BACK TO THE ROOTS? Pakistan’s Gen Z, YouTube and the Rediscovery of Shared Punjabi and Pre-Partition Cultural Heritage

 

BACK TO THE ROOTS?

Pakistan’s Gen Z, YouTube and the Rediscovery of Shared Punjabi and Pre-Partition Cultural Heritage

A Case-Cum-Research Study of Digital Cultural Reconnection, Festival Revival, Ritual Adaptation, YouTube Influence and Changing Cross-Border Cultural Identities in Pakistan, 2025–2026

 

Abstract

The political division of India and Pakistan in 1947 created one of the world's most enduring international borders, but it did not completely eliminate the cultural connections that existed across the former Punjab region. Language, music, food, dress, folk traditions, agricultural practices, festivals, wedding customs and religious-cultural memories have continued to circulate on both sides of the border.

The emergence of YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and other digital platforms has created a new environment in which younger Pakistani audiences can directly observe Indian Punjabi culture, Hindu and Sikh festivals, traditional rituals, music, food, clothing and village life. This phenomenon is particularly significant among Generation Z, whose cultural exposure is increasingly mediated by smartphones, short-form videos and algorithmic recommendations.

This case-cum-research paper examines whether the increasing visibility of Indian and pre-Partition cultural practices among Pakistani digital audiences represents cultural imitation, festival revival, cultural adaptation, trans-border Punjabiyat, or an emerging change in identity. Particular attention is given to Pakistani Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir/AJK, together with the role of YouTube in exposing younger audiences to cultural practices associated with India.

The study focuses on Basant, Baisakhi, Diwali, Holi, Sikh celebrations, Punjabi music, food, clothing, wedding rituals and other cultural practices. An important dimension is the apparent tendency among some young Pakistani social-media users to rename, reinterpret or culturally reposition festivals and rituals so that they can be incorporated into a Pakistani or Punjabi cultural framework.

The available national-level public-opinion evidence does not establish that Pakistanis as a whole have begun to consider themselves Indian. The 2026 Pew Research Center evidence cited in the study reported approximately 91% unfavorable and 7% favorable views of India among Pakistani adults. Therefore, cultural visibility must not be confused with political or national identity.

The paper argues that the more academically meaningful phenomenon is Digital Punjabiyat: a process through which digitally connected young Pakistanis may be rediscovering cultural traditions shared with Indian Punjab and the wider pre-1947 cultural landscape. The central research question is therefore not whether Pakistanis are becoming Indians, but whether Pakistan's Gen Z is developing a new cultural identity layer that reconnects with traditions existing before the political border of 1947.

Keywords: Pakistan, India, Pakistan Gen Z, Generation Z, YouTube, Punjab, Punjabiyat, Basant, Baisakhi, Diwali, Holi, Sikh heritage, Hindu festivals, cultural identity, digital culture, pre-Partition Punjab, social media, AJK, cross-border culture.

 

1. Introduction

The India–Pakistan relationship is generally examined through partition, nationalism, religion, military conflict, diplomacy, terrorism, trade and geopolitics. Yet beneath the political relationship exists another dimension: shared cultural history.

The partition of 1947 divided Punjab geographically, but cultural traditions did not disappear with the drawing of the boundary. Punjabi language, folk music, Sufi poetry, agricultural traditions, food, clothing, wedding customs, stories and festivals continued in different forms on both sides.

The digital revolution has created a new cultural environment.

A young Pakistani sitting in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Islamabad or elsewhere can now watch Indian Punjabi songs, Bhangra, Giddha, Baisakhi celebrations, Diwali celebrations, Holi videos, temple rituals, Sikh celebrations, Indian village life, Punjabi weddings, food videos and historical material almost instantly.

Similarly, Indian viewers can consume Pakistani Punjabi music, Lahore food culture, Sufi performances, Pakistani weddings and Pakistani Punjabi traditions.

The uploaded research material identifies this growing digital circulation as a major area of investigation.

The phenomenon becomes particularly interesting when viewed through Generation Z.

Generation Z has grown up in an environment in which national borders are less significant for digital content consumption. A song, festival video or cultural ritual can cross an international boundary within seconds.

This creates an important question:

Is Pakistan's Gen Z simply consuming Indian cultural content, or is it rediscovering a cultural heritage that existed before the India–Pakistan border?

A second question is even more significant:

When young Pakistanis celebrate, reproduce, rename or reinterpret festivals and rituals associated with Indian Punjab or the wider South Asian cultural tradition, are they copying another country's culture—or reclaiming a shared historical heritage?

This paper investigates these questions through a case-cum-research framework.

 

2. Background of the Case

2.1 Partition and the Cultural Boundary

The political boundary established in 1947 created two sovereign states, but the historical Punjab region had existed for centuries before either India or Pakistan came into existence.

People shared:

Punjabi language;

folk songs;

Heer-Ranjha traditions;

Bhangra;

Giddha;

Sufi poetry;

agricultural festivals;

wedding traditions;

food;

clothing;

storytelling;

village customs;

family histories.

