Journal for Social Science Archives

Fiscal Policy Asymmetries, Government Effectiveness, and Political Stability in Pakistan: A NARDL Analysis

2026-01-17T16:34:59+00:00

The current study attempted to explore the asymmetric effects of fiscal policy and macroeconomic variables on political stability (PS) in Pakistan using annual data from 1999 to 2022. The Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) econometric structure is employed to capture potential asymmetries arising from positive and negative changes in tax revenue and government expenditure. Long run results disclosed a strong asymmetry in fiscal behavior. Positive tax revenue shocks significantly augment political stability, while negative shocks bring into play a weaker consequence, specifying that revenue expansions are more effective than contractions. Expenditure increases are insignificant in the long run, whereas expenditure depletion significantly improve PS, spotlighting the role of fiscal consolidation. Government effectiveness positively and strongly influences PS, while inflation shows a positive effect. Economic growth is weakly positive, whereas foreign direct investment negatively affects political stability. Short run dynamics confirm asymmetric revenue effects, with rapid adjustment toward long run equilibrium.

To Explore the Utilization of Information Communication Technology in Higher Education: Current Trends, Challenges and Potential Solutions

2026-01-17T16:46:11+00:00

The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has emerged as a major force for change in higher education, affecting teaching, learning, and institutional practices. This paper examines the current trends in the use of ICT in higher education institutions, the challenges that the faculty and students are currently facing, and the possible solutions for effective implementation. By adopting a mixed-methods approach to research, data was gathered using surveys and interviews from faculty members and students of selected higher education institutions. The results indicate that learning management systems, digital libraries, online collaboration tools, and multimedia resources are increasingly being used to improve teaching and learning practices. However, challenges such as a lack of infrastructure, a lack of digital literacy, resistance to change, and a lack of institutional support are some of the factors that are impeding the effective use of ICT. Solutions such as continuous professional development, improved technological infrastructure, institutional policies, and increased investment are proposed to address the challenges. The purpose the study was to explore the current practices,challenges and remedies of ICT integration in higher education institutes. This study aimed to explore the practices, challenges and solutions at SBBU,SBA. The qualitative approach with case study design. The department of education was taken as the population and 30 students of M.phil (edu) was selected as sample. Data was collected by focus group method, interviews and observation. Thematic analysis was applied to identify patterns and identify themes related to ICT integration.

Analysing the Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in English Language Learning

2026-01-19T06:57:06+00:00

This research investigates the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in undergraduate students studying English as a second language. Using a quantitative descriptive approach, data were collected from 78 college students via a questionnaire based on the Language Learning Orientation Scale (LLOS). The findings show that extrinsic motivation, including academic requirements, career motivations, scholarships, and extrinsic rewards, plays a dominant role in influencing students' motivation to learn English. Students view English competence as an integral component of achieving long-term goals such as employment, further education, and opportunities abroad. Although some of the participants were intrinsically motivated, for example, enjoyment of language and intercultural communication, these had less impact compared to the extrinsic ones. No gender-based analysis was undertaken, thus ruling out conclusions about motivational differences between male and female students. The results indicate that English language programs should align instructional strategies with students’ academic and career goals and use engaging interest-based learning practices to heighten intrinsic motivation. Inferential gender-based analysis should be conducted in future research to better understand motivational differences. In general, the research highlights the great influence of extrinsic motivation on English language study by undergraduate learners.

Dynamic Capabilities: Amplifying the Effects of Green Transformational Leadership on Corporate Environmental Performance

2026-01-19T15:55:44+00:00

Purpose – This study aims to understand how dynamic capability (DC) mediates the connection between green transformational leadership (GTL) and corporate environmental performance (CEP).

Design/methodology/approach – To achieve this, we collected data from 300 participants in 90 SMEs in Pakistan. Our research employed a quantitative method, specifically structural equation modelling (SEM) with AMOS, to investigate the relationship among the latent variables (i.e. GTP, DC and CEP).

Findings – This paper provides evidence of a mediating effect of dynamic capability on green transformational leadership and corporate environmental performance. In line with previous literature, it suggests that DC practices are important for the firm's CEP. In addition, DC positively mediates the relationship between GTL and CEP.

Research limitations/implications – While the relationship between GTL and CEP warrants further study, especially in the context of moderating impacts of organizational characteristics such as collaborative culture, the findings of this research have significant practical implications. Understanding the mediating role of DC can help organizations leverage their leadership and dynamic capabilities to enhance their environmental performance.

Originality/value – This paper significantly contributes to the literature by providing a deeper understanding of the association between GTP practices and a firm's CEP. The unique aspect of this study is the examination of the mediating role of DCP, which adds a new dimension to the existing body of knowledge.

Exploring the Effect of Knowledge and Leadership on Firm Performance in RMG Sector of Bangladesh

2026-01-19T16:06:14+00:00

The Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector is a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s economy, contributing significantly to employment and export earnings. This study investigates the connection between Knowledge Management Practices (KMP), Transformational Leadership (TL), and Employee Learning Ability (ELA) in driving Firm Performance (FP) within the RMG industry. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), data from 145 RMG firms were analyzed to explore how KMP and TL influence FP, with ELA acting as a mediator. The findings reveal that KMP and TL significantly enhance FP, with ELA playing a significant mediating role. Specifically, KMP positively impacts FP and ELA, while TL directly boosts both FP and ELA. ELA, in turn, strongly influences FP, highlighting its role as a bridge between KMP, TL, and FP. These results align with the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, emphasizing the strategic importance of internal resources like knowledge, leadership, and employee capabilities in achieving competitive advantage. The study underscores the need for RMG firms to invest in KMP and TL to adopt a culture of continuous learning and innovation, thereby enhancing organizational performance. By addressing gaps in existing literature, this research provides actionable insights for RMG firms aiming to navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving global market.

Cross-Cultural Pragmatics in Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight

2026-01-21T16:27:17+00:00

This research examines how intercultural communication unfolds in the animated series Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (2022), focusing on the pragmatic processes that corroborate meaning-making across cultural boundaries. Drawing on István Kecskes’ (2013) Intercultural Pragmatics as a socio-cognitive framework, the study investigates how both shared and personally internalized cultural knowledge influences character interaction as well as communicative strategies and interpretation in a dynamic intercultural setting. Employing Conversation Analysis to examine selected scenes, this research identifies how speech acts, politeness strategies, turn-taking, repair sequences, and implicit assumptions navigate intercultural negotiation. The findings suggest that the series serves not only as a source of entertainment but also as a platform for the co-construction of meaning, cultural adaptation, and identity negotiation. Therefore, the research highlights the importance of context, salience, and prior experience in fostering intercultural understanding.

The Phygital Transformation: A Systematic Review

2026-01-22T18:05:55+00:00

This study provides an extensive review of phygital transformation the strategic integration of physical and digital experiences to enhance customer engagement and business performance. Through a descriptive and exploratory analysis of existing literature, industry reports, and case studies, the paper investigates the evolution, benefits, challenges, and future prospects of phygital transformation across sectors such as retail, banking, healthcare, and entertainment. The findings highlight that technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), and the Internet of Things (IoT) are central to creating seamless, personalized, and interactive customer experiences. Case studies of Nike and Amazon demonstrate how effective phygital strategies can strengthen brand loyalty, streamline customer journeys, and improve operational efficiency. The research further emphasizes that while phygital transformation provides substantial competitive advantages, businesses face obstacles including high implementation costs, technological compatibility issues, and customer adaptation challenges. Moreover, the study identifies key success factors such as data-driven personalization, integration of digital tools with physical touchpoints, and consistent omnichannel strategies. Looking forward, advancements in AI, blockchain, and immersive technologies are expected to redefine the phygital landscape, offering new avenues for innovation and customer connectivity. Ultimately, this paper concludes that phygital transformation is not merely a marketing trend but a pivotal paradigm shift in modern business strategy, shaping the future of consumer engagement and redefining the relationship between brands and their customers in the digital era.

Investigating L2 Learners’ Perceptions on the Role of Captions in Facilitating L2 Incidental Vocabulary Learning

2026-01-22T18:13:17+00:00

This study explores how L2 learners view captions' contribution to incidental vocabulary learning in a university context. Even though captioned videos are becoming more and more popular in language learning, learners' attitudes and experiences with captions in vocabulary acquisition still need to be understood. This qualitative study investigates the difficulties L2 learners have when utilizing captions for vocabulary development, their preferences for captioning styles, and their opinions of the efficacy of captions. The objective was to explore how captions in audiovisual content impact learners' vocabulary development. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected through an online questionnaire from 26 participants at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University. The results show that students view captions as a useful aid for learning vocabulary, pointing to advantages like better understanding, more vocabulary retention, and increased engagement. But students also mentioned difficulties, such as cognitive overload and captioning style issues. The study emphasizes how crucial it is to take learners' viewpoints into account while creating and implementing captioned video content. According to the results, captions can be a useful aid for learning L2 vocabulary, but how well they work depends on a number of variables, including individual learner variations, video content, and captioning style. For language teachers, content creators, and academics looking to maximize the use of captions in L2 vocabulary development, this study has ramifications.

Sustainability Marketing in the Fashion Industry: How brands are leveraging Eco _ Friendly Practices to Build Consumer Trust and Drive Profit

2026-01-22T18:22:28+00:00

Sustainability is a major shift that is occurring in the fashion industry whereby consumers, businesses, and policymakers are now focusing on this subject. Growing environmental degradation, unethical production processes and excessive wastes have forced the fashion brands to resort to strategic marketing to sustainability as its strategy. This paper will analyze how sustainability in fashion marketing, especially, the use of eco-friendly activities, can help in creating customer confidence and profitability. The study examines how consumers view sustainability marketing and how green practices affect the development of trust, as well as to what extent sustainability-based branding has positive effects on business-related profitability indicators like brand loyalty, readiness to spend higher prices, and intentions to repurchase products. A quantitative research design was adopted and survey data was used in analyzing the sampled fashion consumers who are aware of sustainability efforts done by fashion brands. The results indicate that sustainability marketing gains strong brand image, and it has a positive impact on consumer attitudes. Transparency, ethical sourcing, and environmental responsibility were also discovered to be strong predictors of consumer trust, which are eco-friendly practices. Further, the findings show that sustainability marketing can significantly influence the profitability by ensuring consumer loyalty and repeat buying behavior, which in turn promotes long-term financial performance. The paper can conclude that marketing sustainability is not a symbolic or ethical project but rather a business strategy that enhances consumer relations and financial results. When fashion companies combine genuine environmental sustainable practices in marketing and business operations, it can offer a competitive advantage, increase trust and long term profitability. The paper provides a practical value to fashion marketers who want to achieve environmental responsibility and commercial success in one.

Institutional Factors Influencing the Use of the Information Processing Model in Digital Learning Environment

2026-01-23T16:49:12+00:00

The study's significance offers policymakers and school administrators insights into how institutional variables, teacher preparedness, and attitude affect the efficient utilization of the information. Using a cross-sectional survey method to gather information from teachers, a quantitative research strategy was used to standardize the adopted surveys. Higher secondary public school instructors, both male and female, made up the study's participants. Selecting participants from the desired population, use a random sampling procedure. The study's sample size was 289, and 205 were answered. The result reveals that the relationship between Institutional Factor and the Information Processing in Digital Learning construct were significantly positive. The finding suggest that Information processing is positively impacted by institutional and support-related aspects, as seen by Student Succeeds best explanatory power among the sub-variables, which is closely followed by Practices Support and Institutional Culture. The Recommendations are suggested to improve the use of the Information Processing Model (IPM) in digital learning contexts. The fundamental setting required for efficient information processing, policymakers should first promote a positive institutional culture that prioritizes digital innovation, teamwork, and open communication. Additionally, Future research could examine (Higher order thinking) HOT variables that potentially impact digital learning outcomes in order to better understand the dynamics of IPM deployment.

Uses of TikTok and the Rise of Rural Influencers in Pakistan

2026-01-25T06:02:50+00:00

The study discusses emergence of rural Tik Tok influencers in Pakistan as a cultural performer, social negotiator and economic players in online industry. Despite the increasing global scholarly attention to the short-video sites and platforms, very little has been done regarding studying rural creators, especially in South Asia. The article was a qualitative exploratory paper based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and the Social Identity Theory (SIT) and identified inductive thematic content analysis of 200 publicly accessible videos by 20 rural influencers. The analysis findings indicated that seven emergent themes exist, namely, folk music and oral traditions, patriotic and religious symbolism, redefinition of gender roles, disability and resilience, migration aspirations, social stigma and moral policing, and economic mobility through informal advertising. These issues elicit enabling and restrictive dynamics of digital interaction. On the positive side, the affected people retained some cultural heritage, improved visibility, experimented on identity and also ventured in small-scale livelihoods. They were mocked, bullied, policed on morality according to their gender and driven down to economic insecurity. Findings are positive as Tik Tok is being used as a cultural repository and a contested field where the empowerment and marginalization co-exist. The study expands on UGT and SIT by demonstrating how the two can be used to explain the cases of entertainment, recognition, and making identity, yet also demonstrates their lack when it comes to explaining stigma and structural inequalities. Practically, the project shows the need to be digitally inclusive, safeguard women, and establish economic projects at the grassroots to empower rural creators. Overall, the article helps the advancement of the scholarly knowledge of the rural influencer culture in Pakistan since it locates the Tik Tok platform as the location, where the culture, identity, and economy meet in multifaceted forms.

Trade-Based Money Laundering: A Study of Pakistan's Vulnerability and Regulatory Response

2026-01-25T15:33:46+00:00

Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) represents one of the most complex and pervasive methods of disguising illicit proceeds through international trade transactions. In Pakistan, a country heavily reliant on international trade, substantial remittances, and a large informal economy, TBML poses significant risks to financial integrity and national security. This study examines Pakistan’s vulnerability to TBML, focusing on prevalent techniques such as over- and under-invoicing of goods, multiple invoicing, phantom shipments, black market peso exchange mechanisms, and the misuse of free trade zones and export rebate schemes. It analyzes key risk factors, including porous borders, weak customs valuation controls, limited inter-agency coordination, cash-based settlements in certain sectors, and the rapid growth of digital trade platforms. The research evaluates Pakistan’s regulatory response, including amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, State Bank of Pakistan guidelines on trade finance, Federal Board of Revenue’s customs valuation and post-clearance audit frameworks, and alignment with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations following Pakistan’s Grey List exit in 2022. Despite notable legislative and institutional progress, persistent implementation gaps, resource constraints in customs and border agencies, and inadequate use of trade data analytics continue to undermine effectiveness. The paper concludes that strengthening risk-based supervision, enhancing inter-agency information sharing, adopting advanced trade transaction monitoring tools, and improving international cooperation are essential to mitigate TBML risks. This analysis contributes to a deeper understanding of TBML dynamics in trade-dependent developing economies and offers targeted policy recommendations to bolster Pakistan’s defenses against trade-related illicit finance.

China-India Bilateral Rivalry: A Study of Competitive Approaches in Conflict Dynamics

2026-01-26T11:24:07+00:00

This study examines the China-India bilateral rivalry through multiple lenses: competitive dynamics, strategic interests, and geopolitical tensions. It analyzes Sino-Indian competition in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, where India seeks to secure maritime interests amid China's expanding influence. China's ambitions in the Indian Ocean contrast with India's aspirations, sparking a contest for regional dominance. The research also explores India's strategic engagement in the South China Sea, China's assertive claims, and the impact of US involvement on Sino-Indian relations. Additionally, it addresses persistent boundary disputes and the Dalai Lama's role in shaping China-India affairs. By examining these dimensions, this research offers insights into the evolving rivalry's implications for regional stability and global geopolitics.

The Sacred Feminine in Early Indian Art: A Case Study of Proportion and Iconography at Ajanta

2026-01-30T05:43:01+00:00

This paper analyses the idealized female figures in the Ajanta murals through a combined study of proportion, iconography, and visual convention. It argues that the artists follow codified aesthetic canons, such as the seven-headed proportional system, regulations of ratios for the facial and thoracic proportions, and the Tribhanga posture, rather than a naturalistic depiction. The textual authorities, such as the Vishnudharmottara Purana, follow the path of feminine iconography development through the aniconic Bharhut and Sanchi stupa forms, the Kushan and Gupta innovations, to the Mahayana peak of iconography at Ajanta. The paper challenges modern interpretations that conflate the nudity of women at Ajanta with references to deity or heavenly figures, fertility and approved standards of beauty and are more about sanctity than eroticism. The Cave 16 is focused around the mural of the Dying Princess, which is an example of such mastery of composition, curvilinear lines, and perspective depth with a strong sense of pathos. The paper emphasised that the Ajanta artist incorporated visual language for the cultural, proportional, and symbolic conventions to redefine the female figure as a spiritual and philosophical meaning.

Climate Change through the Lens of Global Political Economy and Capitalism

2026-01-30T05:57:19+00:00

This study analyzes the interconnection between the Climate Change, Global Political Economy (GPE) and Capitalism. Capitalists are the major drivers of degradation of eco-systems. The roots of climate change trace back to the Industrial Revolution when industries were developed and were totally dependent on fossil fuels. This paper analyzes how capitalists contributed to carbon and green-house gas emissions that support the Global North in financial growth while Global South contributes less, and they are facing the severe consequences most. They are facing the worst droughts, floods, and food insecurity. This paper also examines how capitalists exploit nature and extract resources for their profit.

Integration of Chronotherapy with Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Study

2026-01-31T15:39:22+00:00

This study explored the efficacy of chronotherapy combined with the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. An experimental design was applied with the sample size of N=30 participants. The participants were selected from the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province. Generalized anxiety disorder-7 scale Urdu and DSM-5-TR was used to assess the participant’s symptoms of Generalized Anxiety disorder. Firstly, the pre and post-test was tested for the C-REBT (chronotherapy and REBT) and REBT. The results showed that both were significant difference in reducing the anxiety symptoms in pre and post assessment. Findings suggested that C-REBT (chronotherapy and REBT) therapy has significant effect in alleviating the anxiety symptoms as compared to using REBT alone. The study endorsed the multifaceted psychological intervention strategies. Moreover, the study promoted the ideology of better management of mental health issues disorders tailored as per the needs of individuals and promote better mental health services in the under-represented areas of Pakistan.

