COVID-19’S IMPACT ON PAKISTAN’S DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND ITS TRADITIONAL PRESS

Abstract

COVID-19 impacts us all in one way or the other, sparing no citizen or institute while the outbreak not only hampers Pakistan’s democratic process but impacts the press. The research examines how the virus-induced lockdowns politically disempowered Pakistanis. Also, the study aims to see if the mainstream media having home-ridden journalists switched over to the social media in the spike. Adopting the qualitative research method, the researchers conducted in-depth interviews with political reporters who expressed the view lockdowns made politicians home-ridden resulting in MPs virtual meetings which, they said, remained no alternative to the ones politicians attended in person. The interviewees said they shifted to the public networks while stating the networks facilitated them while doing their duty for the mainstream media during the lockdown.