Thus, Punjab can be simultaneously understood as a geographical region, linguistic community, historical civilization and trans-border cultural space.

The concept of Punjabiyat is therefore central to this research.

Punjabiyat broadly represents Punjabi cultural consciousness that can extend beyond the political boundary between India and Pakistan.

 

3. Emergence of the YouTube Cultural Border

Before social media, exposure to Indian culture in Pakistan depended heavily on television, cinema, music recordings, personal networks and other relatively restricted channels.

YouTube changed the situation.

A Pakistani user can actively search for:

Indian Punjabi songs;

Bhangra;

Giddha;

Baisakhi;

Basant;

Diwali;

Holi;

Sikh religious celebrations;

Hindu festivals;

Punjabi village traditions;

Indian food;

traditional clothing;

Punjabi weddings;

Indian television and films;

historical documentaries;

pre-Partition Punjab.

The cultural border therefore becomes increasingly porous even though the political border remains firmly established.

This produces a fundamental distinction:

Political border

India | International boundary | Pakistan

Digital cultural environment

Indian Punjab ↔ Pakistani Punjab ↔ Global Punjabi diaspora

The two systems operate simultaneously.

 

4. The Gen Z Dimension

Generation Z is particularly important because digital media is not merely an entertainment source for this generation. It is also a major source of cultural discovery.

Young users may encounter cultural practices through:

YouTube Shorts;

Instagram Reels;

TikTok;

music videos;

reaction videos;

influencers;

comedy channels;

festival videos;

family-content creators;

historical and heritage channels.

Consequently, a young Pakistani may encounter a festival or ritual without first learning its historical or religious classification.

The sequence may be:

Video exposure → curiosity → search → repeated viewing → imitation → participation → cultural reinterpretation

This creates a potentially important generational difference.

Older generations may have received cultural narratives primarily through family, school, religious institutions and national media.

Younger generations increasingly receive cultural information through algorithmic media environments.

 

5. The Festival and Ritual Phenomenon

One of the most visible elements of the phenomenon is the renewed visibility of festivals and rituals.

The important examples include:

Basant;

Baisakhi;

Diwali;

Holi;

Sikh celebrations;

Hindu festivals;

Punjabi wedding rituals;

folk dances;

traditional clothing;

food traditions;

seasonal celebrations.

However, each festival must be studied separately.

A festival can have multiple meanings.

For example, Baisakhi can simultaneously represent:

a harvest festival;

Punjabi culture;

Sikh religious heritage;

historical memory;

agricultural life;

pilgrimage;

family tradition.

Therefore, observing a Pakistani participant celebrating Baisakhi does not automatically demonstrate political identification with India.

The same methodological principle applies to other festivals.

 

6. Basant: The Most Important Case

Basant represents one of the strongest examples of the cultural complexity involved in this research.

The festival has historically been associated with the Punjab region and has existed across cultural and political boundaries.

The uploaded case material records the revival of Basant in Lahore in February 2026 following a prolonged period of restrictions.

The event is significant for this research because the same cultural practice can be interpreted through different frameworks.

One interpretation may associate it with Basant Panchami and Indian cultural traditions.

Another may describe it as Punjabi cultural heritage.

A third may understand it primarily as a seasonal celebration.

Therefore:

The same cultural practice can exist without producing the same political identity.

Basant demonstrates the importance of separating:

festival identity

from

national identity.

 

7. Baisakhi and the Sikh-Punjabi Heritage

Baisakhi is another important case.

Its meanings extend across:

Sikh religious history;

agricultural traditions;

Punjabi identity;

harvest celebrations;

pilgrimage;

historical memory.

Pakistani Punjab contains important historical Sikh sites and memories connected with the broader Punjab landscape.

Digital media makes these traditions increasingly visible to young Pakistani audiences.

A Gen-Z viewer may therefore encounter Baisakhi as:

Sikh festival → Punjabi festival → harvest festival → historical Punjabi tradition.

The transformation of meaning is itself an important research subject.

The critical question is not simply:

“Are Pakistanis celebrating Baisakhi?”

It is:

“How do young Pakistanis explain why they are interested in Baisakhi?”

 

8. Hindu Festivals and Cultural Visibility

The increasing online visibility of Diwali, Holi, Ganesh-related celebrations and other Hindu festivals requires particularly careful interpretation.

Pakistan has Hindu citizens who naturally celebrate Hindu religious festivals. Therefore, the existence of Hindu festival content in Pakistan cannot by itself demonstrate cultural transformation among the Muslim majority.

The research must distinguish between:

Observation	Possible interpretation
Hindu citizens celebrating Diwali	Religious practice
Hindu citizens celebrating Holi	Religious/community practice
Sikh citizens celebrating Sikh festivals	Religious practice
Muslim viewers watching Indian festival videos	Media consumption
Muslims participating in a cultural event	Cultural participation
Punjabi festival revival	Regional heritage
Positive comments about Indian culture	Cultural appreciation
Identification with pre-Partition Punjab	Historical/cultural identity
Explicit identification as Indian	National identity
Support for political reunification	Political identity

This distinction prevents exaggerated conclusions.

