“Cockroach Party Pakistan” Emerges Online, Inspired by India’s CJP — But at What Risk?

Similar to the “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP) that made headlines in India, a new online political group calling itself the “Cockroach Party Pakistan” (CPP) has now emerged in Pakistan. Rapidly gaining popularity on social media, this group already has over 112,000 followers on Instagram. Describing themselves as representatives of the youth and ordinary citizens, this novel group is raising its voice against corruption and dynastic politics in the country.
This “Cockroach Party Pakistan,” which has sparked fresh debate in Pakistan, is reportedly being started by a young man named Salman Tarar who is studying in New York. According to the Instagram account details, the account was created in May and is being run from Canada, and it has recently received a verified badge (blue tick). Building a digital movement on social media to voice protest has now become a topic of discussion among Pakistan’s ruling circles.
This political group states that its main goal is to establish better governance and a transparent political system in Pakistan. It makes clear that Pakistan does not belong solely to corrupt mafias, but to the ordinary people who live there. Through its posts and demands, it is calling out government failures and attempting to draw the youth to its side.
The party has incorporated several key public issues into its manifesto. These primarily include taking strict action against corruption, opposing dynastic politics and VIP culture, creating employment opportunities for the youth, bringing reforms to the education sector, resolving the persistent power (energy) crisis and severe water shortage problems, and achieving economic and political stability in the country.
Beyond just Pakistan’s domestic issues, this group has also been consistently speaking out on social media about the repression taking place in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) and the hardships faced by the people living there. Notably, to further advance this online movement, the group is also inviting applications from interested candidates for various political and organizational positions within its ranks.
Reacting to the ongoing CJP campaign in India, Pakistani youth have commented that it is only because of the democratic environment in India that such satirical, novel protests are possible, and that attempting something similar in Pakistan would be extremely dangerous. They noted that those who protest there would face legal action or other severe consequences. Against this backdrop, whether this Cockroach Party Pakistan — which is becoming immensely popular on social media — has genuine public support, and whether it will grow into a full-fledged political force in the future, remains to be seen.