Living Together, Clashing Apart: Demographic Factors Predicting Intra-Group Conflict among Hostelized Students

2026-02-05T05:40:56+00:00

The current research examined the predictive effects of various demographic variables on intra-group conflict among university students, residing in university hostels. The researchers used a cross-sectional research design and randomly selected 200 undergraduate and graduate students (age 19 above) for this convenient sampling technique was used. The researchers used Jehn (1995) scale to collect data on intragroup conflict and the data were analyzed using Neural Network analysis via SPSS v.25. Results of the normalized importance value for Age (100%) and Education Level (84.2%) were the most significant demographic factors contributing to conflict variance, followed by Duration of Stay at Hostel (42.0%), Gender (25.3%), and finally Residence Type (Urban vs. Rural), which was least predictive (5.6%) of conflict. These findings indicate dominance of developmental maturity and education levels in shaping intragroup conflicts.

Metacognition and Intrinsic Motivation as Predictor of Academic Success and Mental Health in University Students

2026-02-05T06:31:32+00:00

This study examines the connection between, metacognition, intrinsic motivation, academic achievement and mental health among university students. It is proposed to establish the role of metacognitive awareness and intrinsic motivation as predictors of academic performance and mental health. The sample size comprised of 270 students of the university and data were collected using a quantitative study method by administering self-administered questionnaires on metacognition, intrinsic motivation, academic achievement (GPA), and mental health (DASS scores). The results indicated that there were very strong positive relationships between the metacognitive awareness and success in academics, between the intrinsic motivation and the academic success and mental wellbeing. Moreover, the results of a regression analysis indicated that metacognitive awareness and intrinsic motivation were significant predictors of academic success and that mental health mediated the relationships between metacognitive awareness and intrinsic motivation, respectively. The paper demonstrates the significance of developing metacognitive abilities and intrinsic motivation in learning institutions to improve academic achievement and promote mental health.

Exploring Organizational Justice on Employees’ Commitment through the Mediating Role of Soft Skills: A Case of the Banking Sector in the Eastern Zone of Afghanistan

2026-02-06T19:15:48+00:00

This study focuses on the banking sector of the Eastern Zone of Afghanistan regarding the influence of organizational justice and employee commitment on the banking sector, especially the mediation role of soft skills. The author, through Social Exchange and Emotional Intelligence Theory, attempts to justify_ how the employee demonstrates justice and how the emotional and interpersonal skills responses are committed to the organization through the 느. Organizational justice is understood through the relations of distributive, procedural, interactional, and informational justice, and soft skills, in this study, are defined as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. The author chose the quantitative, cross-sectional, and primary data collection research method. The author conducted the study using a structured questionnaire on a sample of 200 workers in the public and private banking sectors. The study achieved a 100 percent response rate, which enhances the findings' dependability. Then, the author used SPSS to analyze data and also used it to establish the indirect effect of organizational justice on employee commitment through soft skills. The impact of organizational justice and employee commitment. Soft skills do act as significant mediators as organizational practices regarded as fair enhance problem-solving and interpersonal skills that convert perceptions of fairness into affective, continuance, and normative commitment. Essentially, organizational justice cultivates employee commitment, but only when the employee possesses soft skills. This study is one of the few, if not the only, studies that have attempted to integrate emotional intelligence and organizational justice, especially in a banking context. Given the findings, it appears that banking institutions need to align policies promoting fairness in organizational practices with strategies aimed at enhancing employees’ soft skills, in order to bolster employee commitment and sustain the organization.

COBOTS in the Classroom: Transforming Education through Collaborative Robotics

2026-02-10T05:28:16+00:00

Purpose: This study investigates the key drivers for successful integration of collaborative robots (COBOTS) in education, proposing that success depends on a synergistic blend of pedagogy, educator support, and ecosystem partnerships.

Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods approach was used, combining a survey of 150 institutions, in-depth case studies of four sites, and social network analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were integrated to analyse the relationships between pedagogical models, support systems, partnerships, and implementation outcomes.

Findings: Successful COBOT integration requires the simultaneous presence of three elements: authentic project-based learning, sustained educator coaching (with a critical threshold effect), and multi-stakeholder partnership networks. Isolated excellence in one area is insufficient; the highest success emerges from their synergy.

Originality/value: This research offers a novel, validated framework that reframes COBOT integration as a systemic, ecosystem-based challenge rather than a simple technology adoption. It provides practical benchmarks and priorities for educators and policymakers, emphasizing the necessity of integrated investment in teaching methods, professional development, and partnership building.

How Do HRD Interventions Influence Adaptive Performance: A Case Study of Island Hotels in the Gambia

2026-02-10T05:35:10+00:00

In Small Island tourism destinations, hotel employees are affected by seasonal factors, resource limitations, and disruptions. These factors make adaptive performance an essential but inadequately studied aspect. This paper examines the impact of Human Resource Development (HRD) interventions on adaptive performance competency in island hotels in The Gambia. The qualitative case study examines the significance of formal learning, experiential learning, mentoring, and participatory learning in enhancing employees’ adaptability to evolving customer demands and enhancing service delivery. The results indicate that adaptive performance is more about contextually embedded, socially facilitated HRD practices, which emphasize experiential learning, problem-solving, and collective sense-making, and less about traditional training practices. Informal relationship-based interventions, especially social learning and mentoring practices, play an important role in mitigating the institutional and resource-related challenges that are prevalent in island hotels. This study contributes to the theoretical framework of adaptive performance by applying it to the field of hospitality in emerging destinations and provides valuable insights for the development of destination-specific HRD practices that can help enhance workforce resilience and service quality.

Financial Literacy of Primary School Heads and School Effectiveness: A Quantitative Study from Pakistan

2026-02-10T05:41:37+00:00

Financial management has become a necessary element of school leadership especially within the system of education in the public sector that is dealing with limited resources. The paper examines the connection between TERA of primary school heads and school performance in Tehsil Gumbat, District Khairpur, Pakistan. Quantitative correlational research design was adopted whereby a stratified random sample of 60 government primary school heads was used to derive hypothetical data. Financial literacy was measured using financial knowledge, financial attitude, and financial practices and school effectiveness using six organizational dimensions. The results show that the overall financial literacy and the school effectiveness have a statistically significant positive correlation (r = .58, p <.001). The results of the multiple regression demonstrate that the financial practices are really strong predictors of school effectiveness (β =.49, p <.001), and the financial knowledge and attitude are weak predictors. The findings underline the importance of applied financial competencies which are necessary to increase institutional effectiveness. The research adds to the scarcity of empirical studies on financial literacy in educational leadership in the context of the developing countries and provides the policy-related implications of the capacity-building programs.

Emerging Leadership Paradigms and Teacher Education in Pakistan's Public Sector Universities: Position to Pinnacle a Case Study

2026-02-11T15:46:40+00:00

In shaping cultural institution leadership, professional growth and quality education are vital to our higher education institutions, especially at the university level. Leadership practices in Pakistan's universities are hierarchical. J. Maxwell has driven a shift towards transformational leadership. The study at hand explores these five levels of leadership practiced by university leadership in Pakistan. This exploration was conducted using a hermeneutic-phenomenological qualitative research design. Using theoretical sampling, 14 participants were selected from public-sector universities in Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and recorded. After transcription of the note data, it was analyzed using NVivo. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants from public universities. Audio recordings in interviews were made. For the participants' lived experiences, open axial and selective phases of thematic analysis were conducted. The study's results revealed five themes. including Authority-based leadership, decision-making and limited involvement were noted. The teacher initially focused on teaching, and leadership development was neglected. In leadership development, a missed opportunity was identified in the teacher's educational program. Despite these challenges, influence-based leadership was consistently observed among participants, grounded in collaboration, trust, and a shared vision. It was concluded that leadership in Pakistan's universities requires a deliberate shift from authority to influence. Leadership development was embedded in teacher education programs to cultivate competent, confident, and change-oriented academic leaders as part of the long-term strategy. For policymakers, university administrators, and curriculum developers provide valuable insights to enhance leadership capacity and, in Pakistan, improve the quality of higher education by finding.

Impact of Digital Pedagogies Usage on Critical Thinking Skills among Private Secondary School Students

2026-02-11T16:07:08+00:00

The rapid integration of digital technologies in the secondary school setting has given rise to numerous arguments about the purported ability of digital technologies to improve higher-order cognitive processes, especially critical thinking. Empirical findings, however, suggest that the effects of digital pedagogies on such abilities can be rather small and situation-specific. The given causal-comparative quantitative study aims to establish the correlation between the use of digital pedagogies and critical-thinking abilities among the students of the private secondary schools in the context of Pakistan as a situational case within the general international literature. Structured instruments were used to gather data of 97 students and included measurements of the types and frequency of digital tool use, perceived quality and effectiveness of digital pedagogies, and critical-thinking skills. The descriptive analysis showed neutral results on the use of digital tools but high on perceptions of pedagogical effectiveness. The regression results indicated that the types and frequencies of digital tools explained a statistically non-significant percentage of variance in skills of critical-thinking (R2 =.007), though the perceived pedagogical effectiveness explained about 10% of the variance (R2 =.101). These results are consistent with meta-analysis data on the use of technology worldwide that showed it to be an enabler and not a determinant of critical thinking. The paper finds that substantial improvements in critical thinking have to be achieved through teacher-competent and instructionally designed digital integration and not merely by using more technology.

Effect of Loan Loss Provisions on Financial Stability and Profitability of Banks

2026-02-13T17:22:58+00:00

LLPs are important accounting tools employed by banks to absorb a possible loss of non-performing loans and to deal with credit risk. They have a major influence on financial stability and profitability since they directly impact the capital adequacy, earnings and resilience of banks to economic shocks. This research paper examines how loan loss provisions impact on the financial health and profitability of banks, specifically commercial banks in Pakistan. Based on the Risk-Adjusted Performance model and the Prudential Regulation theory, the hypothesis of the research is that LLPs directly and indirectly affect the financial performance of banks. Secondary financial data on banks in the last ten years would be used following the application of quantitative research design whereby panel regression and correlation analysis would be used to determine the relationships. The results will be useful in terms of understanding the trade-off between risk-taking and profit maximization, presenting a suggestion to the bank management, regulators and policymakers in order to have a sustainable financial performance of the banking industry.

Effect of Concept Attainment Model (CAM) Based Teaching on Prospective Teachers’ Higher Order Thinking Skills

2026-02-15T14:24:36+00:00

Concept attainment is a method of learning a new concept by contrasting and comparing certain aspects of the concept. In order to effectively use higher order thinking skills to improve the performance, there was a dire need for teachers to re-evaluate their teaching strategies and lay more responsibility on prospective teachers to learn and understand concepts of research. The researcher studied the effect of concept attainment model (CAM) based teaching on prospective teachers’ higher order thinking skills. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of concept attainment model (CAM) based teaching on prospective teachers’ higher order thinking skills. The investigation was quantitative in nature. The researcher used a quasi-experimental approach with non-equivalent control groups design. The subject of this study were all prospective teachers of Master of Education, two year programme. There were 30 participants in each intact group. The researcher first developed a table of specification then multiple choice questions (MCQs) test based on higher order thinking. There were 30 items present in the achievement test. After data collection from 16 weeks of intervention, the researcher used the paired sample t-test and independent samples t-test to examine the data gathered from pre-tests and post-tests pertaining to CAM and conventional methods. The results indicated that the achievement level of higher order thinking skills of the prospective teachers who received Concept Attainment Model (CAM) based teaching was higher than those who received conventional instruction methods.

Driving Innovation through Authentic Leadership: An Empirical Study of Emotional-Management Skills and Employee Performance

2026-02-16T02:27:10+00:00

The purpose of this study is to look into the effects of Authentic Leadership on innovation and emotional-management skills. The findings will show that Leadership and Innovation have a significant impact on corporate performance. It will also be revealed that leadership has impact on innovation capabilities, which affects company performance. In this study, convenience sampling technique is used. Population selected for this study is employees of the automobiles companies in South Punjab of Pakistan is unknown. Employees are the ones who are directly linked with the customers. As the population is very large and unknown, the sample size would be 350 by using sample size estimation. Unit of analysis is the employees working in automobiles companies in South Punjab. The findings of this study indicate that emotional-management skills and Leadership have an impact on and can predict workers' innovative work habits. Additionally, there is a favorable relationship between emotional-management skills and innovative skills as well as between Leadership and these traits.

Enhancing Customer Satisfaction through CRM: The Mediating Effects of Service Quality and Customer Loyalty

2026-02-16T02:33:19+00:00

In the current competitive world of services, the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is becoming a vital component in organizations that want to cement their customer relationships and to improve customer performance in the long term. This paper seeks to explore how CRM affects the satisfaction of customers, mediated by the quality of services and customer loyalty. It used a quantitative research method and a structured questionnaire was used to gather information as a sample of 250 customers at the services of service-oriented industries which included banking, telecommunication, e-commerce, hospitality sectors in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The data gathered was analyzed with the help of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) at SmartPLS. These observations indicate that CRM is positively impacted on customer satisfaction by a significant degree. Additionally, CRM serves to enhance the quality of the services and customer loyalty to a major degree, which contributes to the customer satisfaction. The mediation analysis proves that service quality and customer loyalty mediate the CRM and customer satisfaction relationship, thus showing that CRM positively affects both directly and indirectly satisfaction, as demonstrated by the quality of service delivery and the loyalty. The research also adds to the literature in relationship marketing in that it offers empirical data on how CRM affects customer satisfaction. In practical terms, the results reflect the role of the manager to invest in CRM technologies and customer-focused strategies that enhance the performance of their service and loyalty. This study finds that more customers will be satisfied with services and the service industries will have sustainable competitive advantage when CRM is properly implemented.

Eco-Ideology or Marketing Strategy? A CDA of Greenwashing in Global Fast-Food Brands’ Sustainability Reports

2026-02-17T17:50:24+00:00

This study critically examines the sustainability discourse of global fast-food brands, focusing on McDonald’s and KFC, to determine whether their environmental claims reflect genuine eco-ideology or strategic greenwashing. Employing Fairclough’s three-dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research analyzes the 2024 sustainability and corporate citizenship reports of both companies. Data were collected through purposive sampling of official, publicly accessible reports, with all sections containing environmental claims extracted for detailed examination. The analysis involved three stages: textual description, which explored linguistic features such as modal verbs, quantification, evaluative language, and intertextual references; interpretation of discursive practices, which examined genre conventions, rhetorical strategies, and selective transparency; and socio-cultural explanation, which contextualized the discourse within global environmental norms, corporate branding strategies, and industry pressures. Findings reveal that both McDonald’s and KFC employ sophisticated discursive strategies to construct an image of environmental responsibility. While authentic eco-ideological elements are evident, such as certified sourcing policies and measurable emissions reduction targets, the pervasive use of aspirational language, forward-looking modality, and selective reporting indicates a strategic marketing orientation that blends genuine environmental action with image management. The study underscores the dual function of sustainability reporting in the fast-food industry: communicating environmental responsibility and enhancing corporate legitimacy. The results highlight the need for critical stakeholder engagement and suggest that policymakers, investors, and consumers should evaluate corporate environmental claims carefully to distinguish substantive initiatives from symbolic or promotional discourse.

Effects of Foreign Remittances on Children’s Education Expenditure: Evidence from District Charsadda, Pakistan

2026-02-18T12:42:03+00:00

Foreign remittances have emerged as a critical driver of household well-being in developing economies, especially in countries like Pakistan, where millions of families rely on income sent by migrant workers. This study examines the effects of foreign remittances on household expenditure on children’s education in District Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Using a household survey of 81 emigrant-receiving families, the research employs descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression to analyze how remittances, alongside household characteristics, shape investment in education. Results indicate that remittances significantly and positively influence children’s education expenditure, while education of household heads and number of emigrants further enhance spending capacity. Conversely, larger numbers of dependent members and school-going children reduce per-child allocations. The findings underscore the role of remittances in alleviating financial constraints, while also highlighting equity challenges for large families. Policy recommendations include improving remittance transfer mechanisms, encouraging productive use of remittances, and providing support for households with many dependents to ensure equitable access to education.

Shaping Urban Well-Being: Exploring the Built Environment – Quality of Life Nexus in Abbottabad

2026-02-22T05:47:27+00:00

The process of uncontrolled urbanization has significantly changed the way the modern cities look, and, in many cases, at the expense of the quality of the environment, urban forms and, eventually, human health. The increasing scope of growth of cities with such a high rate, often without holistic planning, means that the physical structure of the urban environment has a greater impact on the physical well-being of the inhabitants, their psychological comfort, and their quality of life in general. In that regard, the issue of how architecture, urban structure, and psychological well-being are interconnected requires a serious academic and professional consideration. This paper aims at critically discussing the environmental qualities of the built environment that are relevant to the well-being of cities and determining the design-oriented interventions that can be used to increase or re-instill a sense of physical and psychological comfort in urban areas. The study is premised on an empirical study of the Abbottabad city in Pakistan on the subject of public spaces with a mixed methodology that is composed of field surveys, structured questionnaires, and systematic on site observations. The approaches enabled the complete comprehension of how citizens feel and see their daily urban experiences. The image of a wellbeing city assessment is the parameter that is determined by a set of well-defined indicators- both strengths and deficiencies ingrained in the current built environment. The ratings were done with the help of a research based questionnaire, which was filled by the people living in the area, so that the results obtained are an actual reflection of the user perception and experience in the area. The results of the study can be useful to architects, urban designers and planners, as it provides people-centered approach to the aspect of well-being in urban design and policy-making. Predicting human experience and mental health, the study helps to create more functional and efficient cities, however emotionally supportive, inclusive and supportive of holistic well-being in the future.

Algorithmic Trading Predictive Analytics, Robo-Advisors and Automated Financial Forecasting

2026-02-28T07:16:44+00:00

The accelerated adoption of automation and artificial intelligence in the financial markets has fundamentally changed the approach of the trading, investment management, and forecasting. This case study focuses on understanding how the results of algorithmic trading capabilities, integration of predictive analytics, robo-advisory efficacy, and automated financial forecasting accuracy are interconnected in terms of their effect on the performance of an institutional investor. Based on the quantitative cross-sectional research design, 300 financial professionals in financial institutions and fintech-enabled investment companies were sampled to be included in the study. The hypothesized relationships between technological capabilities and performance outcomes were tested using structural equation modeling. The results demonstrate that the integration of predictive analytics is a significant factor that improves the accuracy of automated financial forecasting, which, in turn, is the most reliable predictor of institutional financial performance. The ability to execute algorithmic trading has a positive impact on the accuracy of the forecasts and financial performance, which proves the strategic significance of the automated execution systems. The effectiveness of robo-advisory shows positive, but relatively low, contribution to the performance highlighting the effectiveness of the technology in increasing cost efficiency and scalability of portfolio management. The structural model accounts a significant level of variance in forecasting accuracy as well as financial performance, and therefore it has a high level of explanatory power. These findings highlight the complementary nature of advanced financial technologies that recommend that combined automation systems improve decision accuracy, operational effectiveness, and competitive edge. The research adds to the existing literature on financial digitalization through an empirical confirmation of the strategic importance of algorithmic financial ecosystems and underlying the necessity of governance and model robustness in automated finance.

