Political Advertising in General Elections: A Comparative Analysis of Mainstream Political Parties of Pakistan

This study examines the impact of political advertising on voter behaviour among Islamabad based university students, focusing on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). Using a structured questionnaire with 220 respondents selected through stratified random sampling, the research evaluates the effectiveness of traditional (television, print, radio) and digital (social media, YouTube, WhatsApp) platforms. Data analysis through SPSS employed descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and regression analysis. Results reveal that digital media exerts a significant influence on younger voters (18–35), with PTI receiving the highest credibility and emotional appeal, while traditional media remains more impactful among older demographics, benefiting PML-N. PPP’s advertising showed comparatively weaker effectiveness. Overall, the findings highlight a generational divide in media influence and the growing importance of digital strategies in political communication within Islamabad’s university context.