism and intolerance in various forms. From religious extremism and sectarianism to ethnic and political divides, the society has seen it all.

For years the country has struggled to curb the rise of violent extremism as certain factions have used political, religious, ethnic and linguistic differences as a basis to create and propagate divisive narratives instead of using this heterogeneity to work towards building a more tolerant society.

The ever-increasing popularity and use of social media amongst the youth have inadvertently become a tool for spreading violent extremism.

According to an estimate, Pakistan has around 87.35 million internet users and around 191.8 million are using cellular mobile connections. Around 71.70 million people use social media, which is approximately 30.1 per cent of the total population. An overwhelming majority of these social media users are the youth. According to Ministry of Education data, Pakistan’s literacy rate is 62.3, less than that of Bangladesh and Nepal.

The Pakistani youth have become more politically active and mobilised over the last decade. One reason for that has been the use of social media campaigns by political parties, which has sometimes led to unsavoury online debates and incidents of aggression.

It has been observed that social media users lacking in social media literacy often forward unauthenticated news and messages. This practice can create hostility and give rise to unfounded biases and polarising opinions.

Political extremism is not a new or recent phenomenon. The heated political debates people would have in their drawing rooms are now happening on social media platforms. As a nation we have never shied away from expressing our political opinions publically or privately. However, it has become easier to do so because everyone has access to a much larger listener pool online.

The provincial assemblies and federal parliament have witnessed many incidents of extremism and intolerance during parliamentary sessions. But the use of social media has given a new direction to political extremism. Dialogue has become a challenge as many try to impose their verdict instead of being willing to debate and rationally assessing the merits of an argument. The use of abusive language only adds to the problem.

Some of the terms not used in polite company have become part and parcel of much online debate. While surfing on social media, posts related to politics often have comment sections brimming with discriminatory, hateful and foul language.

Political leaders, with a few exceptions, are also part of the problem. Some of them use social media to provoke their followers against opposing parties and persons.

The state cannot neglect its responsibility and needs to ensure that the rise of violent extremism in all forms is curtailed and the damage mitigated.

A culture of mutual respect and political tolerance must be promoted. State institutions can play a vital role in promoting peace and tolerance by promoting the rule of law based on the principles of equality and justice. Strict laws should be devised to curtail elements promoting false propaganda, hate and terror in society.

The writer is s professor of political science at Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan. He can be reached at muqakbar@gmail.com