Assessing Pakistan's Progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 -Policy- Practice Gaps and Implementation Challenges

2026-03-02T06:01:51+00:00

The SDG4 quality education is recognized as a critical indicator toward the SDGs. The leading indicator of Sustainable Development Goal 4 is the quality of education. This goal can be achieved through a quality system. The main objective of this study was to examine the progress in achieving the SDGs in Pakistan. A qualitative research design was employed. A hermeneutic-phenomenological approach was used. Sixteen participants were purposively selected for data collection. These participants were directly involved in implementing SDG 4 in educational institutions. Semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection tool. Responses were recorded and transcribed. Initially, data analysis was conducted using a thematic approach. The findings of this study highlight the slow to moderate progress in achieving SDG 4 in Pakistan. Several gaps remain in key areas, including policy implementation, teacher training, curriculum integration, and assessment. The study highlights significant challenges and barriers to implementing SDG 4 in Pakistan. These include the lack of an appropriate policy framework, financial constraints, inadequate teacher training, and incomplete data monitoring. The article presents recommendations to enhance policy alignment, curriculum change, teacher development, and assessment to promote an inclusive and sustainable education sector in Pakistan. The results highlight slow-to-moderate improvements in access and attainment indicators. and a sustainable educational system in Pakistan.

Impact of Parents’ Involvement on Children Performance

2026-03-02T09:21:39+00:00

The involvement of parents affects their children's performance. Accordingly, the objectives of this research are to evaluate how parents and students view parental participation in their children's academic achievement and to examine the effects of parental involvement on students' academic performance. The current study employed a quantitative approach and a descriptive study design. All of the kids and their parents enrolled in Muzfrabad's public secondary schools made up the study's population. The study's sample size was chosen using the multisampling technique. 520 students from public secondary schools were chosen for the sample size using the census sampling technique, and 336 parents from same eleven schools were chosen using the convenience sampling technique. In order to gather information from study participants, the researchers created two questionnaires: one for parents and one for kids. Three qualified experts used the personal judgement approach to assess the study's instruments in the context of content validity. Additionally, the Cronbach's alpha model was used to assess the tools' internal consistency reliability, and the result was 0.824. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and simple linear regression were among the descriptive and inferential statistics used to analyse the data. The study came to the conclusion that parental participation has an effect on students' academic success and that there are notable disparities in how parents and students view parental involvement in students' academic achievement. According to the study, regular parent-teacher conferences, workshops, and feedback sessions might help schools promote open communication between parents, kids, and instructors. This will help to clarify the roles of family participation in academic performance and to align expectations.

Afghanistan’s Trade with Regional Dynamics: An Analysis

2026-03-05T07:12:43+00:00

Afghanistan is one of most important countries of South Asia serving as bridge between Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East besides its geographical and geostrategic location in the world. It connects Pakistan with the Central Asian Republics in terms of trade and business enterprises and provides the shortest routes for transportation and communication. Due to the worsening security situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan during the late 2025s, the Pak-Afghan Border had to be closed, depriving both the countries of trades and business enterprises but the latter suffered the most for its dependence on the former. Afghanistan had to take initiatives and tried to strengthen its trade relations with the regional dynamics including Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus and other non-neighboring states. This study aims at analyzing Afghanistan’s trade with regional dynamics in the wake of the current security scenario emanating from the escalation of tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Synergistic Role of FinTech and Green Finance in CO2 Emissions Reduction in Pakistan

2026-03-05T08:26:15+00:00

The escalating threat of climate change necessitates innovative financial and technological strategies to reduce carbon emissions while sustaining economic growth. This study investigates the synergistic role of financial technology (fintech) and green finance in mitigating CO₂ emissions in Pakistan using annual time-series data from 1995 to 2023. Employing the ARDL bounds testing approach, the research examines both short-run and long-run dynamics among CO₂ emissions, fintech adoption, green finance, population growth, and industrialization. Empirical results indicate that fintech and green finance significantly reduce CO₂ emissions by enhancing financial inclusion, improving resource allocation, enabling real-time monitoring, and directing investments toward low-carbon technologies and sustainable infrastructure. Conversely, population growth and industrialization exert upward pressure on emissions. Model diagnostics confirm robustness, with no evidence of autocorrelation, heteroskedasticity, or misspecification. The findings suggest that integrating digital financial systems with environmentally focused investment policies can promote sustainable economic development and effective decarbonization. Policymakers are encouraged to strengthen digital financial infrastructure, expand green financial instruments, and implement coordinated strategies to manage demographic and industrial pressures.

Deployment of Wind Powered Resources and Ecologically Sound Performance in Pakistan's Energy Sector: An Empirical Research Based on the use of Green Technology Mediation Model

2026-03-05T10:12:10+00:00

The term renewable energy has attained the enormous attention in these recent years because of the exhaustion of certain energy resources due to continuous usage, and the resulted pollution caused by use of fossil fuels. At the current time and situation, the adoption of renewable energy sources is a real complicated procedure that is influenced by the multifarious factors of society. Therefore, the aim of study is to investigate the influence adoption of wind energy on the sustainable environment performance on public sector of Pakistan. Furthermore, the mediating green innovation in between wind energy and sustainable environment performance. The study base on quantitative method was used in this study to collect data and information through a questionnaire from officers of grade 17 and above including top managers of power sector. The data analysis in study was conducted by using of SPSS software to test all hypotheses. The findings study showed that the adoption of wind energy has positive influence on sustainable environmental performance. Moreover, the green innovation has partial mediating role in between the wind energy and sustain environment performance. The study highly important for government roles are possible for being implemented at a huge level in the Pakistani power sector for industrial and commercial use and to reduce the environmental pollution.

Exploring Challenges in Quality Education in AJK

2026-03-07T08:27:35+00:00

This study investigates the challenges to achieving quality education in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) through an integrated analysis of micro-level educational conditions and macro-level policy implementation barriers. Anchored in Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), the research adopts a mixed-methods design to capture both empirical trends and stakeholder perspectives. Quantitative data were collected from 327 university teachers across three public universities using a structured questionnaire, while qualitative insights were obtained through structured interviews. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analyses were employed for quantitative analysis, alongside thematic analysis for qualitative data. Findings reveal persistent micro-level challenges, including teacher shortages, outdated curricula, inadequate learning resources, and gender-based constraints, particularly affecting rural and female students. At the macro level, insufficient funding, bureaucratic inefficiencies, weak stakeholder engagement, and misalignment between policy design and local realities significantly impede effective implementation. The study concludes that progress toward SDG 4 in AJK requires systemic, context-sensitive reforms emphasizing teacher development, curriculum relevance, equitable resource allocation, and participatory governance. Policy implications and recommendations are discussed to inform evidence-based educational reforms in resource-constrained contexts.

The Role of Online Social Capital in Advancing Sustainable Development Goals: A Review of Empirical Studies

2026-03-07T08:36:51+00:00

The rapid expansion of digital communication technologies has transformed the ways individuals interact, collaborate, and exchange information. One significant outcome of this transformation is the emergence of online social capital, which refers to the networks, relationships, and resources developed through online platforms. This study reviews empirical research examining the relationship between online social capital and sustainable development. Sustainable development aims to balance economic growth, social welfare, and environmental protection to ensure long-term societal well-being. Through a systematic review of empirical studies published between 2010 and 2021, this paper evaluates how online social networks facilitate knowledge sharing, community engagement, and collaborative initiatives that contribute to sustainable development. The review highlights that online social capital can enhance civic participation, support innovation, and strengthen community resilience. However, challenges such as digital inequality, information overload, cyberbullying, and filter bubbles may limit its effectiveness. The findings suggest that while online social capital provides significant opportunities for promoting sustainable development, it must be supported by strong institutional frameworks and offline social networks. The paper concludes by identifying research gaps and suggesting directions for future research and policy development.

Unlock the Sustainable Supply Chain Performance Through Artificial Intelligence and Moderator Digital Leadership in Pakistan Context

2026-03-07T10:06:26+00:00

According to the resource-based view, the study examines the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance sustainable supply chain performance in manufacturing organizations in Pakistan. More specifically, this study also determines the moderator role of digital culture. The study is based on a quantitative, closed-ended questionnaire. This questionnaire is based on a sample of 292 from a manufacturing organization in Pakistan. The study analysis was conducted using SPSS software. The study findings suggested that the adoption of artificial intelligence has a significant positive impact on sustainable supply chain performance in manufacturing organizations. Furthermore, digital culture has positive relationship between the adoption of artificial intelligence and sustainable supply chain performance. The study's findings are helpful to policymakers and business owners in implementing the latest technologies to achieve efficient results.

Sociodemographic and Vaping Related Behaviors of Vape Users

2026-03-08T06:57:11+00:00

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has increased substantially among young adults, raising concerns about the risk of nicotine dependence. The present study investigated the sociodemographic factors associated with vaping behavior and nicotine consumption, focusing on gender, family system, institutional setting, advertisement exposure, and smoking status. A purposive sample of 150 young adults aged 18–25 years who had been vaping for at least one month completed a demographic questionnaire along with the Modified E-Cigarette Questionnaire. The findings indicated no significant gender differences in vaping behavior. However, participants from nuclear family systems and those studying in government institutions reported stronger stimulant and reinforcing effects of vaping. Exposure to advertisements was associated with greater positive reinforcement, while dual users (those who both vape and smoke cigarettes) demonstrated more intense vaping patterns and higher nicotine intake compared to exclusive vapers. These results emphasize the influence of social and contextual factors on vaping behavior and highlight the importance of targeted prevention strategies. The study implies that awareness campaigns and policy measures addressing advertisement exposure and dual-use patterns may contribute to reducing nicotine dependence among young adults.

Rethinking Organizational Sustainability: Resolving the Conceptualization Enigma through an Integrative Framework

2026-03-08T07:06:15+00:00

Organizational sustainability has emerged as a critical concern for firms navigating increasing regulatory, stakeholder, and environmental pressures. Despite its importance, the concept remains fragmented, with research variably framing sustainability as (i) observable actions and reporting practices, (ii) a strategic capability fostering long-term competitiveness, (iii) a process of addressing stakeholder needs over time, and (iv) an outcome of employee thriving and organizational resilience. This conceptual paper synthesizes these diverse perspectives to provide conceptual clarity and guide operationalization in both research and practice. Using an integrative review of multidisciplinary literature, the study develops a comparative framework that links each perspective to its underlying assumptions, key constructs, and common measurement approaches. Building on this framework, the paper proposes a synthesized view of sustainability as a dynamic, stakeholder-embedded capability that is manifested through concrete organizational practices and reflected in multidimensional outcomes. The study contributes to theory by reducing definitional ambiguity and offering a structured approach for selecting indicators aligned with specific research questions. For practitioners, the findings provide actionable insights for designing and implementing sustainability initiatives that integrate operational effectiveness, stakeholder value creation, and employee well-being. Overall, this work advances a holistic understanding of organizational sustainability, emphasizing its multidimensional and integrative nature.

Cultivating an Innovative Climate: An exploratory study on the Role of Knowledge Management and Leadership Exchange in Remote Teams

2026-03-09T08:16:38+00:00

In this contemporary world, knowledge management serves as a key strategic move that creates competitive advantage for a firm. This qualitative research examines the delicate processes in which the concept of leader-member exchange (LMX) affects knowledge management practices and innovative climate creation in entirely remote teams. The study examines the human dynamics in technology organizations that appear complex as compared to formal hierarchy based conventional organizations. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 managers managing the member’s remote team. Results indicate that there are four key themes, including (1) Trust as the Foundational Currency of Remote Exchange, (2) The Translation Gap--From KM Tools to Meaningful Use, (3) Leader Signaling as Cultural Architecture, and (4) Reciprocity Loops in Virtual Environments. The paper explains that in remote work, when leaders and employees regularly help, share knowledge, and respond to each other, it creates a system that strengthens relationships and helps the organization learn and develop knowledge. Practical implications to remote team leaders, designers of KM systems and HR practitioners are addressed, as well as limitations and prospects of research.

Exploring Strategies Used to Combating Fake News on Social Media Platforms through Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of I-Verify Initiative

2026-03-09T08:24:22+00:00

The rapid growth of social media has transformed how information is produced, shared, and consumed. However, it has also facilitated the widespread dissemination of misinformation and fake news, which can influence political opinions, public behavior, and social stability. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a key technological solution to combat misinformation through automated fact-checking, data analysis, and content verification. This study explores strategies used to combat fake news on social media through AI by analyzing the fact-checking initiative iVerify. The study examines students’ exposure to fake news, awareness of AI-based fact-checking tools, and perceptions of their effectiveness. The findings highlight the importance of digital literacy, AI-based verification systems, and collaborative fact-checking initiatives such as iVerify in combating misinformation.

Data-Driven Analysis of Wage Discrimination in Pakistan’s Higher Education Sector Using Logistic Regression

2026-03-09T08:34:00+00:00

Wage gaps are a stubborn fixture in many labour markets, particularly where gender norms can be seen to determine who works and how much they earn. In Pakistan’s universities and colleges, the demand for pay fairness has escalated, but systematic evidence about who is paid what remains thin. In order to plug this gap, we analyzed the latest Pakistan Labour Force Survey (2024‑25) using information‑technology-driven analytics for unravelling wage distribution curves in the higher‑education sector. We calculated the odds of receiving a lower salary relative to others while controlling for gender, highest education level, and years of experience using a logistic regression framework., and type of contract. The model shows that women are still at a disadvantage: even when accounting for qualifications and tenure, the chance that a woman earns less than an otherwise similar man is significantly lower. Education and experience do count; a postgraduate degree or more than ten years on the job attract higher pay: but the gender effect extends through all levels. An overview of our participation shows that the labour pool is male-dominated (68.7% of participants) with women representing a mere 22.7%. Unemployment paints a similar picture: 10.5 percent of women are unemployed, compared with 6.8 percent of men. This imbalance is not a statistical fluke — these numbers point to a structural inequality. This evidence suggests a clear need for targeted policy interventions and greater transparency from university administrations. Pakistan can work towards a fairer pay architecture for academics across gender lines, through tightening standards around reporting of wages as well as instituting mechanisms of monitoring.

Effect of Integrating Social Network Sites in Flipped Classrooms on Students’ Academic Achievement

2026-03-11T06:28:18+00:00

This study examined the effects of integrating social network sites (SNSs) in flipped classrooms on students’ academic achievement. The objectives of the study were) To examine the relationship between the usage of social network sites (SNSs) in flipped classrooms and students’ academic performance) To determine the impact of the frequency of SNS usage on students’ academic achievement) To explore the relationship between students’ participation in flipped classroom activities and their academic performance. A quantitative correlational design was used with a sample of 340 secondary school students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire measuring SNS usage, frequency, and flipped classroom participation, along with students’ academic performance records. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between SNS usage and academic performance (r = .547, p < .01), and frequent SNS engagement further enhanced academic outcomes. Active participation in flipped classroom activities significantly improved performance, while the combined effect of SNS usage and flipped classroom participation strongly predicted academic achievement (β = .34 for SNSs, β = .31 for flipped classroom, p < .01). Demographic variables, such as gender and academic stream, influenced academic performance, with females and science-stream students performing slightly better. The study concludes that integrating SNSs into flipped classrooms can enhance student engagement, collaboration, and learning outcomes, offering practical implications for educators and policymakers.

Unmasking Supervisory Abuse: A Structural Examination of Emotional Exhaustion, Work-Life Balance, and Employee Performance in Southern KP’s Banking Sector

2026-03-12T07:24:37+00:00

The current research work tries to investigate abusive supervision (ABS), emotional exhaustion (EE) and work-life balance (WLB) influence employee performance (EMP) in commercial banking workers in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Convenience and simple random sampling were used to obtain a sample of 300 employees who will provide adequate representation among the key banks in the region. Each construct was measured with the help of the validated scales, and the data were analyzed with the help of the correlation and regression methods. The descriptive statistics revealed that work life balance, employee performance and emotional exhaustion had moderate scores. The correlation findings indicated that there is a positive relationship between abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion and negative relationship between abusive supervision and work life balance and employee performance. Regression analysis also indicated that an appreciable percent of the variation in the performance of employees is explained by ABS, EE, and WLB, and work-life balance came out as the strongest predictor. The results emphasize the harmful role of the abusive supervisory behavior that contributes to the level of emotional stress and destabilizes the employees in terms of work-life balance, thus, lowering the level of performance. The paper highlights the importance of organizations enhancing leadership practices, supportive work environments, and employee wellbeing as a way of increasing workforce productivity. Conclusions, constraints, and research directions are mentioned.

Venezuela vs USA: Oil, Power & Countdown That Could Reshape the World

2026-03-12T07:27:59+00:00

The paper talks about the emerging crisis between the United States and Venezuela in the context of energy politics, geopolitical power, and crisis diplomacy, and introduces the idea of a strategic Countdown at which there is a more potential instance of global ramifications because the decision-making process is narrowed. It asserts oil riches in Venezuela have turned into a point of dispute in the force of the U.S sanctions, legitimacy dispute and alteration of international affiliation. As revealed in the paper, the two timetables of time addition result in addition of the danger of mistakes and decreasing the enumeration of potential answers to the negotiated de-escalation, placing the dispute in a threatened international energy scenario with sanction and other-regional responses such as China and Russia. It concludes that the bilateral crisis itself is not the only one to be borne, it is a testing ground of the oil-abundant states, the great powers and the world markets at a time-pressure situation, which has some consequences in the oil markets, the stability of the region and the future of coercive diplomacy.

