In a world increasingly polarized by power, privilege, and propaganda, two young political figures—Zohran Mamdani in the United States and Suhail Afridi in Pakistan—are emerging as the faces of a new, defiant leadership of the Global South. Their stories, though separated by continents and contexts, are bound by a shared spirit of resistance, humility, and hope. Both men, barely in their thirties, are challenging entrenched establishments backed, directly or indirectly, by the same global power centers—and, perhaps most symbolically, by the political legacy of Donald Trump.

In Queens, New York, Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and member of the New York State Assembly, has become a lightning rod for America’s progressive awakening. Son of immigrants, Mamdani represents a new generation of Americans unafraid to speak truth to power. His politics cut against the grain of Washington’s entrenched corporate and military interests, especially his outspoken criticism of U.S. foreign policy and its unwavering support for Israel. In doing so, he has ignited fierce loyalty among young, justice-minded voters—and equally fierce opposition from powerful lobbies that see him as a threat to the status quo.

Read more: Trump, Tel Aviv, and Rawalpindi: The Generals’ Desperate Gamble to Stop Imran Khan

Thousands of miles away in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Suhail Afridi has risen through the ranks of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)—the populist movement founded by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. A son of the tribal belt, Afridi’s journey from the rugged terrain of Khyber to the Chief Minister’s office represents not just personal triumph but a broader political awakening in Pakistan’s peripheries. Like Mamdani, Afridi finds himself pitted against an establishment that has long dominated national politics through the nexus of military,........

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