Setting the Agenda with Lies: Misinformation and the Undermining of Democracy in Pakistan

Abstract

The proliferation of fake news poses significant threat to the functioning of democratic processes, particularly in countries with weak democratic institutions where digital illiteracy is not uniform. This research examines the impact of misinformation on Pakistan's 2018 and 2024 general election. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), it examines how false stories - spreading via social media, partisan networks, and digital tools - influenced voter opinion, political debate, and trust in democratic institutions, by using academic research, fact-checking reports, and media reporting.

Agenda-Setting Theory is the framework to set for analysis. There is an evidence that fake news 'steered attention from policy issues to scandals and fake controversy'. In 2018, most disinformation appeared in the form of fake headlines, rumors, and WhatsApp messages. By 2024 campaigns were deploying deepfakes, synthetic audio and bot networks. These strategies did not just lead to increased polarization, they undermine the faith in the electoral process itself.

The study reveals recurring patterns in the production, circulation and reception of misinformation. It also finds that current responses - from regulators, fact-checkers, and media outlets - have struggled to keep pace with the speed and scale of false content. To address these challenges, the paper suggests enhancing fact-checking, supporting digital literacy, deploying artificial intelligence-based detection tools and modifying regulatory frameworks.

By placing Pakistan's experience in the wider context of debate in other countries, the paper helps illuminate how disinformation campaigns can be used to influence political agendas and undermine trust in elections, and that many emerging democracies have agreed with this view.