Paying for Power Not Produced: IPP Capacity Payments, Circular Debt, and the Regressive Welfare Impact on Pakistan's Energy Sector

2026-03-13T07:33:04+00:00

The liquidity crisis in Pakistan's energy sector represents one of the most pressing financial challenges confronting any emerging economy, driven fundamentally by circular debt accumulation, exorbitant capacity payments to independent power producers (IPPs), and persistent institutional governance failures. This study employs System GMM estimation on a panel dataset of 26 Pakistani energy firms from 2006 to 2025, incorporating the September 2025 circular debt restructuring as a natural policy experiment. The results reveal that IPP capacity payment burden is the dominant structural constraint (β = -0.201, p < .01), with every one percent increase reducing corporate liquidity by 0.20 percent—identifying capacity payments, not circular debt itself, as the root cause of sectoral distress. Circular debt exposure reduces liquidity by 5.1 percent for affected firms (β = -0.051, p < .01), while the September 2025 restructuring successfully moderated this relationship by 34 percent. Liquidity exhibits strong persistence (β = 0.387, p < .01), confirming defensive hoarding behavior under chronic uncertainty. Critically, firm-level governance mechanisms demonstrate weak moderating effects, indicating that systemic factors overwhelm corporate governance in institutionally void environments. The regressive welfare analysis reveals that the poorest 40 percent of households pay 55-60 percent of total Debt Servicing Surcharge while earning less than 30 percent of national income, confirming that circular debt servicing functions as a regressive tax on marginalized populations while politically connected IPP owners extract guaranteed returns regardless of performance. The study synthesizes Pecking Order Theory with the Precautionary Savings Hypothesis, extending both to frontier market contexts. Without fundamental restructuring of IPP contracts, rationalization of the energy mix, and depoliticization of tariff determination, even sophisticated financial engineering will merely postpone the next liquidity catastrophe.

Exploring the Influence of Screen Time on Toddlers: Qualitative Analysis of Mothers' Reports on Pros and Cons

2026-03-15T07:01:00+00:00

This qualitative research examines the influence of screen time on toddlers, focusing on maternal perceptions. In an era dominated by digital technology, understanding the subtleties of screen exposure during early childhood is essential. The study aims to clarify both the positive and negative impacts reported by mothers, offering insights into the intricate relationship between screen time and child development. Methodologically, the research utilizes semi-structured interviews featuring open-ended questions with a diverse group of 15 mothers of children aged 0-3 years. Phenomenological approach used for the collection of conscious experiences of individual mother. Thematic analysis is employed to uncover recurring patterns and themes within the qualitative data, allowing for a detailed exploration of maternal viewpoints. Ethical considerations ensure the respectful treatment of participants and the protection of their autonomy. This research enriches the existing literature by providing in-depth qualitative insights into maternal perceptions of screen time effects. By delving into the lived experiences of mothers, the study enhances our understanding of how screen time may influence child development. Furthermore, the investigation of numerous factors, parental attitudes, and other reasons deepens our understanding of the contextual intricacies surrounding screen exposure in early childhood. The significance of this research lies in its potential to inform evidence-based recommendations and interventions aimed at fostering healthy screen habits in toddlers. Implementing the findings of this study on the influence of screen time on toddlers entails converting the insights into meaningful solutions and suggestions for parents, caregivers, educators, and policy makers. By emphasizing both the advantages and risks associated with screen time, the study empowers parents, educators, and healthcare professionals to make informed choices regarding screen use in early childhood. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue surrounding digital technologies.

Academic Performance in the Age of AI-Powered Social Networks: The Mediating Influence of Big Five Personality Traits

2026-03-15T07:07:56+00:00

A substantial number of empirical research have been conducted on student academic motivation and its potential antecedents, including aspects connected to the classroom teacher, contextual elements, and individual student characteristics that promote academic drive. This study aim at “Exploring the Academic Performance in the Age of AI-Powered Social Networks: The Mediating Influence of Big Five Personality Traits.”. The objectives of the study were, 1) To examine the relationship between AI-powered social network site usage and academic performance, 2) To investigate the correlation between the Big Five personality traits and academic performance, 3) To analyze the mediating role of Big Five personality traits in the relationship between AI-powered social network site usage and academic performance. This study utilized a mixed methods approach, combining qualitative techniques with quantitative analysis, to investigate the relationship between Social Network Site usage and the personality traits of secondary school pupils. The utilization of a triangulation design in mixed methods research is warranted by the inherent limitations present in all research strategies. The study population included 8,617 10th grade students in District Attock, comprising 4,868 boys and 3,749 girls, enrolled in 248 public secondary schools. The study sample comprised 530 pupils from the population. The Proportional Sampling method was utilized for sampling. The sample size of each stratum is directly proportionate to the total population size of that stratum. This signifies that each sample inside every stratum is selected utilizing a consistent sampling percentage. Two unique self-created research instruments were utilized to achieve the study's objectives. Big Five Personality Traits Assessment (BFPTs) The Big Five Personality Tool consists of 39 measures that evaluate five specific traits: Agreeableness, Extraversion, Openness, Conscientiousness, and Neuroticism. Utilization of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) The Social Network Sites tool consists of twenty-nine unique elements related to five essential and commonly used Social Network Sites. The Coefficient of Correlation data analysis technique was employed. The correlation analysis indicates a strong positive association between AI Usage and Academic Performance (AP), evidenced by a moderate positive correlation (r = .531, p = .000). This suggests that increased AI usage correlates with improved academic achievement, indicating a beneficial effect on learning outcomes. Therefore, it is advisable for educational institutions to include AI tools into the learning environment to improve academic achievement through tailored learning experiences and effective resource management.

Socioeconomic Status and Academic Achievement: Discovering Educational Challenges among Secondary School Students

2026-03-15T09:47:47+00:00

Socioeconomic status (SES) significantly affects both student educational outcomes as well as the likelihood of educational success. SES is typically the biggest determining factor affecting how well a student performs in school academically and how well they will do in the future. This study primarily examined how SES can affect secondary students' academic performance and what barriers to achieving academic success exist for low-income students. Therefore, the quantitative design used to investigate the impact of SES on academic success involved administering a survey sample of 100 students from existing population. Questions were designed to include key socioeconomic indicators (e.g., parent education level, parent occupational status, family income, home learning environment, access to educational resources) as well as the students' academic behaviors and barriers to success. The data from the survey respondents were transferred to statistical analysis tables by using univariate statistics (i.e., frequency counts, percent of sample). There is strong evidence indicating that socioeconomic factors have an impact on students' access to academic resources, such as learning materials, that they have supportive home environments, and that their parents are involved in their education, all of which positively affect the academic behaviors of these students, such as having a completed homework assignment, being engaged in classroom activities, and attempting to achieve academically. On the contrary, candidates with low-income families also faced difficulties when it came to their studies. Financial barriers were listed amongst other limitations such as; lack of tutoring methods, lack of access to academic resources, duties around the house, and then stress due to the financial condition of their family. Overall results of this study showcase how much influence socioeconomic status has on a child's academic performance, which promotes the need for educational programs/policies in order to assist in reducing socioeconomic disparities within education.

Climate Change and National Security Policy of Pakistan: Challenges, Institutional Gaps, and Pathways for Integration

2026-03-18T08:40:45+00:00

Climate change has become a major non-traditional security threat, particularly for vulnerable developing countries like Pakistan. This study examines how climate change is incorporated into Pakistan’s national security framework and identifies key barriers to effective integration. Using qualitative methods, including policy analysis and case studies such as the 2022 floods and Indus Basin water issues, the research highlights a gap between policy recognition and practical implementation. Despite its inclusion in the National Security Policy (2022), climate change remains weakly integrated due to institutional fragmentation, limited resources, and poor coordination. The study shows that climate change acts as a threat multiplier, worsening socio-economic challenges like food insecurity and displacement. It emphasizes the need for policy reforms, stronger governance, and a shift from a traditional security approach to a broader human security framework that places climate resilience at the center of national strategy.

Integrated Surface and Groundwater Planning for Sustainable Water Security in Ghotki District, Sindh

2026-03-19T05:41:37+00:00

Groundwater quality in Ghotki district faces severe degradation, with a substantial proportion of sampled wells exceeding permissible limits for key physicochemical parameters, including electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, hardness, sodium, calcium, and fluoride. While high saline and sodium concentrations negatively impact soil characteristics, crop yields, and long-term agricultural sustainability, elevated fluoride and hardness levels provide serious hazards to public health, particularly dental and skeletal fluorosis. Surface water from the Guddu Barrage on the Indus River is an essential supplemental and alternative water source in this situation. Built in 1962, the barrage regulates river flows to important irrigation canals, such as the Ghotki Feeder Canal, thereby supporting industrial water supply, large-scale dry-season cropping, flood management, and irrigation of more than one million hectares throughout northern Sindh and portions of Baluchistan. However, ongoing rehabilitation and effective management are necessary to ensure the barrage's continued operational effectiveness. To address water quality issues, this study emphasizes the need to integrate surface water from the Guddu Barrage with improved groundwater management and advanced treatment methods, such as reverse osmosis. To improve water security, protect public health, maintain agricultural production, and promote long-term socioeconomic development in Ghotki District, an integrated approach to water resources management is crucial.

The Equity-Ethics-Outcomes process in AI-Integrated ECE: Evidence from School Administrators in Punjab, Pakistan (Hayes PROCESS Model 6)

2026-03-19T06:12:24+00:00

Background: Equity and inclusion have emerged as foundational imperatives in AI-integrated Early Childhood Education (ECE) globally, yet the psychological and leadership mechanisms through which school administrators' equity commitment translates into improved child outcomes remain empirically unexplored, particularly in Pakistan's rapidly evolving ECE landscape.

Objective: The present study examined the serial indirect effect of school administrator equity and inclusion commitment on child learning and developmental outcomes through AI ethics awareness (M1) and inclusive leadership (M2), using Hayes PROCESS Model 6, among ECE school administrators in Punjab, Pakistan.

Methods: Grounded in Social Justice Leadership Theory (Theoharis, 2007), Ethical Leadership Theory (Brown et al., 2005), and Distributed Leadership Theory (Spillane, 2006), the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design with a multistage random sample of 318 ECE school administrators. Hayes PROCESS Macro Model 6 with 5,000-iteration bootstrapped confidence intervals was deployed for analysis.

Results: All six hypotheses were confirmed. Equity and inclusion commitment positively predicted AI ethics awareness (β = .46) and inclusive leadership (β = .39). AI ethics awareness positively predicted inclusive leadership (β = .43) and child learning outcomes (β = .41). Inclusive leadership positively predicted child outcomes (β = .48). Three significant indirect pathways were identified, including the novel full serial path (X→M1→M2→Y: indirect effect = .09, CI [.04, .16).

Conclusion: Administrator equity commitment shapes child learning outcomes through a sequential chain of AI ethics awareness and inclusive leadership practices. Findings offer actionable implications for ECE administrator training, school governance, and AI ethics policy in Pakistan and developing country contexts.

Techno Emotional Labor, Compassion Fatigue, and Teacher Retention in ECE: Work Life Balance as a Moderator (Hayes PROCESS Model 7)

2026-03-19T06:33:17+00:00

Background: AI integration in Early Childhood Education (ECE) has introduced a novel and underexplored dimension of emotional labor for early childhood teachers the additional affective demands of performing professionally while simultaneously navigating AI tools, AI-driven assessments, and AI-mediated communication systems. Left unaddressed, these AI-augmented emotional demands may accelerate compassion fatigue and drive teacher attrition from the ECE sector.

Objective: The present study examined the conditional indirect effect of AI-augmented emotional labor on teacher retention intention through compassion fatigue, with work-life balance as a first-stage moderator (Hayes PROCESS Model 7), among ECE teachers in Punjab and Islamabad, Pakistan.

Methods: Grounded in Emotional Labor Theory (Hochschild, 1983), Conservation of Resources Theory (Hobfoll, 1989), and Job Demands-Resources Theory (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007), the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey design with a multistage random sample of 362 ECE teachers. Hayes PROCESS Macro Model 7 with 5,000-iteration bootstrapped confidence intervals was deployed for analysis.

Results: All five hypotheses were confirmed. AI-augmented emotional labor significantly and positively predicted compassion fatigue (β = .47), which negatively predicted teacher retention intention (β = −.49). Compassion fatigue significantly mediated this relationship (indirect effect = −.19, CI [−.30, −.10]). Work-life balance significantly moderated the emotional labor → compassion fatigue path. The conditional indirect effect was significant at all three moderator levels with progressive attenuation at higher work-life balance.

Conclusion: AI-augmented emotional labor constitutes a significant occupational risk for ECE teacher retention through its effect on compassion fatigue. Work-life balance buffers this harmful chain, offering ECE administrators and policymakers an actionable intervention lever for reducing AI-related teacher attrition in Pakistan and comparable developing country contexts.

An Empirical Assessment of District-Level Disparities in Educational Performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2026-03-19T07:37:00+00:00

Abstract

This paper aims to compare the performance of education within the district level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan and also to identify whether focusing on learning outcomes does affect the performance ranking and policy interpretation. Comparative analysis of the Provincial Education Performance Index of KP is done with the use of the framework of District Education Performance Index 2023 and applied to all the districts of KP in the year 2023. Based on the data provided by the National Education Management Information System, the research employs a composite index methodology alongside normalization and weighted aggregation methods. Besides the traditional domain structure of learning, infrastructures and access, and governance and management, the study goes on to test the sensitivity of ranking through a weighted scheme of learning prioritized by increasing the weight of learning to 40%. The findings indicate that there are high levels of intra-provincial inequalities with no district coming out as an overall high performer. The domain of learning is found to be the weakest in most of the districts and the districts with a relatively strong infrastructure and governance do not always achieve better learning outcomes, hence showing the lack of correspondence between the inputs and the outcomes. The research concludes that the improvement of the level of educational achievements in KP requires a strategic transition to the learning-centered planning, with the help of district-specific interventions and evidence-based policy development, employing the performance indices as a decision-making instrument.

Gender Roles, Socio-Cultural Barriers, and Economic Empowerment of Dual Career Women in Pakhtoon Society

2026-03-20T11:01:05+00:00

This study examines the relationship between gender roles, socio-cultural barriers, and the economic empowerment of dual career women in Pakhtoon society. As women increasingly participate in the workforce, dual career households have become more common in urban and semi-urban regions. However, deeply rooted cultural norms, traditional gender expectations, and institutional limitations continue to influence women's professional identity and economic independence. The study explores how gender norms shape women's access to employment, career progression, and decision-making power within households. Using survey-based quantitative analysis, the research analyzes the role of education, familial support, workplace environment, and cultural expectations in determining women's economic empowerment. Findings indicate that education and spousal support significantly improve women's ability to overcome socio-cultural barriers. However, traditional expectations regarding household responsibilities remain a major challenge. Policy interventions aimed at promoting gender equality, improving workplace conditions, and strengthening institutional support systems can significantly enhance women's economic empowerment in Pakhtoon society.

Teaching Multiplication Concept through Diverse Pedagogies: Evidence from Public Primary Schools in District East in Karachi

2026-03-20T11:07:59+00:00

Multiplication is one of the key skills in mathematics that helps in educational life; however, Sindh public primary school students continue to suffer in this skill and demonstrate weak proficiency due to multiple reasons like traditional based learning, rote-based teaching practices, huge class size, lack of teacher professional development training, and resource constraints. This research explored the effectiveness of diverse pedagogical approaches in multiplication teaching at Sindh public primary schools. The purpose of the study is to compare the conventional teaching methods from the activity-based learning, inquiry-based instruction, collaborative learning, and the use of visual aids that enhanced students’ multiplication skills. The study used quantitative approach research design with small amount of qualitative support to strengthen interpretation. To measure the change of student’s achievement a quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test approach was used. Using convenience sampling in one district on Sindh, public primary schools 20 mathematics teachers were selected and 100 primary school students from Grades 2 to 5 were selected as sample. Through research-develop mathematics achievement test the data was collected to assess structured teacher questionnaires and students’ multiplication skills to collect data about implementation challenges and pedagogical practices. Students who are expected to be taught through diverse pedagogical approaches improved engagement in classroom and multiplication performance, while findings also revealed gaps in teachers training that relate to innovative instructional methods. In education, studying is very important for implications, as for improving classroom teaching practices it provided evidence-based recommendations, it inform about the training for teachers’ improvement in their skills, curriculum development support, and it also provide guidance to policymakers in strengthening foundational numeracy skills in Sindh’s public primary schools.

Pathways from Prolonged Grief to Psychological Wellbeing: Examining Spirituality and Dependency as Mediators among Bereaved Adults

2026-03-20T11:15:44+00:00

Prolonged grief is a sustained, intense response to loss that endures over time, disrupting daily functioning and psychological well-being, and is linked to significant emotional distress and mental health problems. The present study examined the mediating roles of spirituality and dependency in the relationship between prolonged grief and psychological well-being among bereaved adults. Data were collected from 100 individuals who had lost one or both parents within the previous six months. Mediation analysis was conducted to assess both direct and indirect effects of grief on well-being. The results indicated that prolonged grief negatively predicted psychological well-being. However, spirituality functioned as a positive mediator, reducing the harmful impact of grief and fostering resilience. In contrast, dependency acted as a negative mediator, intensifying the adverse effects by increasing emotional reliance on others. The results highlight the importance of addressing both spiritual coping and emotional independence in grief interventions to promote healthier psychological adjustment.

Climate Change and Farmland Conversion: Dual Threats to Agricultural Productivity in KPK

2026-03-26T05:44:36+00:00

The conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural uses has become a growing global concern, particularly in developing countries where it threatens food security and rural livelihoods. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan, rapid urbanization, population expansion, and increasing climate variability—such as irregular rainfall and rising temperatures—have accelerated the loss of cultivable land, posing serious risks to agricultural sustainability and productivity. This study aims to investigate the extent, determinants, and consequences of farmland conversion in KP from 2004 to 2024, while also examining how climate-related stressors interact with land-use changes to affect agricultural productivity and food security. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 356 farming households across six randomly selected villages in the districts of Mardan, Charsadda, and Nowshera. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS (version 25). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression models were employed to identify key drivers of farmland conversion and environmental stress, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The findings reveal that respondents had a mean age of 45.5 years, with generally low educational attainment and a predominance of large, joint family systems. Most households had only one or two earning members, reflecting high dependency ratios and limited investment capacity in agriculture. Although farmers owned small to medium-sized landholdings (average 11 acres), multiple pressures—including rising land prices, insecure land tenure, limited market access, and lack of alternative income opportunities—encouraged land conversion. Climate factors such as erratic rainfall patterns and temperature fluctuations further reduced crop productivity, intensifying the adverse effects of land conversion. The study concludes that climate change and farmland conversion jointly constitute major threats to agricultural productivity in KP. Their combined effects not only reduce available arable land but also undermine farming efficiency and long-term food security. Addressing these dual challenges requires integrated policy interventions focusing on sustainable land management, climate-resilient agriculture, and balanced urban development. Economic motives were identified as a significant driver of farmland conversion, reported by the majority of respondents (79.2%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the conversion of agricultural land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is primarily influenced by social attitudes, government incentives, broader social factors, and access to credit.

