Islamabad: In the wake of the devastating Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives and injured over 20, social media platforms like X and Instagram have become a space for Pakistani netizens to express their frustration and disillusionment with their own government. Rather than focusing solely on the tragedy, many users have resorted to self-deprecating humour and biting sarcasm, reflecting a deep sense of despair about their country’s socio-economic and political state.
One user, @namaloomafraaad, took the self-mockery further, posting on X, “the funniest shit is, there is absolutely nothing india can threaten us with that we aren’t already suffering from at the hands of our gov. pani rok lou ge? wese hi nahi aata maar dou ge? humari gov maar hi rahi hai lahore le lou ge? le lo adhay ghantay baad khud wapis ker jaoge,” which translates to, “Stop the water? We don’t get it anyway. Kill us? Our government is already killing us. Take Lahore? Take it, you’ll return it in half an hour.”
These Pak people are roasting themselves on a different level 😭 pic.twitter.com/ckAA4F2So1
— Phunsuk Wangdu (@Phunsukwangduji) April 25, 2025
Economic struggles were a recurring theme in the posts. User @AkramaMianoor shared, “Jung karni ho to 9 baje se pehle karlena 9:15 per gas chali jati hai hamari,” meaning, “If you want to fight, do it before 9 PM, our gas shuts off at 9:15.” The reply from @ThisisOshaz, “Don’t give them more lame jokes. Aata, paani, bheek and now gas,” added to the lament, listing the basic necessities—flour, water, aid, and now gas—that many Pakistanis struggle to access
The dark humor extended to absurd scenarios, as seen in a post by @erumasiff, who wrote, “Dear Indians Karachi per hamla karna ho to mobile phones India may he chor kar aana,” translating to, “Dear Indians, if you attack Karachi, leave your mobile phones in India.” The comment, liked by 4.8K users, reflects a satirical take on the perceived disparity between the two nations, with Pakistanis joking about their lack of resources.
Some posts took a more provocative tone. @ohnoanywayy shared an image of a man on a bicycle fashioned to look like a fighter jet, complete with green flags, captioning it, “You’ll be dealt accordingly.” The image, paired with a response from @Warlock_S, “It’s time to use these monsters modiji #PahalgamTerroristAttack,” juxtaposed the absurdity of the “jet” with a call for Indian retaliation, highlighting the surreal nature of the online discourse.
