Maham Khan

ISLAMABAD: Youth-led protests are reshaping political activism across Asia and Africa in 2025, with digital media emerging as a powerful tool for demanding systemic change. The &quot;Gen Z Protests&quot; began in Bangladesh in July 2024, led by young Bengali students demanding the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In 2025, similar youth-led protests spread from Timor-Leste and the Philippines to Nepal, Morocco, and Madagascar, driven by issues like corruption, economic inequality, infrastructure failures, and mass censorship. Madagascar targets elite control In Madagascar, protests erupted in September 2025 over prolonged water and power outages, widespread poverty, and government corruption. Protestors also condemned political elites. The World Bank reported that Madagascar&#39;s income per capita has fallen by 45% since 1960, with a &quot;small, unaccountable elite&quot; maintaining tight control over the economy, according to Reuters. Protesters have highlighted this inequality, using digital platforms to expose systemic issues. According to Reuters, the demonstrations have been &quot;the largest the Indian Ocean island has seen in years,&quot; with protesters demanding the president&#39;s resignation and the dissolution of key government institutions. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/83df9db8-ae2c-41ce-8eb3-626969019c3d-Madagascar police react to protesters demonstrating against chronic electricity and water cuts in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP).jpg" alt="Madagascar police react to protesters demonstrating against chronic electricity and water cuts in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP)" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="line-height: 2;">Madagascar police react to protesters demonstrating against chronic electricity and water cuts in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP)</figcaption></figure>Social media fuels coordination The digital strategy driving these protests is remarkably sophisticated. Inspired by youth-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, Madagascar&#39;s Gen Z activists have used social media to coordinate nationwide demonstrations. &quot;This is not a retreat but a strategy: we will come back together more united, stronger,&quot; the protest movement&#39;s leadership declared in a Facebook post, as reported by Reuters on Thursday. The protests have spread beyond the capital, with protestors in far-off cities also chanting &quot;Rajoelina Out&quot; and carrying banners denouncing the government. Despite the country&rsquo;s president dissolving the government on Monday, AP reported that public anger continues to simmer. Nepal&rsquo;s activism blueprint Nepal&#39;s recent protests offer a blueprint for digital activism. When the government banned 26 social media platforms on September 4, 2025, activists shifted to alternative channels like Discord and used VPNs to bypass restrictions. The widespread youth-led protests escalated, leading to violent clashes and the eventual resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. The movement showed how digital tools can directly challenge political power. Digital power driving change These movements reveal a fundamental shift in political engagement. Digital platforms have transformed from communication tools to instruments of political change, allowing young people to organize, broadcast their messages, and challenge existing power structures with unprecedented speed and coordination.

People protest against corruption and calling for healthcare and education reform, in Casablanca, Morocco, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP)

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Youth-led Gen Z protests began in Bangladesh in 2024 and spread across Asia and Africa by 2025. Using digital platforms, activists oppose corruption, inequality, and poor infrastructure, demanding political change and elite accountability.

Gen Z protests: Digital platforms fuel change from Asia to Africa

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed deep sorrow over the recent loss of lives amid the violent unrest in Nepal.The government extended its condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.In a press release issued Wednesday, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Office of the Spokesperson) stated: &ldquo;Pakistan is deeply grieved by the loss of precious lives in Nepal. We convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and offer prayers for the swift recovery of the injured.&rdquo;The statement added, &ldquo;We trust in the resilience of the Nepalese people to build a future marked by harmony and renewed hope.&rdquo;Thirty Dead Amid UnrestNepal&rsquo;s army has deployed patrols across Kathmandu as the country faces its worst unrest in decades, BBC reported Wednesday.What began as protests against corruption escalated into widespread arson and violence on Tuesday.The Prime Minister resigned as protesters vandalized politicians&rsquo; homes and set fire to government buildings, including parliament. Over two days of violence, 30 people have died and more than 1,000 sustained injuries.

Politics

Pakistani foreign office expressed sorrow over the recent violence in Nepal, offering condolences to families of the deceased and prayers for the injured’s swift recovery.