Metaphoric Gestures in Professional Football: A Conceptual Metaphor Theory Analysis of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

2026-03-26T05:59:37+00:00

This qualitative study examines metaphoric gestures performed by professional footballers and event participants during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, analyzed through Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA). Drawing on photographic documentation as primary data, the study systematically investigates ten discrete gestural events, each demonstrating identifiable source-target mappings: the opening ceremony handshake between Morgan Freeman and Qatari youth ambassador Ghanim Al-Muftah (UNITY IS BRIDGING PHYSICAL DISTANCE), the Iranian team's silent anthem protest (SILENCE IS RESISTANCE), the German team's collective hand-to-mouth gesture (COVERING IS SUPPRESSION), the Japanese coach's bow (LOWERING IS RESPECT), the Moroccan team's collective prostration (LOWERING IS GRATITUDE), Lionel Messi's ear-cupping (HEARING IS CONFRONTATION), Emiliano Martinez's trophy gesture (PHYSICAL VULGARITY IS DOMINANCE), Cristiano Ronaldo's silencing gesture (SILENCING IS CONTROL), Ismaila Sarr's eye-covering gesture (COVERING EYES IS WILLFUL IGNORANCE), and the bisht-draping ceremony (CULTURAL ADORNMENT IS INSTITUTIONAL LEGITIMIZATION). Analysis reveals that these gestures operate systematically within four conceptual categories: vertical orientation, silence and sound, visual attention, and position or power mapping. The findings emphasize embodied cognition's critical role in high-stakes sports contexts, demonstrating how athletes and event participants strategically deploy physical movements to communicate cultural identity, political resistance, institutional critique, spiritual acknowledgment, and transnational advocacy. This study advances theoretical understanding of gesture-based visual communication in professional sports and contributes to scholarship at the intersection of CMT, multimodality, and embodied metaphor.

A Study to Investigate the Challenges Faced by Teachers in Implementation of Single National Curriculum

2026-03-26T10:11:38+00:00

The implementation of the Single National Curriculum (SNC) in Pakistan is an important step toward standardizing the education system. The sudden shift from a diverse education system to a unified curriculum has created multiple challenges at the classroom level, particularly for teachers who are responsible for its practical implementation. Despite the critical nature of these challenges, there is limited research work on empirical evidence examining teacher’s experiences and challenges in implementing the SNC. This study therefore, aims to address this gap by exploring the major challenges faced by primary school teachers in District Musakhail of Balochistan province. This research adopted a descriptive research approach aligned on quantitative data collection and analysis, whereas 215 teachers out of 483 primary school teachers had been selected by employing stratified random sampling technique. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect the data. According to the Key findings of the study, implementation of the Single National Curriculum (SNC) has created substantial challenges for teachers and students, mainly in terms of curriculum understanding, pedagogical adaptation, and medium of instruction. A large percentage of teachers reported difficulties due to inadequate clarity of content, insufficient resources, and lack of appropriate training. Moreover, concerns regarding relevance of curriculum with student’s prior knowledge and alignment with their needs further effect the whole situation. Grounded on the findings several key recommendations arise to address these challenges. Primarily, enhancing teacher’s preparedness through targeted professional development programs focusing on curriculum understanding, pedagogical strategies, and assessment methods. Secondly, strengthening language proficiency programs to address the medium of instruction challenge, by language proficiency guides, online platforms, mobile apps, and TV channels for both teachers and students.

Individual Difference in Ideal Partner Preferences: The Influence of Social Media Engagement

2026-03-31T08:26:27+01:00

In an era dominated by social media, understanding its impact on the formation of ideal partner preferences, particularly across individuals, is essential. The study investigated how social media engagement shapes preferences for romantic partners. It has been suggested that men and women may have different ideas about what they want in a partner (Méndez-Diaz et al., 2022). Hypotheses for this study include: H1: There will be a significant relationship between social media engagement questionnaire and partner attractiveness. H2: There will be a significant relationship between social media engagement questionnaire and partner warmth H3: There will be a significant relationship between social media engagement questionnaire and partner status. H4: There will be a significant relationship between social media engagement questionnaire and relationship passion. H5: There will be a significant relationship between social media engagement questionnaire and relationship intimacy. H6: There will be a significant correlation between social media engagement questionnaire (SMEQ) and ideal style variable (ISS) Including physical attributes, Personality traits, Values and beliefs, Relationship dynamics, and future aspirations. Using a quantitative approach, data was collected from approximately 300 university students through Google Forms. The scales were the Social Media Engagement questionnaire (SMEQ) by Przybylski et al. (2013) and the Ideal Partner and Relationship Scale (IPRS) by Fletcher et al. (1999). Statistical analyses, using appropriate methods with SPSS, will explore the relations. between social media engagement, and ideal partner preferences. This research aimed to fill a critical gap in understanding how social media influences partner selection and how individual differences play a role in these dynamics. The analysis reveals that significant relationship between social media engagement with two subscale (partner attractiveness, partner warmth) and insignificant (p ≥ .05) with three subscales (partner status, relationship passion, relationship intimacy). Moreover, insignificant relationship between ISS and SMEQ with the p value (p ≥ .05), its shows that research hypothesis not approve (p = > .05) only 2 Hypothesis approved. Further studies focus on gender difference and this research applicable in individual differences idea partner preferences and social media engagement help individual to develop social bond and navigate conflict with partners.

Fintech, Green Finance, and Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis of Developed and Developing Economies

2026-03-31T08:55:19+01:00

This study examines the dynamic relationship between financial technology, green finance and economic growth through a comparative analysis of developed and developing countries. To achieve this, it employs a novel econometric approach named as Dynamic Common Correlated Effects (DCCE) model. It addresses cross-sectional dependence over the period 2004-2024. This method captures the dynamic interactions among variables and ensures robust estimation of both long-run and short-run effects. The empirical findings indicate that financial technology and green finance exert a statistically significant and positive influence on economic growth in both groups of countries. In developed economies, digital financial technology and green investment emerge as major drivers of growth. Meanwhile, the control variables as capital accumulation and the employed labor force are also demonstrate a direct and significant contribution to GDP. These results provide strong empirical support for the Solow growth framework, which posits that inputs such as labor, capital, and technological advancement enhance long-term economic performance. From a policy perspective, governments should prioritize the expansion of digital financial infrastructure through investment. Furthermore, countries should implement targeted green financing strategies to support environmentally sustainable.

Reframing Climate Change and Ecosystem Restoration: Water Governance, Societal Resilience, and Institutional Dynamics

2026-04-01T05:14:12+01:00

The issues of climate change and ecosystem degradation are becoming well-known and interrelated phenomena that require more than concern for the environment; they require consideration of social, institutional, and governance aspects. The paper is a critical review of how water governance, societal resilience, and institutional dynamics influence ecosystem restoration to be climate-resilient. The paper is a critical narrative review that synthesizes interdisciplinary literature to examine the effects of governance structures, institutional arrangements, and social processes on the success of restoration outcomes under climate stress. According to the findings, ecosystem restoration is not a simple technical intervention but a socio-cultural and political process that depends on the quality of governance, institutional coordination, and power relations. Disunity in governance structures, poor institutionalization, and stakeholder involvement continue to be major obstacles to successful and fair restoration. Simultaneously, resilience within society is not evenly distributed, and vulnerable groups are more exposed to risks and less adaptive. The discussion emphasizes the role of adaptive and polycentric governance structures, which increase flexibility, learning, and cross-scale coordination. The finding suggests a socio-institutional model that integrates to bridge the impacts of climate change with the restoration of ecosystems, governance systems, and resilience outcomes. It highlights how inclusive, adaptive, and coordinated policy solutions should be incorporated into restoration strategies to build resilience and equity. In addition, the research identifies the main gaps in the study, including the need for interdisciplinary methods, data-driven governance, and the incorporation of digital technologies into environmental decision-making. On balance, the present paper can stimulate further development of critical thinking about ecosystem restoration, showing how governance and institutional forces influence sustainable and fair climate change adaptation opportunities.

Exploring the Interplay between Mindfulness, Emotional Control, and Workplace Resilience

2026-04-01T05:20:25+01:00

The research study was conducted to investigate the relationship between Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation and Resilience in Working Adults using quantitative approach. It was hypothesized that there would be significant relationship between mindfulness, emotional regulation and resilience. It was also hypothesized that mindfulness, emotional regulation are the predictors of resilience. Moreover, it was hypothesized that there are likely to be gender differences between mindfulness, emotional regulation, and resilience in working adults. Correlational research design was used to assess these hypotheses. The sample could consist 200 working adult professionals (n=100 lawyers, n=100 police officers) aged between 22-55 years. The data from adult professionals was collected by using a purposive sampling strategy. The tools was include the Mindfulness attention awareness scale MAAS (Rayan & Brown, 2003), the Emotional regulation questionnaire short form ERQ-S (Preece, 2023), and the Brief resilience scale (Smith, 2009). SPSS Version 26 was employed to run statistical analyses such as descriptive analysis and regression to generate results. Person product moment correlation revealed that there was a positive relationships between mindfulness, emotional regulation and resilience. Furthermore, t-test revealed that there was no significant difference between males and females however, there was a deference between lawyer and police officers. The study findings were discussed in the light of the Pakistani scenario.

Predictive Role of Metacognitive Awareness and Self-Regulated Learning in University Students’ Academic Achievement

2026-04-01T05:28:32+01:00

In this paper, the predictive importance of Metacognitive Awareness (MA) and self-controlled learning on academic achievement of college students has been researched. A quantitative correlational research design, which was the basis of the study, is founded on the currently existing theories of MA and self-regulated learning. The data, collected with the help of the standardized instruments, were collected on a sample of 300 undergraduate and postgraduate students of the university to measure MA, self-regulated learning (SRL) and academic achievement. The descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The relationship was established that the academic achievement had a significant and positive correlation with MA and self-regulated learning. Regression outcomes indicated that the two variables were both significant predictors of academic achievement but self-regulated learning was a more predictive variable. In addition, it was noted that there was a strong positive relationship between MA and SRL that demonstrated that the two constructs are strongly associated. The results indicate the importance of establishing MA and self-regulatory skills of the learners at the tertiary level in order to enhance academic performance. The study has a practical implication on the way the teaching is conducted, curriculum and student support programs to improve academic performance.

Leadership Change and Institutional Improvement: An Evidence-Based Administrative and Academic Development Plan for a Local School in Karachi

2026-04-01T05:36:43+01:00

This research aims to evaluate the extent to which leadership transition has affected the administrative, academic, and organizational aspects of a privately-run school in Karachi as a registered charitable educational institution catering to the academic needs of underprivileged population. After facing setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were a decrease in enrollment, inefficient administrative structure, and unstable academic supervision at the school. Accordingly, a new Vice Principal was hired in the academic year 2020-21 to manage its recovery and enhancement. By utilizing a sequential-explained paradigm of mixed-method research, there were assessments conducted on a selected sample n=157 participants, consisting of teachers, students, and parents using structured research instruments, interviews, and document-based evidence. The quantitative results were presented using SPSS, with values measured at a reliability coefficient or Cronbach's ALPHA, measuring between 0.716 and 0.963, signifying a strong internal consistency level of research instruments used. Results accounted for improvements at a statistically substantial level concerning communication, academic supervision, class environment, administrative efficiency, teacher satisfaction, student engagement, and parent trust bringing forth a medium to extremely large overall practical effect size at all respondent groups, thereby validating the greatly positive role of research on leadership transition. Results and findings also included in-depth qualitative paradigms too. The study concludes that effective school management plans create a culture of pedagogic collegiality and cohesion.

Language and Manipulation: A Bhabhaian Reading of Mohammed Hanif’s A Case of Exploding Mangoes

2026-04-02T08:24:11+01:00

This study examines language in A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif through the postcolonial concepts of hybridity and the Third Space proposed by Homi K. Bhabha. The paper argues that language in the novel functions not only as a satirical device by the author but Hanif also employs it as a tool of ideological control and political manipulation. By analysing the linguistic strategies employed by political figures such as Zia, particularly the blending of religious, military, and diplomatic discourse, the study demonstrates how hybrid language becomes a tool for power, legitimacy, and negotiation for power. Drawing on Bhabha’s idea of cultural hybridity, the research highlights how political actors operate within a hybrid linguistic space that reflects both colonial legacies and local sociopolitical realities. The analysis reveals that the manipulation of language in the novel reflects the broader postcolonial dynamics in which authority is sustained through rhetorical performance, moral posturing, and cultural negotiation. Ultimately, the study contributes to postcolonial literature by showing how satire effectively portrays the nexus of language, power, and identity in contemporary South Asian and postcolonial political fiction.

The Socio-Economic Pulse of CPEC: A Granular Analysis of Impact in Balochistan and Gwadar

2026-04-02T08:31:13+01:00

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is often described as a geopolitical game-changer; nevertheless, the local implications of the initiative on the province of Balochistan demonstrate the developmental irony of its revelation. This paper applies a qualitative, interpretivist approach the synthesis of elite interviews and community-level narratives to explore the two-sided nature of the impact of CPEC in Gwadar. The economic analysis of the research shows that although the corridor has resolved the systemic energy shortages and has developed the national infrastructure, it has also increased marginalization at the local level. This is confirmed by the prevailing skill deficit that locks out the native labour force and the dislocation of the traditional lives, that is, the artisanal fishing industry. In addition to fiscal indicators, the researchers also find that there are substantial non-economic consequences, such as acute demographic anxiety, securitization of the public space, and the strategic neglect of the health and educational sectors. This study will examine the convergence of big capital inflow with the daily lives of local societies to suggest that the long-term sustainability of CPEC depends on the capacity to overcome the social friction and human-related issues caused by the project. It is concluded at the end of the paper that in the absence of constitutional protection of local population and social investment that is inclusive, CPEC may turn into an enclave of development that further divides the region instead of repairing it.

Modernizing Agriculture: Economic Motivation as Predictors of Entrepreneurial Initiatives and Adoption of New Technology among Small Farmers of Sargodha

2026-04-02T09:09:21+01:00

The agricultural sector plays a pivotal role in national economic development, yet in Pakistan it continues to lag behind the global standards of modernization due to persistent socio-economic and intellectual barriers. This study investigates the role of economic motivation as a key predictor of entrepreneurial initiatives and the adoption of modern technology among small farmers in the Sargodha district. The study embedded a quantitative research design, data were collected from 120 small farmers through structured interview schedules using a multistage sampling approach that combined simple random and convenience sampling techniques. Data was analyzed using SPSS, with results presented in descriptive and inferential forms. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between farmers’ economic motivation and their entrepreneurial engagement and willingness to adopt modern agricultural technologies. The study highlights that strengthening economic motivation among small farmers, can substantially contribute to agricultural modernization and improved productivity. Doing so can ultimately support Pakistan’s broader goals of economic growth and rural development.

An Integrative Review of Literature on the Perspective of Gratitude in Islam and Positive Psychology

2026-04-03T06:35:46+01:00

Gratitude has remained a focus for philosophers, psychologists, and theologians because of its constructive role in overall well-being. Gratitude has a significant place in many religions, such as Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and particularly in Islam. This research aims to achieve a thorough understanding of gratitude from an Islamic perspective. Further, a systematic review of the literature is used to compare perspectives on Gratitude in Islam and in positive psychology. Gratitude is given paramount importance in the Holy Qur’an and hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH). The Databases used were Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Research Gate, and Science Direct. The keywords used were Gratitude, Islam, perspective, Qur’an, and positive psychology. Synthesis of Literature emphasizes the extraordinary significance of Gratitude in Islam, identifying it as a principal part of faith and a significant contributor to individuals’ overall well-being. In Islam, Gratitude is of two types: one directed towards Allah Almighty (GOD), and the second concerning people. The present study will make a significant contribution to the literature on the Islamic perspective on gratitude and positive psychology.

Development and Validation of Fear of Victimization Scale among Minorities of Pakistan

2026-04-03T06:40:34+01:00

The current study's aims to create and validate the Fear of Victimization among Minorities (FVAM) Scale within Pakistan's sociocultural framework. The fear of victimization adversely affects the mental health, social functionality, and overall well-being of religious minorities in Pakistan. The lack of culturally sensitive measures has led to the development of reliable and valid tool to measure the lived experience of religious minority. This required the generation of items, expert opinion, and validation using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as part of a scale building process. The final version of the scale with twenty-one items included four factors: Perceived Discrimination and Social Inequality, Perceived Insecurity and Threat Perception, Perceived Vulnerability and Social Isolation, and Perceived Identity-based Insecurity. Good internal consistency (Cronbach's α =.87), and split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown and Guttman coefficients =.84) all supported the scale's psychometric soundness. Another quality was test-retest reliability(r =.84, n =50). Convergent and discriminant validity were established with the aid of the Perceived Stress Scale and the Psychological Wellbeing Scale. Scale validity was demonstrated by the results, which showed a significant positive association between FVAM and PSS (r =.95, p <.001) and a strong negative connection with PWB (r = −.97, p <.001). The FVAM scale proves to be a reliable-valid and culturally sensitive tool that contributes to assessing fear of victimization of religious minorities and has its implications on research, policy and psychological interventions.

