So here we are again, with Pakistan’s police firing tear gas on supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Rawalpindi. An earnest showdown between the people and an increasingly authoritarian regime. But do you see this being covered extensively by CNN, The New York Times, or your other mainstream fare? Not a chance. Instead, they’re too busy fluffing up the status quo, citing “law and order” without any context.

Let’s unpack this. The media love to paint Khan’s backers as rabble-rousers, neglecting that they’re simply fighting for their democratic rights. In the establishment’s eyes, any challenge to political correctness—or in this case, political oppression—is just chaos that needs to be quelled. You can bet your bottom dollar that if this were happening in a Western context, the same networks would have a different narrative altogether, calling it a “pro-democracy movement.” But here, it’s a blatant disregard for citizens’ rights—the hypocrisy is deafening.

Often characterized as “populist,” Khan’s support isn’t merely a trend; it reflects the frustrations of a populace fed up with corrupt leadership. Mainstream media selectively frames dissent in developing nations as something less than legitimate, while celebrating it in democratic contexts, revealing their true biases. So hold on tight, because if you think we’re seeing the full story here, think again. The narrative is dictated by who’s in power and whose side the media chooses to play.