Pakistan condoles loss of lives in Nepal violence 

Romesa Umar

ISLAMABAD: Nepal declared a citywide curfew in Kathmandu on Wednesday as soldiers patrolled the streets and armored vehicles guarded parliament following violent protests that left at least 22 dead and more than 600 injured. Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli announced his resignation amid escalating youth-led protests triggered by the government&rsquo;s decision to block major social media platforms.&nbsp;&ldquo;In view of the adverse situation in the country, I have resigned effective today to facilitate the solution to the problem and to help resolve it politically in accordance with the constitution,&rdquo; Oli wrote in a letter to President Ramchandra Paudel.&nbsp;Gen Z uprisingThe unrest began earlier this month as a Gen Z-driven online campaign targeting the extravagant lifestyles of political elites&rsquo; children&mdash;referred to locally as &ldquo;Nepo Kids.&rdquo; This movement gained traction amid Nepal&rsquo;s deep economic challenges, with over 20% of the population living in poverty and youth unemployment exceeding 22%, according to the World Bank. Transparency International ranks Nepal 107th out of 180 countries on its Corruption Perceptions Index.&nbsp;The protests spilled into the streets after authorities blocked social media platforms, including Facebook, citing concerns over the spread of fake news. Activists accused the government of attempting to silence an anti-corruption movement, Reuters reported.&nbsp;Street violenceThousands of students, some in school uniforms, took to the streets of Kathmandu and other cities. Demonstrators stormed the parliament complex, set fire to an ambulance, and caused damage to government buildings, including the President&rsquo;s Office.&nbsp;A Gen Z protester speaking to Pakistan TV insisted the demonstrations were peaceful, accusing &ldquo;third parties who are politically involved&rdquo; of instigating the destruction of public property. The protester added that older individuals, over 40 years of age, were seen in the footage damaging property despite being barred from the protest.&nbsp;Burning vehicles and plumes of smoke filled the streets as police deployed water cannons, batons, and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.&nbsp;Meanwhile, authorities reported a mass escape of 900 inmates from two prisons in western Nepal amid the chaos.&nbsp;Army warnings and appeal for calmThe Nepali Army took to X (formerly Twitter) to warn that groups were engaging in looting and arson, vowing to remain &ldquo;steadfast&rdquo; in controlling the situation. Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel appealed for an end to violence and urged protesters to join dialogue efforts.&nbsp;&ldquo;Some groups are causing extensive damage, looting, and arson to civilians and public property,&rdquo; the army warned. &ldquo;All security agencies, including the Nepali Army, will remain steadfast in their primary responsibility to control the situation.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1965437953297277361&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2F&sessionId=e9ef7ac3249b124ed6420d600ca9d2d288eeddef&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Airport disruptions and US responseKathmandu&rsquo;s Tribhuvan International Airport faced partial closure due to ongoing disruptions, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed.&nbsp;The United States expressed its concern and called itself a &ldquo;steadfast partner of Nepal, committed to our shared interests in stability, prosperity, and democratic governance,&rdquo; according to a State Department spokesperson.&nbsp;Voices from the streetsSandip, a social media influencer from Lalitpur near Kathmandu, shared his surprise at the massive turnout. &ldquo;Every single citizen of Nepal was done with the corrupt government,&rdquo; he told Reuters.&nbsp;Gauruv Nepune, another protest supporter, added, &ldquo;The youth are against corruption but the government resorted to violence, trying to silence the movement.&rdquo;&nbsp;Chants and banners such as &ldquo;Youth against corruption&rdquo; and &ldquo;We pay, you flex&rdquo; became common sights in the protests. Local political opposition<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/5d588f17-2106-45c8-90cb-02353bedfd59.png" style="width: 458px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Following Oli&rsquo;s resignation, Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, a former rapper, posted on social media: &ldquo;Dear Gen Z, your murderer has resigned. Now be patient!!&rdquo;

Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigns amid deadly Gen Z-led protests over social media bans and corruption, as Kathmandu faces curfew and violence.

Articles tagged with "Nepal Protests"

Gen Z protests: Digital platforms fuel change from Asia to Africa

Pakistan condoles loss of lives in Nepal violence

Nepal’s Oli steps down as Gen-Z-led revolt sparks curfew