'It Is Over': Why A Deleted Op-Ed By Gen Z Student Is Going Viral In Pakistan

Pakistan might be witnessing its own Gen Z uprising, not through protests and violence, but in ideas that refused to be silenced in the face of brute force. What became the flashpoint of the rebellion was an article by a young Pakistani academic on how the country's younger generation was done taking orders from old guards. 

The article, titled 'It is Over' by Zorain Nizamani, a Pakistani PhD student based in the United States, was originally published in a prominent Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune, on 1 January. However, it was taken down a few hours later, allegedly under pressure from Pakistan's army.

The removal of the op-ed, widely believed to have been ordered by Pakistan's military establishment, prompted outrage online, catapulting the author to the status of a 'national hero'.

Soon, screenshots of the op-ed went viral on social media, with Pakistanis accusing the state of censorship and hailing Nizamani, who is the son of actors Fazila Qazi and Qaiser Khan Nizamani. 

What The Op-Ed Said

In the article, Nizamani, who is pursuing his PhD in Criminology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, argued that Pakistan's ruling elites have lost their influence over the country's younger generations. He noted that repeated state-sponsored lectures, seminars, and state-driven campaigns to promote patriotism are no longer effective. 

"For the older men and women in power, it's over. The young generation isn't buying any of what you're trying to sell to them. No matter how many talks and seminars you arrange in schools and colleges, trying to promote patriotism, it isn't working," he wrote.

Without naming the army, Nizamani argues that patriotism cannot be manufactured through speeches or slogans, but it grows naturally when citizens are given equal opportunities, reliable infrastructure, functioning systems, and guaranteed rights. 

"Patriotism comes naturally when there is equal opportunity, sound infrastructure and efficient mechanisms in place. When you provide your people with basic necessities and ensure people get their rights, you won't have to go to schools and colleges to tell students that they are supposed to love their country; they already will nonetheless," he said. 

The article focuses heavily on Gen Z and Gen Alpha, claiming that they are fully aware of political realities. 

"Young minds, the Gen Z, the alphas, they know exactly what is happening, and despite your consistent efforts of trying to 'sell' your views of patriotism to them, they are seeing right through it. Thanks to the internet, thanks to whatever little education we have left, despite your best efforts of keeping the masses as illiterate as possible, you have failed. You have failed to tell people what to think, they are thinking for themselves. They might be a little too scared to speak their minds because they prefer breathing," he wrote.

He further argued that easier access to the internet and information has weakened traditional efforts to control public thinking, with frustration among the youth reaching a critical level. 

"The younger lot has had enough, and because they have learned that they cannot challenge the powers, they're leaving the country. They'd rather take a silent, quiet exit and not look back because their friends, who spoke up, were silenced," he added. 

Backlash Over Article's Removal

The article's takedown provoked massive backlash from Pakistan's political and media landscape. The Canadian wing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed that the removal of the article confirms that forced patriotism no longer works. 

Zorain Nizamani's article "It Is Over" being removed only confirms its truth. University talks and forced patriotism no longer work. Gen Z sees corruption, inequality, and hypocrisy clearly. Without justice, jobs, and dignity, propaganda fails. Old control methods are dead, the… pic.twitter.com/mUjWE0TBDW

— PTI Canada Official (@PTIOfficialCA) January 2, 2026

"Zorain Nizamani's article "It Is Over" being removed only confirms its truth. University talks and forced patriotism no longer work. Gen Z sees corruption, inequality, and hypocrisy clearly. Without justice, jobs, and dignity, propaganda fails. Old control methods are dead, the youth have moved on," the party wrote in a post on X. 

Pakistani activist Mehlaqa Samdani wrote, "Not surprisingly, this article is no longer accessible through the Express Tribune's digital edition-exactly the kind of censorship Zorain talks about."

Please read this brilliant article by Zorain Nizamani, a PhD student at the University of Arkansas, in which he bluntly tells Pakistan's ruling elite that Gen Z is no longer falling for their attempts to manipulate and control narratives.

Not surprisingly, this article is no… pic.twitter.com/EV7nFWeQyt

— Mehlaqa Samdani (@MehlaqaCAPJ) January 1, 2026

"He is right. It really is over for those who think they can continue to get away with these crude tactics," she added in her X post. 

Lawyer Abdul Moiz Jafferi noted, "This is such a great article. Written from the heart of every young person to every old man failing at their job in Pakistan."

Former Pakistani minister Moonis Elahi called it a "reality check for the generation shaping policy." 

Pakistan's Human Rights Council also criticised the takedown of the article and said, "The removal of Zoreen Nizami's column from Express Tribune is a lamentable example of the increasing curbs on freedom of expression in Pakistan. The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRC-Pakistan) strongly condemns this action, as it is a direct violation of citizens' constitutional rights and journalistic freedom."