The Indian government on Tuesday responded to reports that several Pakistani social media influencers and Gen Z groups had expressed support for the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led student protests in Delhi.
Responding to questions on the issue, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s primary concern remains cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan.
Pakistani influencers express solidarity
Several Pakistani social media influencers posted messages backing the CJP movement, referring to the shared history of India and Pakistan and expressing solidarity with the protesting students.
Bilal Hasan, a Pakistani influencer with nearly 3 lakh Instagram followers, shared a video saying that despite decades of hostility between the two countries, people in Pakistan could relate to the movement’s slogans, posters and message.
“We see ourselves in this movement. After all, we are children of a divided family,” he said.
Hasan described the protesting students as courageous, saying they were striving for a better future for their country. He also urged them to remain united and take any risks with caution.
Memes and videos flood social media
Several Pakistani content creators also shared memes and videos about the protests. Some joked that only the India-Pakistan border was stopping them from joining the demonstration at Jantar Mantar, while others posted satirical videos imagining themselves arriving at the protest carrying Pakistani passports.
In another widely shared video, a Pakistani woman said it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to dislike India because of India’s Gen Z.
Pakistani influencer Mahwish Ejaz also praised the student movement, saying she was particularly moved by the stories of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Meanwhile, influencer Ahsan Mirza said, “Students should always stand with students. We are the same people. Our ancestors ate the same bread and fought together against the British.”