 

9. The “Renaming” and “Reframing” Phenomenon

A particularly important issue for future research is the apparent renaming or reframing of festivals and rituals.

When a cultural practice has historical, religious and regional meanings, communities sometimes adapt the terminology through which they describe it.

A festival may be:

religiously reframed;

culturally reframed;

linguistically renamed;

presented as Punjabi heritage;

presented as a seasonal celebration;

detached from its original religious context;

incorporated into contemporary entertainment culture.

This phenomenon should not automatically be described as copying.

It may represent:

Cultural adaptation

or

Cultural domestication

or

Cultural revival

or

Identity negotiation.

The important research task is to examine why the terminology changes.

 

10. Research Problem

A growing number of YouTube and social-media videos appear to show Pakistani users engaging with Indian Punjabi culture, shared festivals, rituals, music, food and historical traditions.

At the same time, some online discussions appear to express nostalgia for pre-Partition Punjab and admiration for cultural traditions visible in Indian Punjab.

This creates three competing interpretations.

Interpretation 1: Cultural copying

Pakistani youth are adopting cultural practices observed in India.

Interpretation 2: Cultural reconnection

Pakistani youth are rediscovering traditions that historically belonged to the wider Punjab region.

Interpretation 3: Digital globalization

Young Pakistanis are simply consuming culturally attractive content without changing their underlying identity.

The purpose of this study is to distinguish among these explanations.

 

11. Central Research Question

Is Pakistan's Gen Z experiencing a digital cultural reconnection with Indian Punjab and the wider pre-Partition Punjabi heritage through YouTube and other social-media platforms?

 

12. Supporting Research Questions

RQ1

Are Pakistani Gen-Z users increasingly consuming Indian cultural content through YouTube and short-video platforms?

RQ2

Is Punjabi cultural content particularly important in this consumption?

RQ3

Are Basant and Baisakhi increasingly being presented as Punjabi rather than exclusively religious or national traditions?

RQ4

Are Pakistani young users watching and participating in Hindu and Sikh cultural festivals?

RQ5

Are festivals and rituals being renamed or culturally reframed?

RQ6

Does YouTube exposure increase awareness of shared pre-Partition heritage?

RQ7

Is the phenomenon stronger among Generation Z than older age groups?

RQ8

Does appreciation of Indian culture necessarily produce positive political attitudes toward India?

RQ9

Can a Pakistani Gen-Z user simultaneously possess strong Pakistani national identity and strong Punjabi cultural affinity?

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13. Objectives of the Study

The study aims:

To examine YouTube's role in cross-border cultural circulation.

To study the cultural behaviour of Pakistani Gen-Z users.

To analyse Punjabi cultural content consumed in Pakistan.

To examine Basant and Baisakhi as shared cultural traditions.

To study the visibility of Hindu and Sikh festivals.

To examine festival renaming and cultural reframing.

To investigate pre-Partition cultural nostalgia.

To distinguish cultural identity from national identity.

To examine whether young users differ from older generations.

To develop a statistical framework for measuring digital cultural reconnection.

 

14. Existing Evidence: National Attitudes Toward India

An important counterweight to the social-media phenomenon is the available national public-opinion evidence.

The research material cites the 2026 Pew Research Center survey of 1,039 adults in Pakistan.

The reported distribution was:

Opinion of India	Percentage	Approx. respondents
Unfavorable	91%	945
Favorable	7%	73
Don't know/refused	2%	21
Total	100%	1,039

Approximately 73% reportedly expressed a very unfavorable opinion of India.

This creates an important research puzzle.

National public opinion

Strongly negative toward India

versus

Digital cultural exposure

Increasing visibility of Indian and shared Punjabi culture

The contradiction is more apparent than real.

A person can:

dislike a foreign government's policies;

maintain strong Pakistani national identity;

enjoy Indian songs;

watch Indian films;

celebrate Punjabi festivals;

appreciate Indian food;

watch Indian festival videos;

feel connected to pre-Partition Punjab.

Therefore:

Cultural affinity does not automatically equal national identification.

 

15. Statistical Analysis of Existing Evidence

The published percentages can be converted approximately into counts using the reported sample size of 1,039.

Expected counts under an equal three-category distribution would be approximately 346.33 in each category.

Using the reported rounded percentages, the illustrative chi-square goodness-of-fit statistic is approximately:

χ² ≈ 1,558.71

df = 2

p < 0.001

The null hypothesis of equal distribution is therefore rejected.

Interpretation

The public-opinion distribution is highly concentrated in the unfavorable category.

This finding does not prove that every Pakistani has a negative opinion of India, nor does it measure YouTube cultural behaviour directly.

Its importance is methodological:

Visible cultural convergence on social media cannot be treated as proof of nationwide Indian national identification.

The original research material makes precisely this distinction.

