The viral “Cockroach Janta Party” trend, which first emerged in India, has now crossed borders and found a growing presence in Pakistan. According to NDTV reports, several Pakistan-based versions of the movement have surfaced online under names such as Cockroach Awami Party, Cockroach Awami League, and Muttahida Cockroach Movement.
One of the Instagram bios for the Cockroach Awami Party reads, “A political front of the youth, by the youth, for Pakistan”.
As reported by NDTV, the logos of these Pakistani pages closely resemble the branding of the Indian Cockroach Janta Party, but with a green-and-white colour palette.
The shift in colours appears to position the movement as an alternative to Pakistan’s mainstream political parties, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
NDTV further reported that India’s Cockroach Janta Party was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old Indian student currently studying at Boston University.
Dipke had previously worked with Aam Aadmi Party as a political communications strategist. The Indian version of the movement reportedly also has its own manifesto and official website.
In contrast, the Pakistani adaptations of the movement appear to be far more decentralised. NDTV states that multiple independent creators in Pakistan have launched their own versions of the Cockroach-themed political pages rather than operating under one unified organisation.
The movement began after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant compared unemployed youth and activists to “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a Supreme Court hearing.
“There are youngsters like cockroaches, they don't get any employment, they don't have any place in profession,” Kant said. He later clarified that the remark was directed at individuals entering professions using fake degrees.
Although the Cockroach Janta Party is not an officially registered political party, NDTV reports that the movement has already gained massive traction online, amassing more than 20 million Instagram followers in under a week.