‘Gen Z isn’t buying what you’re trying to sell’: How a student’s deleted op-ed has shaken the Pakistan Army and Asim Munir
The column titled Over was written by Zorain Nizamani, a Pakistani doctoral student living in the USA. It was published by The Express Tribune on January 1 but was removed soon after, reportedly under pressure from the Pakistani military establishment. Its takedown sparked widespread outrage; many Pakistanis called it censorship and rallied behind the author.
Comment by Zorain Nizamani, who started the discussion, is over
Zorain Nizamani, who is pursuing a PhD in Criminology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, used his article to argue that Pakistan’s ruling elite has lost its grip on younger generations. He wrote that formal conferences, seminars, and state-focused patriotic campaigns no longer resonate with Generation Z and Generation Alpha.
“It’s over for the old men and women in power. The younger generation isn’t buying any of what you’re trying to sell them. No matter how many speeches and seminars you hold in schools and colleges to promote patriotism, it doesn’t work,” he wrote.
Without directly naming the army, Nizamani emphasized that patriotism cannot be imposed with rhetoric and slogans. This naturally develops when people are treated fairly and their basic needs are met, he said.
“Patriotism comes naturally when there is equal opportunity, solid infrastructure and effective mechanisms. When you provide your people with basic needs and ensure that people get their rights, you won’t need to go to schools and universities and tell students that they should love their country; they will still love it,” he said.
Generation Z, Generation Alpha and the internet effect
Much of the article focused on how young Pakistanis view official narratives, largely due to internet access and exposure to information. “Young minds, Gen Z, alphas, know exactly what it is and see through it, despite your consistent efforts to ‘sell’ them your views of patriotism. Despite your efforts to keep the masses as ignorant as possible, thanks to the internet, what little education we have left, you have failed. You have failed to tell people what to do. Come to think of it, they think for themselves, they may be a little afraid to speak their mind because they prefer to breathe,” he wrote.
Nizamani also noted a growing trend among frustrated youth choosing to leave the country rather than confront powerful institutions.
“Young people are fed up and are leaving the country because they have learned that they cannot challenge the powers that be. They choose to go out quietly and not look back because their friends who speak out have been silenced,” he added.
Article removed, author went viral
After the article was removed from The Express Tribune website, screenshots began circulating widely on social media. Many Pakistanis accused the state of trying to hide disturbing facts. Nizamani, who is also the son of actor Fazila Qazi and Qaiser Khan Nizamani, was quickly hailed as a “national hero” by his supporters.
The Canadian wing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said this removal proved the point of the article.
The party said in
The Human Rights Council of Pakistan also criticized the move, saying: “The removal of Zoreen Nizami’s column from the Express Tribune is a deplorable example of the increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in Pakistan. The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRC-Pakistan) strongly condemns this action as a direct violation of the constitutional rights of citizens and freedom of journalism.”
Although the article disappeared from its original platform, its message only went further. For many in Pakistan, this incident has become less about an op-ed and more about a generation that no longer accepts silence over open confrontation or being told what to think, even if it chooses to leave.