 

16. Proposed Explanation of the Gen-Z Phenomenon

The phenomenon can be represented through the following model:

YouTube exposure

↓

Indian/Punjabi cultural content

↓

Curiosity

↓

Repeated viewing

↓

Cultural familiarity

↓

Festival/ritual awareness

↓

Imitation or participation

↓

Cultural adaptation/reframing

↓

Recognition of shared heritage

↓

Digital Punjabiyat

This pathway does not necessarily continue to:

↓

Indian national identity

The distinction is central to the paper.

 

17. Generational Identity Model

Three generations can be conceptually compared.

Older generation

Family + religion + school + national narrative

↓

National identity

Middle generation

Family + television + cinema + national media + emerging internet

↓

Mixed cultural exposure

Generation Z

YouTube + TikTok + Instagram + streaming + influencers + global digital culture

↓

Multiple cultural identities

Generation Z may therefore develop a more layered identity:

Pakistani + Punjabi + South Asian + digitally connected

This does not necessarily mean:

Pakistani → Indian

 

18. Hypotheses

H1

There is a significant relationship between YouTube exposure to Indian cultural content and positive perceptions of Indian culture.

H2

There is a significant relationship between YouTube exposure and perceived shared Punjabi cultural heritage.

H3

Younger Pakistani respondents consume significantly more Indian cultural content than older respondents.

H4

Age is significantly associated with participation in shared Punjabi festivals and cultural rituals.

H5

There is a significant relationship between region and participation in cross-border cultural practices.

H6

Indian cultural appreciation is significantly different from political identification with India.

H7

Punjabi cultural identification is positively associated with appreciation of Indian Punjabi cultural content.

H8

YouTube exposure is positively associated with awareness of pre-Partition Punjabi heritage.

H9

Generation Z demonstrates stronger digital cultural reconnection than older Pakistani age groups.

H10

Festival participation among Pakistani Gen-Z users is more strongly associated with cultural identity than with political identity.

H11

Recognition of shared Punjabi heritage does not necessarily predict support for political reunification with India.

 

19. Research Variables

Variable	Measurement
Age	Years/categories
Generation	Gen Z / 31–50 / 51+
YouTube usage	Hours per week
Indian content exposure	Frequency
Punjabi content exposure	Frequency
Festival-video exposure	Frequency
Festival participation	Yes/No
Ritual participation	Yes/No
Festival renaming/reframing	Yes/No
Shared heritage perception	5-point scale
Punjabi identity	5-point scale
Indian cultural attitude	5-point scale
Pakistani national identity	5-point scale
Political openness toward India	5-point scale
Pre-Partition awareness	5-point scale

 

20. YouTube Content Analysis Framework

A systematic content analysis should classify videos according to:

Variable	Coding
Creator location	Punjab/AJK/Sindh/KP/Other
Creator age	Gen Z/Other/Unknown
Festival	Basant/Baisakhi/Diwali/Holi/Other
Language	Punjabi/Urdu/English/Mixed
Religious framing	Yes/No
Cultural framing	Yes/No
Indian reference	Positive/Neutral/Negative
Pakistan reference	Positive/Neutral/Negative
Pre-Partition reference	Yes/No
Shared heritage reference	Yes/No
Festival renamed	Yes/No
Ritual adapted	Yes/No
Pro-Punjab identity	Yes/No
Pro-India identity	Yes/No
Peace/friendship message	Yes/No
Negative India sentiment	Yes/No
Views	Numerical
Likes	Numerical
Comments	Numerical

The source material already identifies a 300-video YouTube coding framework and emphasizes that such numbers are research targets rather than observations.

 

21. Survey Framework

A dedicated survey of Pakistani social-media users can measure the phenomenon directly.

A five-point Likert scale can be used:

1 = Strongly disagree

2 = Disagree

3 = Neutral

4 = Agree

5 = Strongly agree

YouTube Exposure

I regularly watch Indian cultural content online.

I watch Indian Punjabi songs.

I watch Indian festival videos.

I watch Indian food videos.

I watch Indian historical/cultural videos.

Shared Cultural Heritage

Indian Punjab and Pakistani Punjab share a common cultural heritage.

Punjabi culture existed before the India–Pakistan border.

I feel emotionally connected to Punjabi culture on both sides of the border.

Indian and Pakistani Punjabi traditions are similar.

Social media has increased my awareness of shared Punjabi heritage.

Festival and Ritual Behaviour

I watch videos about Basant.

I watch Baisakhi-related content.

I watch Diwali-related content.

I watch Holi-related content.

I participate in or support Punjabi cultural festivals.

I have noticed festivals being described differently in Pakistani social media.

I have seen traditional rituals being adapted for contemporary Pakistani audiences.

National Identity

I strongly identify with Pakistan.

I consider myself Pakistani first.

I would retain my Pakistani national identity while appreciating Indian culture.

Cultural similarity does not mean political unity.

Indian Cultural Attitude

I have a positive opinion of Indian culture.