The Psychological Impact of Language in Persuasion and Advertising

2026-04-06T07:37:37+01:00

This paper explores the issues of language influencing psychology of advertising and the extent to which it influences consumer perception, attitudes and behavior. The research is conducted based on the interdisciplinary knowledge of marketing, psychology, and linguistics on understanding how some linguistic strategies such as appeal to emotion, framing, reconstruction, and involvement in the story make the messages persuasive. It used a mixed-method design, in which quantitative survey data were used to get the responses of 300 respondents and qualitative content analysis of adverts. The findings indicate that emotional language is the best predictor of purchase intention followed by narrative engagement, framing, and repetition among others with the total consumer decision making being proposed at 62 percent. The findings of the correlation also confirm that strong relations between linguistic strategies, consumer engagement and brand recall are present, as well as perceived risk reduction. The study supports the Elaboration Likelihood Model because it confirms that the central and the peripheral processes take place concurrently when responding to advertising language. Furthermore, the findings indicate the need of the culturally sensitive and ethically responsible communication in improving trust and long-term brand relationships. The theoretical contribution of this research in the study of language as a central tool of persuasion, and the practical implication of this process in developing more efficient and responsible advertising practices in the modern digital world, are not less significant.

Empowering Competitive Advantage: Impact of Green Supply Chain Practices on Firm Performance through Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Resource Cognitive Thinking (Evidence from SMEs in Pakistan)

2026-04-06T12:46:50+01:00

This study examines the impact of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) practices on firm performance, incorporating the mediating roles of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Human Resource Cognitive Thinking (HRCT) in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. Using survey data from 200 SMEs and applying Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings reveal that GSCM significantly enhances firm performance both directly and indirectly. CSR and HR cognitive capabilities act as critical mechanisms through which sustainability initiatives translate into competitive advantage. The study contributes to the literature by integrating behavioral and strategic perspectives in a developing economy context.

Occupational Stress in the Industrial Workforce: Nature, Causes, and Distribution at Gadoon Amazai Industrial Zone

2026-04-09T05:45:51+01:00

Occupational stress not only affects the production and quality of work in industries it also generates long term sickness affects the wellbeing of workers. Current study explores different aspects of stress in the workers of Gadoon Amazai Industrial zone situated in Swabi District of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. This industrial zone is the project of government of Pakistan to provide an alternative for the poppy cultivation economy of the surrounding population. A qualitative research method is used to understand different the circumstances and conditions responsible for occupational stress in the locale. the data is collected from three groups, unskilled labor, skilled labor and supervisors. The study uses the Job Demand-Control Model. (Portoghese et al., 2020) and finds that the central place and cause of stress changes quite clearly as one moves up the industrial administration ladder, from the existential and somatic struggle of the body at the unskilled workers to the identity-based and relational struggle of the mind at the top. The discussion shows that occupational stress at GAIE is not a homogeneous phenomenon; on the contrary, it is heavily stratified according to where a worker lies in the organizational structure. It is found that both cultural and structural causes and conditions are causing stress among factory workers. These includes struggle for dignity and survival, kinship expectations and high-stake duties, boundary spanning and identity crisis, failure of instrumental social support etc. It is also observed that causes of stress for different cadres are mostly not identical.

Narcissism and Abusive Supervision: A Study Linking Personality Disorder Leading to Employees Counterproductive Outcomes in the HEIs

2026-04-10T18:50:38+01:00

Narcissistic leadership in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) represents a critical antecedent to abusive supervision, triggering detrimental faculty outcomes that undermine institutional effectiveness. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examines the role of supervisors’ narcissism that is manifested through authoritarianism and public humiliation and fuels abusive supervision, which subsequently depletes faculty resources and precipitates burnout, surface acting, and workplace gossip. Survey data from 400 faculty members across Malaysian public universities were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results confirm narcissism significantly predicts abusive supervision which in turn directly intensifies burnout, surface acting, and gossip tendencies. Critically, abusive supervision mediates supervisor’s narcissism effects on faculty member’s cynicism and surface acting, while gossip also mediates abusive supervision’s impact on faculty member’s cynicism. These findings reveal a resource depletion mechanism wherein narcissistic leaders’ aggression erodes faculty wellbeing and fosters counterproductive coping behaviors. The study urges Malaysian HEIs to implement leader accountability frameworks, restorative justice practices, and stress-reduction facilities to mitigate narcissism-driven abuse, aligning with national education reforms and sustainable institutional governance.

Financial Inclusion as a Catalyst for Women’s Economic Empowerment: Evidence from Punjab, Pakistan

2026-04-14T08:05:24+01:00

Financial inclusion plays a key role in empowering women especially in taking part in economic activities. The present study is carried out to assess the impact of financial inclusion on women’s economic empowerment in South Punjab, a neglected area of Punjab, Pakistan. The sample of 150 married women of reproductive age (19-49) (Mage=34.43, S.D=8.43) having at least one child was selected from district Multan, Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghazi Khan. The independent variables were listed as age, married life in years, education years, job status, members earning in family and financial inclusion. Women economic empowerment (the dependent variable was categorized as highly empowered, moderately empowered and least empowered. Through ordered logit model, the marginal effects of different independent variables were estimated. Results indicate that with one more unit of financial inclusion, women are more likely to be highly empowered as compared to moderately and least empowered women. The findings revealed that the variables viz., married life in years, status of job and number of earning members in family appeared to be non-significant to affect women’s economic empowerment. The variables including, age of respondents and financial inclusion were positively statistically significant, while years of education was negatively significantly and more likely to impact economic empowerment of highly empowered women as compared to moderately and least empowered women. The recommendations in light of the results have also been discussed.

Effectiveness of CBT in Reducing Psychosocial Issues Due to Social Media Addiction among Young Adults

2026-04-14T09:18:38+01:00

Frequent and overuse of social media sites has remained a matter of concern for psychologists and psychiatrists due to multiple reported cases of social dysfunction, anxiety, depression, and stress. The goal of the current experimental research was to determine whether Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective in reducing psychosocial issues among young adults due to social media addiction. This was an experimental study with a randomized control design. Participants (n=60) of the study were divided into two groups, i.e., experimental (n = 30) and control (n = 30). The experimental group received eight-week CBT sessions, whereas the control group did not receive any treatment; they were only engaged. Data were analyzed by SPSS (28). The results showed that the experimental group showed lower levels of social media addiction, anxiety, depression, stress, and social dysfunction after CBT intervention, compared to the results of the control group, which were the same before and after the intervention. Large effect sizes were seen across all main outcome variables, and the post-test mean scores of the experimental group were substantially lower than their pre-test scores. The results indicate that CBT is a successful technique for lowering psychosocial issues related to social media addiction among young adults.

AI Literacy in Media Education: A Study among Public Sector University Students of Sindh Province

2026-04-21T03:35:44+01:00

Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy has become an essential skill in the present-day higher education, especially in media education where technological convergence keeps redefining content production, dissemination, and consumption. In this connection, Higher Education Commission Pakistan has focused on the incorporation of AI learning in all disciplines as well as AI literacy has become a mandatory part of higher education programs by the academic years 202526. This policy trend highlights a sense of urgency in the need to prepare students with AI-related skills to address the emerging academic and industry needs. The paper is a research on the AI literacy of students and faculty members of the public sector universities in Sindh, Pakistan. The data were gathered through a survey based quantitative research design, in the selected Universities with Media and Communication Studies programs. The research considers central aspects of AI literacy, such as the conceptual knowledge of AI, the application of AI-generated content in creating media, the critical conceptualization of AI-generated content, and the awareness of ethical issues, such as bias, misinformation, and data privacy. The results indicate that there is the moderate degree of awareness and use of AI tools among the respondents but, there are important gaps in critical and ethical knowledge. Although a large proportion of participants indicated knowledge of AI applications like content creation and editing tools, smaller groups indicated that they were capable of critically evaluating AI outputs or that they could interpret how the algorithm works. Access to training resources, institutional support, and curriculum integration were found to be important factors that could affect AI literacy levels. The paper points to the pressing necessity to implement systematic AI literacy programs within media education programs in Sindh according to national policies. It suggests capacity-building, training of faculty, and interventions at the level of policies to make the adoption of AI in the field of media education responsible and effective. With increased AI literacy, universities will be in a better position to educate students to navigate the dynamic digital media landscape and become valuable contributors to the knowledge economy.

Power Transition and Structural Competition: Analyzing the New Architecture of US-China Relations, 2000–2025

2026-04-22T09:25:53+01:00

This article discusses how relations between the United States and China have changed in the 21st century, based on the multi-domain competition that has emerged as the new axis of global politics. The urgency of the study stems from the need to understand how a bilateral relationship based on economic interdependence and regulated interaction is transforming into one of structural competition across trade, technology, military posture, and normative rules. A major gap exists in the literature: while considerable scholarship has addressed discrete dimensions of the rivalry, few studies have integrated economic, technological, security, and domestic political dimensions into a coherent analytical framework. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines a structured expert survey (n=40), qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, and documentary analysis of authoritative policy texts (2000-2025), this article traces expert perceptions of the US-China rivalry. It situates them within theoretical perspectives on power transition, geo-economic statecraft, liberal institutionalism, and constructivism. Results show a staggering expert consensus about the international system (85%) moving from unipolarity to multipolarity; that the Belt and Road Initiative (92.5%), economic diplomacy (82.5%) and military modernization (75%) are China's leading tools of strategic influence; and economic and technological competition as the most important dimension of competition (mean = 4.50). The study concludes that the US-China relationship has entered a phase of systemic structural competition that is especially likely to pose acute risks to global stability, particularly through flashpoints in the Taiwan Strait and in technology decoupling. Policy implications include the institutionalization of crisis-communication mechanisms, a multilateral technology-governance compact, and the maintenance of functional cooperation zones in climate and global health governance.

Contrasting Economic Strategies of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the United States: Insights from the Trump Administration Era

2026-04-22T09:35:29+01:00

This study conducts a comparative analysis of the economic strategies employed by Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the United States during the Trump administration era (2017–2021), a period characterized by increased economic nationalism, changing trade regimes, and intensified geoeconomic competition. Using a qualitative research approach, the study relies on secondary sources, including peer-reviewed academic literature, policy reports, official government documents, and reputable international publications. Due to time and logistical limitations, primary data collection methods were not employed; instead, the research focuses on interpretive and contextual analysis to examine the policy directions, strategic priorities, and structural constraints that shape each nation’s economic behavior. The analysis investigates how economic nationalism manifested differently across these three unequal economic systems. In the United States, protectionist trade policies, tax reforms, and industrial revival rhetoric were pursued from a position of structural power, supported by monetary sovereignty and global financial influence. Conversely, Pakistan’s economic strategy reflected a hybrid approach, balancing engagement with the International Monetary Fund, strategic alignment with China through the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, and domestic stabilization efforts amid ongoing fiscal and balance-of-payments challenges. Sri Lanka’s economic approach involved debt-led development, infrastructure-driven growth, and strategic hedging among major powers—particularly the United States, China, and regional actors—while facing significant external vulnerabilities. By situating these national strategies within a framework of asymmetric interdependence and small-state political economy, the study demonstrates how similar global pressures resulted in different policy outcomes. The findings show that while economic nationalism provided the United States with policy flexibility, it intensified structural constraints for Pakistan and Sri Lanka, revealing the limits of inward-focused strategies in debt-dependent economies. This research contributes to the comparative political economy literature by illustrating how global power asymmetries influence economic strategy and offering insights into the varied impacts of Trump-era economic policies on both developed and developing countries.

Lightweight Hybrid Feature-Based 3D Scene Reconstruction for Resource-Constrained AR Applications

2026-04-24T13:17:54+01:00

Augmented Reality (AR) applications cannot be used without effective and robust 3D reconstructions of the scenes to appropriately position virtual objects into the real world. However, the reconstruction of high-fidelity 3D using mobile and resource-constrained hardware remains a significant challenge due to memory, processing, sensor and battery life constraints. Conventional methodologies that are geometric, such as Structure from Motion (SfM), Multi-View Stereo (MVS), and feature-based Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) have also proven useful in tracking a camera and sparse-to-dense mapping. However, these techniques tend to perform poorly in low-texture scenes, moving scenes, and complicated lighting situations. This paper will solve these shortcomings by presenting a lightweight hybrid 3D reconstruction system that combines traditional SLAM approaches with a small neural augmentation system. Within this framework, SLAM will be used to precisely estimate poses and map geometries and the neural component will be used to refine critical regions to improve the quality of the texture and fill smaller gaps in reconstructions without causing a lot of computational load. The system also takes advantage of the performance of the embedded systems and client-grade GPUs, as well as, uses the GPUs to attain nearly real-time performance through the use of GPU-based optimization, lightweight data structure, and adaptive processing scheme. The conducted experiments suggest that the suggested hybrid scheme notably enhances the accuracy of reconstructions and visual quality without compromising on the performance specifications that are vital in resource-constrained settings.

Exploring the Dynamics of Insulin-Glucose Regulation through Generalized Runge-Kutta 2nd Order Method

2026-04-24T13:25:23+01:00

This paper designs and solves a fractional-order model of insulin-glucose regulation using the generalized Runge-Kutta 2nd order method. We examine how the dynamic behaviour of the system changes over time when the fractional order is changed. The outcomes demonstrate the improved precision and flexibility of these models, indicating that they could contribute to a better understanding and management of diabetes. The method is mathematically rigorous and conceptually reasonable, but further theoretical and experimental support would be ideal to firmly establish its applicability.

Effects of Interactive Teaching Methods on Students' Achievement in College-Level Mathematics

2026-04-25T09:53:10+01:00

This study examines the effects of interactive teaching methods on students’ academic achievement in college-level mathematics in public-sector colleges. Mathematics instruction in many public institutions continues to rely heavily on lecture-based approaches that position students as passive recipients of knowledge. Such practices often limit conceptual understanding, reduce engagement, and contribute to poor academic performance. In contrast, interactive teaching methods emphasize active participation, collaborative problem-solving, and continuous feedback, which are expected to enhance learning outcomes by engaging students more directly in the learning process. A quantitative quasi-experimental design was employed. The study sample consisted of 240 undergraduate students from public colleges, divided into two groups: an experimental group (n = 120) exposed to interactive teaching methods and a control group (n = 120) taught through traditional lectures. Data were collected using pre-test and post-test achievement scores in mathematics, along with a structured student engagement scale. Statistical analyses, including paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and regression analysis, were conducted to evaluate differences between groups and examine predictive relationships. The findings indicate a statistically significant improvement in the academic achievement of students in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Students exposed to interactive instruction demonstrated higher post-test mean scores, suggesting improved conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities. Additionally, regression analysis revealed that interactive teaching methods are a significant predictor of academic achievement, with student engagement playing a partial mediating role in this relationship. These results suggest that learning outcomes improve when students are actively involved in constructing understanding rather than passively receiving information. The study concludes that interactive teaching methods are more effective than traditional lecture-based approaches in improving mathematics achievement in public colleges. It underscores the need for pedagogical reforms that prioritize student engagement and active learning. The findings carry important implications for curriculum design, instructional practices, and teacher training programs aimed at enhancing the quality of mathematics education in public sector institutions.

Climate Policy Uncertainty and Corporate Cash Holdings: Evidence from Listed Non-Financial Firms in Pakistan

2026-04-27T06:52:28+01:00

This study investigates the effect of climate policy uncertainty on corporate cash holdings among listed non-financial firms in Pakistan over the period 2010–2024. Drawing on the trade-off theory, pecking-order theory, and the precautionary motive of cash holdings, the study argues that firms are likely to retain more liquidity when climate-related policy conditions become more uncertain. Using panel-data techniques, the analysis estimates a baseline fixed-effects model with firm-clustered robust standard errors and supplements it with a dynamic system GMM specification as a robustness and endogeneity check. An interaction-based specification is also estimated to explore whether leverage conditions the relationship between climate policy uncertainty and cash holdings. The baseline results show that climate policy uncertainty has a positive and statistically significant effect on corporate cash holdings, indicating that firms increase precautionary liquidity buffers in response to climate-policy risk. This core finding remains robust in the dynamic system GMM model, where climate policy uncertainty continues to exhibit a positive and significant coefficient. However, the dynamic specification does not provide evidence of significant cash-holding persistence, and the interaction model shows that leverage does not significantly moderate the climate policy uncertainty–cash holdings relationship. Overall, the study contributes to the growing intersection of corporate finance and climate finance by showing that climate-policy uncertainty is a meaningful determinant of corporate liquidity policy in an emerging-market context. The findings imply that firms treat climate-policy instability as a financially relevant source of risk and respond by strengthening internal liquidity positions to preserve flexibility under uncertainty.

An Analysis of the Grade 5th English Textbook By Cambridge University Press in The Light of 4Cs Skills of 21st Century Learning

2026-04-29T14:01:36+01:00

The present study was aimed at assessing a fifth-grade textbook, Global English, by Cambridge, as per the four basic competencies defined in the 21 st century skills model, which is also known as the 4 Cs critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration. The qualitative content analysis method was used to determine the extent to which these skills are incorporated in the contents of the textbook, which includes lessons, activities, exercises, and evaluation activities. The study revealed that the textbook is successful in encouraging critical thinking through the use of comprehension questions, reflection and problem-solving tasks, which challenges the students to read and interpret texts. To develop creativity, writing projects, story-telling and imaginative activities are used, which allow pupils to express their original ideas. Although the textbook offers a chance to enhance reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills with the help of conversations, discussions, and the presentation-based tasks, the limitation of the use of open-ended questions is also one of the main weaknesses. Most of the activities involve structured or close-ended answers, limiting the ability of the students to express them independently and inhibiting more basic critical analysis. Moreover, there is a lack of priority to cooperation skills since the activities that allow group work and peer interaction concerning communication are significantly fewer. The paper finds that the Global English Class 5 textbook is in line with major factors in the 4Cs model, but it still needs to be enhanced in order to achieve a well-rounded and complete growth of all the four skills. The study is informative to curriculum developers, textbook writers and teachers in order to enhance the English language textbooks to meet the new educational requirements.

Greening the Knowledge Economy: Green Intellectual Capital and Green HRM as Drivers of Competitive Advantage in Educational Institutions

2026-04-29T14:07:50+01:00

Organizations in all industries are now confronted with the urgent issue of environmental sustainability. This research explores how Green Intellectual Capital (GIC) practices foster Green Competitive Advantage (GCA), as the latest ecological perspectives to manage human resources and implement intellectual capital by developing sustainable business perspectives directly related to one another. The cross-sectional data was collected on a sample (n = 470) of males and females of different levels/grades of educational institutes (public and private) using a convenience sample through a structured survey questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) served as the foundation for the methodological approach, and the empirical findings highlight the significance of Green intellectual capital (Green relational capital, Green structural capital, and Green human capital) for established firms seeking to gain a competitive edge. GHRM acts as a mediator between GIC and GCA. The value of the research was its insights into how eco-responsible behavior affects the competitiveness of a business. The findings from this work provide scholars, practitioners, and policymakers with an understanding of GIC driving sustainable competitive advantages. It also provides a valuable guideline for businesses striving to operate in an environmentally sensitive manner, promoting environmental sustainability while improving overall output.

