In the beginning there was Orkut, this was Pakistan’s answer to its various issues with self censorship, lack of places to hangout, meet people and basic social interaction. It soon went passé when the Facebook monster arrived. As a nation, we went quite berserk with Facebook. As of last count we were ranked as #25 on it. Facebook really helped launch this country into the Social Media age, the start of which was 2 years ago.

So what do Pakistani’s use Social Media for? Well, I can tell you that we use it to communicate with one another frequently. As a culture, we happen to be slightly overzealous on an emotional level and thrive on interaction. We also use Social Media to market ourselves in Pakistan and abroad.

People still use traditional means of buying things, and as of a few years ago no one would buy anything online in Pakistan. Today the story is different. We have virtual movie and book shops, consulting services, eBooks and a seriously thriving e-Commerce sector encompassing all this and textiles as well as I/T. It has come to a point where if anyone wants to start a new business and are slightly tech savvy they open a storefront up on Facebook and Twitter first and when it gets going, go into the more expensive print and main stream media ads. Many businesses like tuition centers for schools, bakeries, t-shirt companies even prefer to remain virtual forever as this provides them with very low overheads and that modicum of security which is lacking in the physical space in Pakistan.

Pakistan: Facebook Users Age Ratio In Pakistan

We are also using Social Media to collaborate. In a country where roads are often clogged with traffic, the security situation changes at an hour’s notice, and sadly, anything can blow up anywhere, video conferencing via Skype and Face to Face is a heaven sent for corporations here. People specially those active in the blogosphere and the tech savvy part of Pakistan, are using these tools to come up with fresh and new methods of interlacing efficiency and producing sometimes startling results.

Rehan Allahwallah is one shining example. He has just launched a service which will allow 120 million cell phone users in Pakistan to send a tweet via local SMS using the no 40404 and their message after it. Civil Society activists like Dr Awab and myself, have leveraged Social Media to help raise more than US $200,000 online for the flood victims last year after the devastating floods swept through Sindh Pakistan. Farhan Masood, is also a great example. Farhan has created one of the most thorough facial recognition software through his collaborative efforts on Twitter. The list keeps on growing every single day.

The effect of all this interaction is much more freedom and the ability to learn and take criticism positively. Many of our politicians are now on Twitter and are mingling with the common folk to help solve at least some of the issues they have.

Pakistan: Facebook Users Gender Ratio In Pakistan

Pakistanis today are discussing everything under the sun online and this is giving shape to not just ideas but a general vent for the frustration and helplessness they sometimes feel due to circumstances here. Social Media has basically become our therapist and friend – it is all that and a business tool, rolled up in one.

I personally feel this is just the tip of the iceberg. A few years ago nobody took blogging seriously, but now things are changing. Every News portal has a blog section. Advertising agencies are knocking on virtual doors to place ads on popular blogs and pushing their products through to people who have large followings on Twitter and those who have moved away from traditional ways of shopping. Even broadcast media is integrating it in the form of talk show hosts who use it like FaisalQureshi and some, like Naveen Naqvi, have even shifted towards Social Media completely, giving up the traditional mediums altogether.

 As the world watches, Social Media, in time is going to change us more and for the better. It will not only introduce a lot more accountability in our society but will definitely make it easier for the common man to get their voice heard.

Social Media will be to mainstream media what television was for radio. Will it work with restrictions? Not so much. Social Media is the future of Pakistan and it will not be possible to restrict it or stop it anymore because it has the power of the people of this country driving it.