I have a positive opinion of Indian people.

I would like greater cultural exchange between India and Pakistan.

I support peaceful relations between India and Pakistan.

Political Identity

I believe Pakistanis share part of a wider historical cultural identity with India.

I believe Pakistanis are part of Indian national identity.

India and Pakistan should politically reunite.

Questions 22–25 must be kept analytically separate from Questions 27–28.

 

22. Statistical Techniques

The study can use the following statistical techniques.

22.1 Chi-Square Test

Useful for:

Age group × Festival participation

Region × Festival participation

YouTube exposure category × Cultural participation

 

22.2 Independent-Samples t-Test

Compare:

High YouTube users vs. low YouTube users

on:

shared heritage;

cultural affinity;

Indian cultural attitude.

 

22.3 One-Way ANOVA

Compare:

Gen Z;

31–50;

51+.

The dependent variable may be the Digital Cultural Reconnection Index.

 

22.4 Pearson Correlation

Test:

YouTube exposure ↔ shared heritage

YouTube exposure ↔ Indian cultural appreciation

Punjabi identity ↔ Indian Punjabi content appreciation

 

22.5 Spearman Correlation

Useful where ordinal Likert-scale variables do not satisfy assumptions required for Pearson correlation.

 

22.6 Multiple Regression

Dependent variable:

Digital Cultural Reconnection

Independent variables:

YouTube exposure;

age;

education;

region;

Punjabi-language proficiency;

festival exposure;

festival participation.

 

22.7 Logistic Regression

Dependent variable:

Political openness toward India

Predictors:

YouTube exposure;

age;

cultural exposure;

Punjabi identity;

shared heritage;

education;

region.

This model is particularly useful because it can test whether cultural exposure predicts political attitudes after controlling for other variables.

 

23. Gen-Z Comparative Analysis

The most important statistical comparison should be:

Age group	Expected analytical focus
18–30	Generation Z
31–50	Middle generation
51+	Older generation

The analysis should determine whether Gen Z has:

greater Indian cultural exposure;

greater Punjabi cultural awareness;

greater festival-video consumption;

greater participation in shared cultural practices;

greater recognition of pre-Partition heritage;

greater cultural openness toward India.

But it should also test whether Gen Z maintains:

strong Pakistani identity;

Pakistani national loyalty;

political separation from India.

This would produce a much more sophisticated result than simply asking whether young Pakistanis are “becoming Indian.”

 

24. A New Concept: Digital Punjabiyat

The central theoretical concept emerging from the case is:

Digital Punjabiyat

Digital Punjabiyat may be defined as:

The development of Punjabi cultural consciousness through digital platforms that enables individuals on both sides of the India–Pakistan border to rediscover, consume, reproduce and reinterpret traditions shared across the historical Punjab region.

It has five components:

Digital exposure

Cultural recognition

Historical nostalgia

Festival and ritual participation

Trans-border cultural affinity

Digital Punjabiyat therefore exists between national identity and global digital culture.

 

25. Cultural Identity Versus National Identity

One of the most important findings of this case is that identity is multidimensional.

A Pakistani Punjabi can simultaneously say:

“I am Pakistani.”

and:

“I am Punjabi.”

and:

“Punjabis on both sides of the border share the same heritage.”

and:

“I enjoy Indian Punjabi music.”

and:

“I like watching Indian festival videos.”

These statements are not necessarily contradictory.

The identity structure can therefore be represented as:

Layer 1 — National

Pakistani

Layer 2 — Regional

Punjabi

Layer 3 — Historical

Shared pre-Partition heritage

Layer 4 — Digital

Global/Trans-border cultural consumer

The existence of Layer 3 or Layer 4 does not automatically eliminate Layer 1.

 

26. Why YouTube May Create a “Return to the Roots” Impression

Several mechanisms can explain the phenomenon.

26.1 Algorithmic exposure

YouTube recommendations are based on viewing behaviour rather than political borders.

26.2 Linguistic proximity

Punjabi speakers may find Indian Punjabi content immediately understandable.

26.3 Cultural familiarity

Music, food, dress and festivals can appear familiar even when produced in another country.

26.4 Entertainment before politics

A young Pakistani may watch a song because it is entertaining rather than because of political agreement with India.

26.5 Historical nostalgia

Pre-Partition stories can generate emotional connections to a shared cultural past.

26.6 Gen-Z experimentation

Younger users are more willing to experiment with cultural symbols and reinterpret traditions.

26.7 Influencer effect

Creators can normalize cultural practices that previously had limited public visibility.

 

27. Is It Copying or Rediscovery?

The word copying is too simplistic.

If a tradition existed across the historical Punjab region before 1947, its reappearance in Pakistani Punjab cannot automatically be classified as copying Indian culture.

A more appropriate analytical vocabulary includes:

cultural continuity;

cultural revival;

cultural diffusion;

cultural adaptation;

cultural hybridization;

cultural reinterpretation;

trans-border cultural exchange;

cultural reconnection;

digital cultural circulation.

