While student-led protests have reshaped politics across much of South Asia in recent years, Pakistan has remained a notable exception. From Sri Lanka’s Aragalaya movement to Bangladesh’s quota reform protests and Nepal’s youth-led demonstrations, young people have emerged as powerful political forces. India has now joined that list after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led Gen Z protests forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and prompted the Centre to announce a series of education reforms.
The contrast has sparked questions over why Pakistan, despite facing severe economic distress, high youth unemployment and political instability, has not witnessed a comparable youth-led mobilisation.
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At first glance, Pakistan appears to possess many of the conditions that have fuelled student movements elsewhere. The country has struggled through repeated economic crises, relying on successive International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout packages to stabilise its finances. Inflation, unemployment and a rising cost of living have disproportionately affected young Pakistanis, while frustration over governance has continued to grow.
Yet experts argue that Pakistan’s political landscape differs significantly from those of its neighbours. The country’s military establishment exercises substantial influence over politics and public life, leaving limited space for large-scale dissent. Student organisations have also faced restrictions for decades, weakening the networks that often serve as the backbone of youth movements.
Pakistan’s last major student mobilisation took place in 2019, when thousands of students across several cities demanded the restoration of student unions, lower education fees and better academic infrastructure. Although the protests drew national attention, they failed to generate sustained political momentum or bring about structural changes.
By comparison, student-led movements in neighbouring countries have produced far-reaching political consequences. Sri Lanka’s 2022 Aragalaya protests culminated in the resignation and flight of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Bangladesh witnessed months of youth-led demonstrations over the government job quota system that evolved into a broader anti-government movement. Nepal has also experienced recurring student protests that have shaped national political discourse.
India’s recent Gen Z protests have now added another chapter to this regional trend. The movement, led by the CJP, pushed the government to accept key demands, including education reforms, and resulted in Dharmendra Pradhan stepping down as Education Minister. The protests underscored the growing influence of young citizens in shaping public policy and political outcomes.
Despite similar economic challenges, Pakistan’s political environment, stronger security apparatus and longstanding restrictions on student activism have so far prevented the emergence of a movement on the scale witnessed in neighbouring countries. Whether changing economic conditions and a digitally connected generation eventually alter that equation remains an open question.
