Weaponized Synthetic Media: AI-Generated Disinformation, Deepfakes, and Electoral Integrity in Pakistan's 2024 General Election

Abstract

This article examines the role of artificial intelligence generated disinformation, deepfakes, and bot amplified narratives in shaping electoral discourse during Pakistan's 2024 general election. Drawing on secondary sources, news reporting, and existing scholarship, the study documents a striking pattern in which the imprisoned Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf leader Imran Khan's party used disclosed AI generated video and audio to mobilize supporters, while unidentified actors simultaneously deployed fabricated deepfake audio and video falsely attributed to Khan and his associates to suppress voter turnout through false boycott calls. The analysis situates these findings within computational propaganda theory, the concept of epistemic security, and institutionalist approaches to regulatory capacity, arguing that Pakistan's weak legal framework and its decision to suspend internet and mobile services on election day compounded the harms of synthetic disinformation. The study finds that Pakistan currently lacks any regulatory mechanism specifically addressing AI generated political content, relying instead on ill suited defamation law. It concludes with policy recommendations for the Election Commission of Pakistan, legislative reform, and civil society collaboration to safeguard electoral integrity against future AI driven manipulation.