This does not mean copying never occurs.

Rather, the research should determine which mechanism is occurring in each case.

 

28. A Four-Category Classification

The observed behaviour can be classified into four categories.

Category A — Cultural Consumption

Watching Indian content without participation.

Category B — Cultural Appreciation

Admiring Indian music, food, festivals or traditions.

Category C — Cultural Participation

Actually celebrating, reproducing or adapting cultural practices.

Category D — Identity Transformation

Explicitly changing one's cultural or national identity.

The social-media phenomenon may be substantial at Categories A–C without reaching Category D.

This distinction is crucial.

 

29. AJK/PoK: A Separate Case

Pakistan-administered Kashmir/AJK should be examined separately from Punjab.

The source material notes that political dissatisfaction in AJK/PoK has included concerns about economic conditions, governance, rights and relations with Pakistani authorities. It also notes that some voices have expressed greater openness toward India or even merger-related ideas, while cautioning against treating such voices as evidence of a region-wide identity transformation.

Therefore:

Political dissatisfaction ≠ Indian national identity.

A person can criticize a government without changing national identity.

Similarly, openness toward India does not automatically mean support for political integration.

 

30. Comparative Cultural Framework

Dimension	Indian Punjab	Pakistani Punjab	AJK/PoK
Punjabi culture	Strong	Strong	Significant
Punjabi language	Strong	Strong	Present
Basant	Present	Revived/visible	Cultural relevance
Baisakhi	Strong	Significant Sikh heritage	Significant historical relevance
Indian media exposure	High	Increasing digitally	Variable/increasing
Political identity	Indian	Pakistani	Complex
Shared historical heritage	Very high	Very high	Very high
Cross-border digital interaction	High	High	Variable/high

The comparison demonstrates that cultural similarity and political identity are separate analytical dimensions.

 

31. Case Interpretation

The case can be summarized through a simple chain:

1947

Political separation

↓

Post-1947

Cultural continuity despite political separation

↓

Internet era

Greater cross-border cultural visibility

↓

YouTube era

Direct exposure to Indian Punjabi and South Asian cultural content

↓

Gen-Z era

Rapid consumption, reinterpretation and reproduction

↓

Festival revival

Basant, Baisakhi and other cultural practices become more visible

↓

Digital nostalgia

Greater interest in pre-Partition Punjab

↓

Digital Punjabiyat

Emerging cross-border cultural consciousness

This does not necessarily mean political reunification.

 

32. Major Findings From Existing Evidence

Finding 1: There is no evidence in the available national data of mass Indian national identification.

The cited 2026 Pew evidence reports approximately 91% unfavorable and 7% favorable views of India.

Finding 2: Digital cultural circulation is nevertheless significant.

Punjabi music, food, festivals, folk traditions and historical memories circulate across the border.

Finding 3: Basant provides an important example of cultural revival.

Its Lahore revival demonstrates that a historically shared Punjabi cultural tradition can re-emerge within Pakistan.

Finding 4: Gen Z deserves separate study.

The digital environment gives younger Pakistani audiences unprecedented access to Indian and pre-Partition cultural material.

Finding 5: Festival participation has multiple meanings.

Participation can represent religion, culture, agriculture, entertainment, tourism, family tradition or historical heritage.

Finding 6: Cultural appreciation does not necessarily mean political integration.

This is the central conclusion of the study.

 

33. The Central Research Paradox

The study identifies a fascinating paradox:

High political distance

but

Increasing digital cultural proximity

In simplified form:

Political relationship

India ←→ Pakistan

= conflict and distance

while

Digital cultural environment

Indian Punjab ←→ Pakistani Punjab

= music + language + food + festivals + memories

This paradox deserves further empirical investigation.

 

34. Managerial and Social Implications

For YouTube and social-media researchers

Digital platforms are creating cultural communities that are not limited by national boundaries.

For historians

Digital media may be creating renewed interest in pre-Partition cultural history.

For educators

Punjab can be studied simultaneously through national and shared cultural frameworks.

For policymakers

Cultural interaction may provide channels for reducing social hostility even when political disputes continue.

For media organizations

YouTube comments, creator behaviour and audience engagement can provide valuable qualitative data.

For cultural institutions

Shared cultural heritage can be documented without necessarily challenging contemporary national identities.

 

35. Limitations

The study has important limitations.

YouTube audiences are not representative of the entire Pakistani population.

Viral videos may exaggerate unusual behaviour.

Algorithms create selection bias.

Commenters may include diaspora populations.

User location is not always verifiable.

Online behaviour does not necessarily represent offline behaviour.

Festival participation does not automatically represent political beliefs.

National public-opinion surveys do not directly measure YouTube-driven cultural identity.

Existing evidence cannot establish the size of the Gen-Z cultural-reconnection phenomenon.

AJK/PoK requires separate analysis because its political and constitutional circumstances differ from those of Pakistan's provinces.

These limitations are consistent with the methodological cautions in the underlying research material.

 

.