Heterotopia of Deviation: A Foucauldian Reading of The God of Small Things

2026-05-01T07:53:47+01:00

This study criticizes The God of Small Things through Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopia, focusing on how spaces like the river, History House, police station, and the Ayemenem home function as heterotopias of deviation that control and punish those who break social norms. By using the textual analysis, the paper demonstrates that these spaces are not just settings but active forces that reinforce caste, patriarchy, and power structures in South Asian society. It concludes that the novel reflects a shift from spaces of crisis to spaces of deviation, where characters like Ammu and Velutha are marginalized and destroyed, ultimately revealing how spatial arrangements play a key role in maintaining social oppression.

Colonial Irrigation, Elite Mediation, and Agro-Economic Transformation in District Multan (1849-1901)

2026-05-01T08:07:19+01:00

The agrarian transformation of District Multan under British colonial rule was fundamentally shaped by the introduction of large-scale canal irrigation, which functioned not merely as an economic intervention but as a strategic instrument of political control and social engineering. However, this transformation was deeply embedded within a framework of colonial governance that prioritized revenue extraction, territorial control, and the consolidation of imperial authority. Central to this process was the mediation of local agrarian elites, who acted as intermediaries between the colonial state and rural society. The British administration systematically co-opted influential landlords, tribal chiefs, and loyalist groups by granting them proprietary rights over newly irrigated lands, along with titles and institutional privileges. This patron-client relationship not only ensured administrative stability but also facilitated the penetration of colonial authority into rural Punjab. In Multan, such elite mediation reconfigured traditional patterns of landholding by empowering selected groups often military recruits, migrants from central Punjab, and upper-caste agriculturists while marginalizing indigenous pastoral and peasant communities. Indian Library London, Punjab Civil Secretariat Lahore. The consequences of this colonial intervention were profound and enduring. At the same time, the commercialization of agriculture intensified, integrating Multan into global markets through the cultivation of cash crops like cotton and wheat, thereby aligning local production with imperial economic priorities. The district of Multan was quite different from the rest of the Punjab for its historical, geographical, weather and typical social traditions. Therefore, the study has ascertained that neither regional nor national history of Pakistan or South Asia can be properly touched without exploring the local history of the important towns and cities of the sub-continent during the Colonial rule. This research derives its frame of reference by mixing historical, qualitative and quantitative methods of research. This research is based on original unpublished official reports from British. This research derives its frame of reference by mixing historical, qualitative and quantitative methods of research. This research is based on original unpublished official reports from British Indian Library London and Punjab Civil Secretariat Lahore.

Climate Change and Water Insecurity in Pakistan: Implications for Federal Governance and Internal Stability

2026-05-01T08:51:32+01:00

Climate change has now become one of the most significant non-traditional security threats of the twenty-first century and its impacts are highly disproportionately placed in the developing countries that are environmentally vulnerable like Pakistan. Pakistan is located in the Indus Basin and it depends on one of the most developed irrigation systems in the world, which is exposed to some of the most devastating water crisis due to the disappearance of the glaciers and the changing monsoon patterns, frequent droughts and disastrous flooding. These ecological incursions are not determined in a vacuum but they overlap a federal form of governance that has always been historically contentious, institutionally fractured and constitutionally unclear in regard to water resource management. This paper explores the connection between water insecurity in Pakistan due to climate change and the stability of federal governance, based on the argument that climate change is a threat multiplier that exacerbates the underlying structural vulnerabilities in interprovincial water governance and endangers national unity. Based on the environmental security theory and the academic literature of federalism, the paper uses qualitative research methods using thematic analysis of the provisions in the constitution, policy documents, institutional mechanisms and secondary academic sources. The results show that the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord and the Council of Common Interests are no longer effective as adaptive governance tools with increasing climate stress. The interprovincial water distribution conflicts, especially between the Punjab and Sindh, have become more pronounced and the food insecurity in rural areas and migration as a result of climate have extended the social aspects of the crisis. The paper suggests institutional reforms that are climate adaptive, greater federal collaboration, open governance of water information, and mainstreaming of water security in national security plans.

Underage Coerced Conversions and Marriages in Sindh: Judicial Complicity and Legal Contradictions

2026-05-01T09:01:08+01:00

This paper examines the aggressive persistence of underage coerced conversions and marriages among minority girls in Sindh, Pakistan, framing the phenomenon within broader legal, judicial, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts. Despite the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act (2013) establishing progressive safeguards, enforcement remains weak due to judicial complicity, structural bias, and the privileging of religious narratives over statutory protections. Drawing on recent peer reviewed scholarship and human rights reports, the study highlights how poverty, patriarchal norms, feudal structures, and climate vulnerability intersect to perpetuate exploitation. Counter narratives, advanced by institutions such as the Institute of Policy Studies, contend that many conversions are voluntary; however, empirical evidence demonstrates that voluntariness cannot legitimize marriages that contravene provincial and international law. The analysis underscores Pakistan’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, emphasizing the gap between legal commitments and judicial practice. Recommendations include judicial reform, strict age verification mechanisms, criminalization of forced conversion, victim protection programs, socioeconomic interventions, and cultural engagement with religious leaders. By integrating legal, cultural, and socioeconomic dimensions, the paper argues for comprehensive reforms to safeguard minority girls and align Pakistan’s practices with its domestic and international obligations.

Cartographic Confinement and the Myth of Fixed Identity: Mapping, Metageography, and the Politics of Belonging in Elif Shafak's The Island of Missing Trees (2021)

2026-05-01T09:20:22+01:00

This paper is the academic study of cartographic confinement in Elif Shafak's The Island of Missing Trees (2021). Drawing on Martin W. Lewis and Kären E. Wigen's critique of metageography (1997) - their systematic demonstration that the spatial structures through which modern people organize their knowledge of the world are historically constructed, politically motivated, and ideologically consequential rather than natural or neutral - the paper establishes that Shafak's novel engages in a sustained and multi-faceted critique of cartographic authority as a form of identity confinement. Using Belsey's (2013) method of textual analysis, the paper shows that The Island of Missing Trees uses its distinctive narrative structure - which alternates between the points of view of human characters and the narrating fig tree - to expose and challenge the cartographic categorization of human life in four interrelated ways: the border that divides Cyprus; the topographic violence of the erasure of street names; the geopolitical erasure of Cyprus as a place at the crossroads of continents; and the intergenerational cartographic trauma of Ada's inability to speak her father's Greek or her mother's Turkish. Against these multiple forms of cartographic confinement, the novel offers alternative epistemologies of belonging based on arboreal time, ecological interdependence, and the Third Space of The Happy Fig tavern, a syncretic cultural space that existed, for a short time and in a beautiful way, before the map made it unviable. The paper adds to the burgeoning field of literary cartography and postcolonial geography by positioning The Island of Missing Trees as one of the most sustained and philosophically engaging fictional critiques of spatial categorization in contemporary literature.

Lived Experiences of Flood-Affected Rural Communities in District Dadu, Sindh, Pakistan

2026-05-02T07:55:12+01:00

One of the most common and most destructive natural disasters is floods, which unequally impacts rural communities. This research examined the lived experiences of the flood-affected populations in District Dadu, Sindh, Pakistan, after the 2022 floods. Qualitative research design was adopted and in-depth interviews were carried out on 30 respondents to comprise of farmers, laborers, homemakers and small business proprietors. The Social Vulnerability Theory and the Resilience and Coping Framework were used to conduct the study to determine the connection between the socio-economic inequalities, the impacts of disasters, and the responses of the communities. A thematic analysis revealed eight key themes, namely, disruption of livelihoods, economic hardship and debt, health and sanitation issues, social support and community resilience, displacement and migration, access to aid and relief, emotional and psychological effects, and gendered experiences. The results indicated that poorer households were more susceptible to negative impacts of flooding. Nonetheless, robust social networks and coping mechanisms that were adaptive contributed greatly to the minimisation of these effects. The article emphasizes the significance of community-based solutions, gender-sensitive solutions, and equal allocation of aid in the context of post-disaster recovery. The above results can be useful to inform policymakers and development organizations to develop context-based disaster preparedness and sustainable recovery solutions in rural locations vulnerable to the flood.

Self-Aware Management as a Predictor of School Improvement in Secondary Schools: A Quantitative Study

2026-05-02T08:56:48+01:00

The purpose of the current quantitative study is to investigate the role of self-aware management in school improvement at the secondary level. The key purposes of this study include identifying the practices of self-aware management at the secondary level, defining the aspects of school improvement at the secondary level, and examining the predictive association between self-aware management and school improvement. For data gathering, the researchers used cross-sectional survey research. The target population included 1854 secondary school teachers from Division Mirpur, AJ&K. In total, 370 teachers were selected via proportionate stratified random sampling technique recommended by Krejcie & Morgan (1970). Questionnaires developed by the researchers based on a five-point Likert scale were used as data collection instruments. The data were analyzed using SPSS through descriptive analysis (mean) and inferential statistics (multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation). The findings revealed that students show high levels of self-awareness and self-management in terms of measuring their own progress (M=4.22), changing their approach, when necessary (M=4.24), and making use of mistakes for learning purposes (M=4.17). Regression analysis revealed that self-aware management significantly predicts school improvement (β = .784, p < .001, R² = .651), explaining 65.1% of the variance. The null hypothesis was rejected. The areas in which improvements can be considered include stress management (M = 3.94) and cooperation with the community (M = 3.45). It is advised that the schools and the families work together for improving self-awareness and safety awareness and manage stress in students.

The Influence of Culinary Content on Morocco's Destination Image and Tourists' Attitude toward Visit Intention in the Digital Era

2026-05-02T11:10:26+01:00

Culinary experiences have emerged as a significant cultural and experiential motivator for tourism, especially in the digital age, where culinary interactions often begin online. Social media culinary content creates visually compelling narratives that form symbolic representations of the culinary scene, influencing travelers' expectations and views before their travels. The proposed model positions social media culinary content as the external stimulus, while tourists’ perceived value of local cuisine, tourist attitude, and destination image function as organismic states, ultimately shaping visit intention as the behavioral response. Using survey data from 304 digitally active respondents, the study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the hypothesized relationships. The results show that exposure to social media culinary content significantly enhances tourists’ perceived value of local cuisine, which in turn strengthens their attitudes toward local food. These positive attitudes further improve destination image and ultimately increase visit intention. Destination image emerges as the strongest direct predictor of visit intention, highlighting its critical influence on travel decision- making. These findings validate the applicability of the S-O-R framework in culinary tourism and underline the interplay between cultural attributes and digital stimuli in shaping tourist behavior. Theoretically, the study contributes by integrating culinary tourism and influencer research into a unified S-O-R model, demonstrating how digital food narratives activate psychological evaluations and behavioral intentions. Practically, the results offer valuable guidance for destination managers, emphasizing the importance of credible influencer partnerships and culturally grounded culinary storytelling to strengthen Morocco’s destination image and motivate potential visitors.

Effect of Online Learning on the Academic Performance of University Students in District Kotli

2026-05-02T11:16:07+01:00

This study examined students’ perceptions of online learning and its impact on academic achievement. The primary objective was to analyze how online learning influences students’ academic performance, focusing on accessibility, engagement, and self-directed learning skills. A quantitative research design was used, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire comprising three sections: online learning, academic achievement, and the perceived effect of online learning on academic performance. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the data. The findings revealed that students generally hold a positive perception of online learning, particularly regarding ease of access to learning materials and flexibility. Academic achievement was also rated positively, with students demonstrating good time management and consistent performance in completing assignments. Moreover, online learning was found to have a moderately positive impact on academic achievement, especially in enhancing self-study skills. However, challenges such as technical issues, limited practical application of knowledge, and reduced interaction were also identified. The study concludes that online learning is an effective educational approach that supports academic development, although certain limitations must be addressed to maximize its effectiveness. It is recommended that institutions improve technical infrastructure, incorporate more practical learning activities, enhance student engagement strategies, and adopt blended learning approaches to improve overall learning outcomes.

Hydropolitics and Climate Security in the Indus Basin: A Green Theory Analysis of Pakistan's Water Vulnerability

2026-05-04T12:40:45+01:00

The Indus Basin is a very hydrologically threatened and geopolitically disputed river system in the modern world. In the transboundary basin shared by Pakistan, India, China and Afghanistan, the downstream riparian state faces an existential collision of hydro political rivalry, fast disappearing glaciers and lack of institutions in water management. This paper uses the Green Theory as its main analytical focus to investigate the water vulnerability of Pakistan within the Indus Basin and how the anthropocentric state-centric conceptualizations of security marginalized ecological imperatives and non-human nature rights in the past. Based on the latest hydrological evidence, the 2021 UN Climate Change Report, the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (2022), and the water security analyses of the South Asia by the World Bank, the paper argues that climate change is becoming a multiplier of already existing hydro political tensions, which makes the Indus Waters Treaty (1960) even more ineffective. The paper also argues that the agrarian economy of Pakistan (which contributes about 19.2% of the GDP and utilizes more than 37% of the labor force) is being subjected to catastrophic disruption by the estimated 10-40% of river discharge that is projected to be decreased by 2050 with high-emissions scenarios. This study, based on a Green Theory framework, suggests an ecologically integrated post-anthropocentric water security that integrates beyond bilateral treaty systems and includes indigenous hydrological knowledge, ecosystem rights and third world climate financing. The implications that the findings have on the overall literature on environmental peacebuilding and climate diplomacy in South Asia are immense.

Artificial Intelligence, Institutional Quality, and Electricity Network Efficiency: Evidence from the Global Energy Transition

2026-05-04T12:48:19+01:00

Despite growing recognition of artificial intelligence (AI) as a general-purpose technology, limited attention has been paid to its role in improving electricity network efficiency and the institutional conditions under which these effects emerge. This study examines how AI development influences electricity network efficiency, proxied inversely by electricity transmission and distribution losses, and whether institutional quality strengthens this relationship within the global energy transition. Using panel data for 59 countries over 2010-2024, the analysis employs two-way fixed effects, instrumental variable generalized method of moments (IV-GMM), and method-of-moments quantile regression (MM-QR) to address endogeneity and capture distributional heterogeneity. The results show that AI development significantly improves electricity network efficiency by reducing transmission and distribution losses, with stronger effects observed in high-loss environments. Institutional quality further amplifies these efficiency gains, indicating that governance capacity and digital capability operate as complementary inputs. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the efficiency-enhancing effect of AI is more pronounced in fossil-fuel-dominant systems and technologically advanced economies. The findings highlight that technological adoption alone is insufficient; governance alignment is essential for translating digital capability into operational performance gains. This study contributes to the literature by providing cross-country evidence on the joint role of artificial intelligence and institutions in shaping electricity network efficiency and advancing the global energy transition.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Jobs in the Near Future: An Analysis

2026-05-06T07:16:49+01:00

The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies including machine learning, deep learning, robotic process automation, and natural language processing has triggered unprecedented discourse regarding the future of human employment. This research paper undertakes a comprehensive, multi-dimensional analysis of the impact of AI on human jobs in the near future (2025–2035), synthesizing empirical findings, theoretical models, and case studies from diverse economic sectors. Drawing upon the Technological Unemployment Theory, Skill-Biased Technological Change (SBTC) framework, and the Task-Based Model of the Labour Market, the paper examines patterns of job displacement, emerging occupational categories, sector-specific vulnerabilities, and the socioeconomic implications of AI-driven labour market transformation. The analysis reveals that while AI poses significant disruption to routine, cognitive, and manual task-intensive roles with an estimated 85 million jobs potentially displaced globally by 2025 (World Economic Forum, 2025) it simultaneously catalyzes the creation of approximately 97 million new roles, suggesting a net positive but highly unequal transition. The research identifies manufacturing, logistics, financial services, and customer support as sectors facing the highest displacement risks (40–70%), while healthcare, education, creative arts, and strategic management demonstrate greater resilience and opportunity for human-AI collaboration. The paper further argues that the magnitude of disruption is mediated by policy responsiveness, access to reskilling infrastructure, and the pace of institutional adaptation. Recommendations include universal reskilling programmes, adaptive regulatory frameworks, investment in lifelong learning ecosystems, and the development of a Human-AI Collaboration Index as a governance metric.

The Epistemics of the Interior: Tasawwuf, the Shari'a-Haqiqa Dialectic, and the Decolonization of Islamic Legal Theory

2026-05-06T07:23:39+01:00

This article advances a specific philosophical thesis: that in classical Islamic thought, the nafs (soul/self) is the shared ontological subject of both legal obligation (taklif) and spiritual transformation (tazkiya), and that this structural identity, consistently elaborated across the Sufi-juristic tradition, constitutes a philosophy of law fundamentally incompatible with the exteriorizing logic of legal positivism. The colonial representation of Islam as a "nomocentric" religion, reducible to external juridical compliance and incapable of philosophical interiority, is shown to rest on the suppression of this identity: by severing taklif from tazkiya at the level of institutional and intellectual organization, colonial modernity produced both Wahhabi legalism and liberal secularism as twin reactions, each accepting the very separation the classical tradition refused. Drawing on primary Arabic texts across the shari'a-haqiqa tradition, from al-Junayd and Ibn 'Abbad al-Rundi through al-Sirhindi, al-Ghazali, al-Birgivi, and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, the paper reconstructs this classical position, diagnoses its colonial dismantling, and argues for its recovery as the most philosophically rigorous foundation available for decolonial Islamic legal theory.

Enhancing English Language Retention through Neurolinguistic Memory Techniques: A Qualitative Study at the University of Balochistan, Quetta

2026-05-08T07:49:40+01:00

The acquisition and long-term retention of English as a second language (ESL) presents a consistent challenge in educational settings across Pakistan, specially in under-resourced university setting such as those found in Balochistan. This qualitative study explores the extent to which neurolinguistic memory techniques, particularly spaced repetition and retrieval practice, are employed in English language teaching at the University of Balochistan, Quetta, and explore teachers' perceptions concerning the effectiveness of these strategies in promoting long-term language retention among young learners. Drawing on a Cognitive Memory-Based Learning Framework based in the theoretical contributions of Hermann Ebbinghaus, the Spacing Effect, and Retrieval Practice theory, the study adopts semi-structured interviews with six to eight purposively selected English language teachers. Data are analyzed using thematic analysis, following the steps of transcription, coding, theme generation, and interpretive synthesis. Primary findings suggest that while most teachers accept the importance of memory and retention in language learning, systematic implementation of neurolinguistic strategies remains rare. The dominant pedagogical access continues to favor rote memorization and examination-focused instruction, creating a great mismatch between established cognitive learning principles and actual classroom practice. The study sums up with pedagogical recommendations for integrating evidence-based memory techniques into English language curricula at the university level, with vast implications for language education policy in developing regional settings.