36. Pakistan Gen-Z Digital Culture Study

The present study examines the relationship between digital media exposure, cultural practices and identity among Pakistani social-media users, with particular emphasis on Generation Z (18–30 years). For comparative analysis, respondents are divided into three age groups: 18–30, 31–50 and 51 years and above.

The study focuses on the increasing exposure of Pakistani users to Indian, Punjabi and pre-Partition cultural content through digital platforms. YouTube, YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels constitute the principal digital sources considered in the study.

36.1 Sample and Age Groups

The study classifies respondents into three generational categories:

Age Group	Category	Research Focus
18–30 years	Generation Z	Digital cultural exposure and cultural adaptation
31–50 years	Middle generation	Comparative cultural exposure
51+ years	Older generation	Traditional cultural memory and identity

The comparison makes it possible to examine whether younger Pakistani users demonstrate a different pattern of cultural consumption and cultural identification from older generations.

36.2 Digital Cultural Exposure

The study examines respondents' exposure to:

Indian YouTube content;

Indian Punjabi music;

YouTube Shorts;

TikTok videos;

Instagram Reels;

Indian festival videos;

Punjabi cultural videos;

historical and pre-Partition Punjab content;

traditional food and dress;

Punjabi weddings and rituals.

The frequency of exposure is measured through structured questionnaire items and categorized into low, moderate and high exposure.

36.3 Cultural Practices Examined

The study specifically examines the visibility, recognition, consumption and participation associated with:

Basant;

Baisakhi;

Diwali;

Holi;

Sikh cultural traditions;

Hindu cultural traditions;

Punjabi weddings;

folk music;

traditional Punjabi food;

traditional dress;

Punjabi rituals;

pre-Partition cultural practices.

Particular attention is given to cases in which festivals or rituals are renamed, reinterpreted or presented through a broader Punjabi cultural framework.

36.4 Identity Variables

The research measures five major dimensions of identity:

Pakistani national identity

Punjabi cultural identity

South Asian cultural identity

Awareness of pre-Partition heritage

Attitude toward Indian culture

Political identity is measured separately from cultural identity. This distinction is essential because appreciation of Indian or Punjabi culture does not automatically indicate a change in Pakistani national identity.

36.5 Statistical Analysis

The study employs quantitative and qualitative analytical techniques to examine relationships among digital exposure, cultural participation and identity.

The principal statistical techniques are:

Cronbach's alpha for reliability of the measurement scale;

Factor analysis for identifying underlying dimensions of cultural reconnection;

Chi-square test for relationships between categorical variables;

Independent-samples t-test for comparison between two groups;

One-way ANOVA for comparison among the three age groups;

Pearson correlation for relationships between continuous/scale variables;

Spearman rank correlation for ordinal relationships;

Multiple regression for examining predictors of cultural reconnection;

Logistic regression for analysing categorical identity outcomes;

Sentiment analysis for YouTube and social-media comments;

Thematic coding for identifying recurring cultural and identity themes;

Cluster analysis for identifying groups of users with similar patterns of digital cultural behaviour.

The statistical framework allows the study to move beyond individual viral videos and examine whether the observed cultural phenomenon represents a broader generational pattern.

 

37. Digital Cultural Reconnection Index (DCRI)

To measure the extent of digital cultural reconnection, the study develops a Digital Cultural Reconnection Index (DCRI).

The DCRI combines multiple dimensions of digital exposure, cultural participation, historical awareness and identity.

37.1 Components of the DCRI

Dimension	Measurement
Indian cultural-content exposure	Frequency of viewing Indian cultural content
Punjabi-content exposure	Frequency of viewing Punjabi cultural content
Festival-video consumption	Frequency of watching festival-related videos
Festival participation	Participation in cultural/festival activities
Ritual participation	Participation in or adaptation of cultural rituals
Pre-Partition awareness	Knowledge of shared pre-1947 heritage
Shared-heritage perception	Agreement that Indian and Pakistani Punjabis share cultural roots
Punjabi cultural identification	Strength of Punjabi cultural identity
Cultural openness	Acceptance of cultural practices from across the border
Cross-border cultural interaction	Digital interaction with Indian/Punjabi cultural content

Each dimension is measured using standardized questionnaire items. The individual scores are combined to produce an overall DCRI score.

37.2 Interpretation of the DCRI

A higher DCRI indicates stronger digital cultural reconnection, while a lower DCRI indicates limited exposure or identification with shared cultural traditions.

The index does not measure whether a respondent is becoming Indian.

Instead, it measures the extent to which an individual:

encounters Indian and Punjabi cultural content;

recognizes shared cultural traditions;

participates in festivals and rituals;

identifies with Punjabi heritage;

recognizes pre-Partition cultural connections;

interacts with cross-border cultural material.

This distinction makes the DCRI an indicator of cultural reconnection rather than political integration.

37.3 Generational Comparison

The DCRI is compared across:

Generation Z (18–30)
Middle generation (31–50)
Older generation (51+)

The comparison determines whether the level of digital cultural reconnection differs significantly among generations.

A one-way ANOVA is used to examine whether the mean DCRI scores differ across the three age groups.

Where significant differences are identified, post-hoc comparisons can determine which age groups differ from each other.

37.4 Regional Comparison

The DCRI is also examined across geographical groups, particularly:

Pakistani Punjab;

AJK/PoK;

other regions of Pakistan.

This regional comparison is important because cultural proximity, historical experience, linguistic patterns and political circumstances differ across these areas.

37.5 DCRI and Identity

The study separately examines the relationship between DCRI and:

Punjabi cultural identity

Pakistani national identity

South Asian cultural identity

Indian cultural appreciation

Political attitude toward India

This enables the research to determine whether digital cultural reconnection is primarily a cultural phenomenon or whether it is also associated with broader changes in political identity.

37.6 Conceptual Interpretation

The DCRI therefore captures the following process:

Digital exposure

↓

Cultural familiarity

↓

Festival and ritual awareness

↓

Cultural participation/adaptation

↓

Recognition of shared heritage

↓

Punjabi cultural identification

↓

Digital Cultural Reconnection

The final stage does not automatically imply:

Political identification with India

The study consequently treats cultural identity and national identity as separate but potentially interacting dimensions.

37.7 Research Significance

The DCRI converts an observable social-media phenomenon into a measurable research construct. It provides a structured method for determining whether Pakistani Gen-Z users are merely consuming Indian cultural entertainment or are developing a stronger awareness of shared Punjabi and pre-Partition cultural heritage.

The index also enables systematic comparison between generations and regions and provides a basis for examining the relationship between digital media exposure, cultural practices and identity formation.

In this framework, the central phenomenon is described as Digital Punjabiyat—the digitally mediated rediscovery, consumption and reinterpretation of Punjabi cultural traditions across the India–Pakistan boundary.

 

38. Expected Theoretical Contribution

The study contributes to the literature by proposing that national and cultural boundaries do not always coincide.

The political border can remain stable while the digital cultural boundary becomes increasingly fluid.

The research therefore proposes:

Political borders separate states; digital networks can reconnect cultures.

This does not eliminate national identity.

Instead, it can create an additional layer of identity.

 

39. Conclusion

The statement that “Pakistanis are now becoming Indian” is too broad to be supported by the evidence presently available.

The national-level public-opinion evidence cited in this study points in the opposite direction, with approximately 91% of Pakistani adults expressing an unfavorable view of India and only 7% a favorable view.

However, this does not mean that the cultural phenomenon visible on YouTube and other social-media platforms should be dismissed.

A different and potentially important transformation may be taking place.

Young Pakistani users—particularly digitally connected Generation Z—are increasingly exposed to:

Indian Punjabi music;

Punjabi food;

festivals;

traditional clothing;

folk culture;

Bhangra;

Baisakhi;

Basant;

Hindu and Sikh cultural traditions;

historical narratives;

memories of pre-Partition Punjab.

Some users may simply consume this content.

Others may appreciate it.

Some may reproduce or adapt the practices.

Others may reinterpret or rename them in a contemporary Pakistani or Punjabi context.

The most significant question is therefore not:

“Are Pakistanis becoming Indians?”

but:

“Is Pakistan's Gen Z rediscovering a cultural heritage that existed before the India–Pakistan political boundary?”

The available evidence supports the possibility of digital cultural reconnection, but does not establish a nationwide transformation of national identity.

The emerging phenomenon can therefore be conceptualized as:

DIGITAL PUNJABIYAT

A Pakistani young person can simultaneously be:

Pakistani by nationality,

Punjabi by regional culture,

connected to pre-Partition heritage,

and

a consumer of Indian digital culture.

These identities do not necessarily contradict one another.

The real significance of YouTube may therefore lie not in creating Indians out of Pakistanis, but in making historical cultural connections visible again to a generation that did not experience Partition.

In this sense, the digital generation may be returning culturally to the roots without necessarily returning politically to the past.

The political border established in 1947 remains.

But the cultural conversation across that border is increasingly digital, immediate and generational.

That tension between political separation and cultural reconnection represents the central research opportunity of this case.

 

40. Final Research Proposition

The most academically defensible proposition emerging from the study is:

“Pakistan's Gen Z is not necessarily shifting its national identity toward India; rather, digitally connected sections of the generation may be rediscovering, reproducing and reinterpreting shared Punjabi and pre-Partition cultural traditions through YouTube and other social-media platforms.”

The distinction is crucial.

It is not necessarily:

Pakistan → India

It may instead be:

Pakistan → Punjabiyat → Shared Heritage → Digital Cultural Reconnection

The next empirical challenge is to determine how large this phenomenon actually is, whether it is concentrated among Gen Z, which festivals and rituals are most affected, why terminology is being changed or adapted, and whether cultural reconnection eventually influences attitudes toward India.

That is a measurable research problem—and potentially a significant new area of study in digital culture, South Asian studies, generational identity and cross-border cultural communication.