Impact of Blockchain Technologies on Supply Chain Sustainability: The Roles of Integration, Mapping, and Transparency

2026-05-09T12:57:09+01:00

This research examines the potential of Blockchain Technologies (BT) for influence on Supply Chain Sustainability (SCS) through the intermediary of Supply Chain integration (SCI), Mapping Supply Chain (SCM) and transparency in the Supply Chain (SCT). After increasing complexity and sustainability issues within the supply chain in the city of Karachi of Pakistan, the study proposes to identify the use of the competence of the blockchain to enhance the sustainable performance of the chain. The research adopts a strategic resource perspective of the blockchain, drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities Theory to shape this view.The study perceives the concept of blockchain as a strategic resource that assists firms to restructure and empower supply chain processes according to Dynamic Capabilities Theory. The research design was quantitative and the instrument used was a questionnaire with Likert-scale ranging from 5-point. In this research, the reliability of the pilot was carried out by SPSS and the preliminary data was screened by structural model analysis using SmartPLS-SIM.This study used SPSS for pilot reliability analysis and analyzed preliminary data on SmartPLS-SIM between the model and structural. The results show that the influence of BT on SCI, SCM, SCT and SCS are significant and positive with SCI and SCT playing a positive role for SCS as well. However, relationship between SCM and SCS did not yield any significant direct impact. The paper points to the importance of two operations on blockchain integration and transparency which help enhance sustainability. They have theoretical and managerial implications and suggest replications in geography and future longitudinal designs.

The Role of Syntax in Determining Word Order in English and Shina Languages

2026-05-09T13:05:25+01:00

Syntax tells about the arrangement of words in a sentence. It governs how different words combine to form a meaning unit which is called sentence. Sentence is a meaningful unit of language through which we interact with each other is governed by syntax. It has been observed that a number of studies are available on the internal structure of languages like English, Urdu and Arabic languages, but limited research is available on the role of syntax in the word order of English and Shina languages. English language data is drawn from newspapers (dawn newspaper), novel (Atomic habit), research article (Mumrikoh et al., 2019), and book (Wren and Martin). Shina data is collected through interviews with Shina speaking people. Thereby using the Minimalist program as a model incorporating principals such as, shared principals(Generative Grammar), Parameters(cross linguistic variations in word order), Merge(Sentence construction via hierarchical combinations of syntactic elements) and Functional categories (differences in auxiliaries, articles and verb morphology) under the umbrella of Chomsky’s Generative Grammar, the current study aims to focus on the role of syntax on the word order of English and Shina languages. The study concludes that syntax plays a crucial role in defining word order, with English and Shina showing both similarities and distinct structural variations.

Political Efficacy and Media Consumption as Predictors of Political Polarization among Educated Youth in Pakistan

2026-05-09T13:11:58+01:00

Polarization in politics has become a characteristic issue to modern democracies, especially among the young people who have acquired the access to multiple and frequently contradictory political information through the digital media. This paper looks at how media consumption and political efficacy predict political polarization among Pakistani university students. The conceptualization of polarization in the research is based on the Social Identity Theory and Political Socialization Theory. The research design was quantitative, cross-sectional, where data were collected among 528 students enrolled in the public sector universities in Pakistan using a structured questionnaire to collect them based on validated scales. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS and consisted of descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. The results indicate that the relationship between media exposure and political polarization is moderate, positive, and these exposures are associated with the selective exposure, echo chambers, and reinforcement of prior beliefs. Internal political efficacy gives a positive but statistically insignificant effect, indicating that individuals who have a higher level of confidence in their political understanding are more inclined towards adopting rigid ideological positions. Conversely, negative, though non-significant, relation exists between external political efficacy and low institutional trust and low perceived responsiveness. In general, the research paper finds that media consumption habits are stronger correlates of political polarization among educated youth in Pakistan than is political efficacy alone. The results underscore the importance of media literacy programs, institutional confidence-building, and democratic political engagement among young people to curb the ideological differences and to encourage democratic participation in political affairs among the youth.

The Human Side of Digital Transformation: Emotional Intelligence, Leadership Support, AI Readiness, and Employee Engagement in Modern Organizations

2026-05-11T13:12:21+01:00

Digital transformation has become a strategic priority for modern organizations seeking innovation, operational efficiency, and sustainable competitiveness in rapidly changing business environments. However, the success of digital transformation initiatives depends not only on technological advancement but also on human and organizational factors that influence employee adaptation and organizational readiness. This study examines the role of emotional intelligence, leadership support, artificial intelligence (AI) readiness, and employee engagement in shaping successful digital transformation within modern organizations. The purpose of this research is to explore how emotionally intelligent leadership and supportive organizational practices enhance employee engagement and readiness for AI-driven technological change. The study proposes that employees with higher emotional intelligence are better able to adapt to digital transformation processes, manage workplace stress, and maintain positive workplace relationships during organizational change. Furthermore, leadership support plays a critical role in motivating employees, reducing resistance to technological innovation, and encouraging continuous learning. AI readiness is also considered an essential organizational capability that reflects employees’ technological competencies, adaptability, and willingness to work with intelligent systems. Employee engagement serves as a key outcome that contributes to organizational productivity, innovation, and long-term sustainability. The study highlights that organizations integrating technological transformation with emotional and leadership support mechanisms are more likely to achieve successful digital adaptation and workforce stability. The findings contribute to the growing literature on the human side of digital transformation by presenting an integrated framework linking emotional intelligence, leadership support, AI readiness, and employee engagement. The study also offers practical implications for managers and policymakers seeking to create human-centered digital workplaces in the era of artificial intelligence and organizational transformation.

Patriarchal Oppression, Religion, and Female Resistance in “The Girl Who Escaped ISIS: This Is My Story” by Farida Khalaf

2026-05-12T07:17:59+01:00

This article analyzes how Farida Khalaf’s memoir The Girl Who Escaped ISIS deals with the issues of language, religion, patriarchy and resistance. Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis is used to explore the connections between language, religion, patriarchy and resistance. Farida Khalaf’s self-narrative is based on the argument that the Yazidi identity is traditionally vulnerable and she tried to reveal ISIS’s gendered violence with references to religion and military force. At the textual level the religious, educational, feminine, independent and courageous being identities are constructed by using narrative techniques of oppositions, evaluative labels, as well as narrating religious practices. At the discursive level, the narrative exposes the struggle between dominant ideology and a counter voice of resistance, and at the social level Khalaf discloses ISIS’s structural patriarchal violence, forced religious conversions, and objectification of women. This article also relies on the theories of smith and Watson to demonstrate how the autobiography of Khalaf serves as an act of discovering and reclaiming ones’ own self. Khalaf’s memoir is not just a survival testimony but also a strong counter-discursive narrative, which confronts and opposes the ideological violence of ISIS.

Digital Overdose: How Screen Addiction Is Sabotaging Children’s Mental Health

2026-05-12T07:23:00+01:00

The present quantitative study aims to examine the correlation between screen addiction and mental health problems in children. The study also explored the impact of screen addiction on anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, attention, emotional instability and sleep problems. The design of the study was correlational and the number of 300 school going children between the ages of 9 to 12, of the sample, were randomly selected from different schools. Standardized questionnaires, such as the Digital Addiction Scale for Children (DAS-C) and the KIDSCREEN-27 Questionnaire were used to collect data. All the data were analysed statistically with SPSS version 26 including descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, linear regression and independent sample t-test. The results showed that screen addiction is significantly positively correlated with psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, behavior problems, emotional symptoms and sleep problems. In contrast, screen addiction had negative relationships with emotional well-being, concentration and the quality of life. In addition, through regression analysis, it was found that there was a significant relationship between the problem of screen addiction and anxiety and depression in children. Also, the children with high scores of screen addiction exhibited higher emotional and behavioral problems than children with low screen addiction. The findings suggest that excessive screen time may have negative impacts on children's mental health and cognition. The study highlights the importance of parental involvement, regulating children's media usage, educating school-aged children about media and providing psychological assistance in reducing the negative effects of overuse of digital media on children's mental health.

Fintech, Virtual Assets and Anti-Money Laundering Compliance in Pakistan’s Banking Sector: Legal Challenges and Regulatory Reform

2026-05-12T08:38:22+01:00

The movement, storage, and conversion of money have been transformed by financial technology and virtual assets. Such developments open up financial inclusion and quicker payment services opportunities and generate novel risks of money laundering. The banking sector in Pakistan is currently going through a challenging changeover. The virtual assets were mostly safeguarded against the formal banking system by the state bank of Pakistan banning the dealing in virtual currencies, a ban which was imposed many years ago. The recent trend towards legalizing virtual asset providers implies that banks will probably become significant fiat gateways between conventional accounts and digital asset platforms. This paper discusses the legal and regulatory issues that are brought about by this change. It specializes in Pakistani banking organizations, anti-money laundering regulations, fintech transactions, virtual assets, digital wallets, legacy information systems, financial intelligence and regulatory reform. The article applies a doctrinal approach to law and relying on Pakistani law, State Bank regulations, the FATF standards, the case law and literature. It suggests that the AML framework in Pakistan is generally in line with international standards, but it is not effectively implemented due to old-fashioned bank technology, low quality of data, defensive suspicious transactions reporting, low blockchain analytics capabilities, weak inter-agency data sharing, and ambiguity in addressing virtual asset-related transactions. The article concludes with the finding that Pakistan should have a risk-based regulatory framework that integrates legal obligations that are easily understood, enhanced supervision by the State Bank, licensed regulation of virtual assets, blockchain forensic tools, enhanced by artificial intelligence monitoring, a more robust Financial Monitoring Unit, and improved over-reporting and under-detection.

Integrated Airline and Tourism-Hospitality Services and Passenger Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Passenger Satisfaction and the Moderating Effect of Brand Image

2026-05-13T17:37:57+01:00

The contemporary airline industry has evolved beyond basic passenger transportation, with travelers increasingly demanding seamless integration of flights, accommodation, ground transportation, and tourism-related services. In emerging markets such as Pakistan, airlines and tourism-hospitality providers often operate independently, resulting in fragmented service delivery and weakened passenger loyalty. Addressing this gap, the present study investigates how integrated airline and tourism-hospitality services influence passenger retention, examining passenger satisfaction as a mediating mechanism and brand image as a moderating factor. Grounded in the SERVQUAL model and Expectation–Confirmation Theory (ECT), this study adopts a quantitative, cross-sectional research design. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 207 airline passengers in Pakistan who had prior experience with integrated airline–tourism services. Most participants traveled for leisure and tourism purposes, and remaining reported using integrated services fewer than three times, reflecting occasional but informed usage. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to examine direct, mediating, and moderating relationships. The empirical findings indicate that integration of airline and tourism-hospitality services has a strong positive effect on passenger satisfaction and a significant direct impact on passenger retention. Passenger satisfaction was found to partially mediate the relationship between service integration and retention, highlighting its central role in converting integrated service experiences into loyalty outcomes. Furthermore, brand image significantly moderates the satisfaction–retention relationship, suggesting that a strong airline brand enhances the loyalty benefits derived from satisfied passengers. This study extends the existing body of knowledge about service quality and passenger satisfaction to an integrated airline–tourism context within an emerging market and provides practical insights for airlines, tourism operators, and policymakers seeking to strengthen passenger loyalty through coordinated service strategies.

Criminal Investigation and Challenges in Pakistan: IT Reforms and Comparative Analysis with USA and UK

2026-05-14T08:25:57+01:00

Criminal investigation is an essential part of the criminal justice system that helps identify offenders, collect evidence, and ensure fair prosecution. In Pakistan, the investigation system faces several challenges, including outdated methods, weak forensic facilities, limited use of technology, and institutional inefficiencies. These problems contribute to delayed justice, low conviction rates, and reduced public confidence in law enforcement agencies. In comparison, the United States and the United Kingdom have modernized their investigation systems through advanced technologies such as digital forensics, artificial intelligence, biometric identification, and centralized criminal databases. This study examines the major challenges in Pakistan’s criminal investigation system and evaluates the importance of Information Technology (IT)-based reforms in improving investigative efficiency. It also presents a comparative analysis of Pakistan, the USA, and the UK regarding investigative practices and technological development. The study concludes that effective IT reforms, improved forensic infrastructure, and professional training are necessary to modernize criminal investigations in Pakistan and strengthen transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the criminal justice system.

Pragmatic Loss in the Urdu-to-English Translation of the Nikah Nama

2026-05-15T08:13:57+01:00

This research highlight the linguistic, legal and spiritual loss/ shortage on translation of Nikah Though it is governed by the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance of 1961, this document goes light years beyond even that ordinance. The Nikah Nama carries within it the theological architecture of Islamic jurisprudence, the lived social realities of Pakistani Muslim communities, and centuries of religious tradition. When it crosses into English, the losses are not merely stylistic. Meaning itself the kind that shapes obligation, relationship, and identity undergoes a transformation that no amount of linguistic skill can entirely prevent. The study focuses on ten Urdu vocabulary items that sit at the legal and religious heart of the document: نکاح (nikah), مہر (mahr), مہر معجل (mahr muajjal), مہر مؤخر (mahr muakhkhar), ولی (wali), طلاق (talaq), تفویض طلاق (tafweed-e-talaq), رخصتی (rukhsati), گواہ (gawah), and عاقل بالغ (aqil baligh). These particular terms were chosen because they carry the document's most consequential legal and religious provisions, and because their English translations expose the most serious and recurring patterns of meaning loss.The theoretical framework draws on three bodies of scholarship that complement rather than duplicate one another. Verschueren's Pragmatic Adaptation Theory (1999) offers a foundational account of language as continuous, context-sensitive meaning-making and of translation as a series of pragmatic choices made under constraint. Austin and Searle's Speech Act Theory (1962; 1969) allows the analysis to ask not only what the Nikah Nama's words mean but what they do: what obligations they create, what relationships they establish, and what covenants they constitute. House's register-based model of translation quality assessment (1997) provides the analytical vocabulary for identifying how shifts in register produce systematic pragmatic loss at the level of the document as a whole.The primary corpus consists of three documents: the standard Urdu Nikah Nama form, the official English Marriage Certificate template derived from the same rules, and the certified Urdu-to-English translation produced by Erum Associates Translation Office in Islamabad a translation in regular professional use for immigration and international legal proceedings. Four recurrent patterns of pragmatic loss were evidenced in the analysis. False equivalence is when an English word seems to correspond to the Urdu but brings with it a completely different and often incompatible intellectual model. When there is no English word for an expression, creative void occurs since a translator can either borrow the word or paraphrase it to describe its meaning; neither of which satisfies. See: It register collapse is when the sacred-legal register of Urdu Islamic vocabulary has been flattened into secular bureaucratic prose. When the performative force of a term the ability to impose an obligation or form a covenant through its utterance is lost, we may have what I will be calling illocutionary erasure in the target-language rendering.The conclusion of the article finds that these losses are not merely due to lack of translation ability.They arise from a structural incompatibility between two discourse traditions that developed independently and do not share the same foundational assumptions about law, obligation, community, or the relationship between human beings and God. The practical burden of this incompatibility falls most heavily on women particularly those in diaspora communities whose legal rights under the Nikah Nama depend on the precise meanings of terms that existing translations consistently misrepresent.

The Power Shift: Analysing Tranformation of Traditional Journalists to Digital Opinion Leaders and Newsfluencers Navigating with Algorithmic Apprehensions, Echochambers and Tribal Polarization

2026-05-15T08:48:20+01:00

A radical power shift has radicalized institutional journalism paradigms and gradually replacing it with hybrid, platformed journalism of digital media where traditional journalists are becoming Newsfluencers, content creators and digital opinion leaders. The study has employed qualitative research design to interview journalists who have experienced this complex transformation and navigating the multifaceted dimensions of digital platformed journalism. The findings of study have suggested that platformed journalism presents new paradigms of independence, freedom, mass reach to audiences as influencer yet it brings challenges to deal with online trolls and polarized consumers. The Algorithmic apprehensions, echo chambers, tribal polarization, hyperconnectivity, freedom vs responsibility, context collapse are reshaping media landscapes for both the journalists as content creators and audiences as consumers.

Navigating the AI Divide: A Comparative Analysis of Institutional Readiness and Generative AI Policies in Australian and Pakistani Higher Education

2026-05-16T11:58:06+01:00

The rapid proliferation of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has fundamentally disrupted global higher education, prompting a rush to establish institutional governance. However, prevailing discourse often frames this integration as a uniform technological transition, obscuring the profound socio-economic divides that dictate institutional responses in the Global South. This study conducts a qualitative comparative document analysis of primary AI policy frameworks to investigate how macro-economic resource disparities influence policy maturity. Utilizing stratified purposive sampling, this research contrasts national regulatory bodies and institutional tiers-ranging from elite to public universities—within a high-resource ecosystem (Australia) and a resource-constrained environment (Pakistan). Findings reveal that high-resource environments, guided by bodies like TEQSA, operate with universal infrastructural readiness, allowing them to confidently micro-manage AI as an everyday pedagogical tool. Furthermore, elite Pakistani institutions possess the autonomous capital to bypass domestic lags, achieving regulatory convergence with Australia’s elite Group of Eight (Go8). However, major public institutions in resource-constrained environments remain trapped in a "technical paradox." Forced to centralize scarce funding into specialized tech-hubs, these institutions successfully train AI engineers but suffer a severe pedagogical policy vacuum, resulting in siloed human capital and high academic friction for non-technical students. The study concludes that navigating the AI divide requires a departure from Western-centric regulatory assumptions. It recommends that developing educational markets transition from aspirational mandates to highly prescriptive frameworks, emphasizing cross-faculty democratization, low-resource assessment redesign, and the deployment of localized open-source models to prevent the acceleration of a domestic and international digital divide.

Investigating Communication Barriers in Technology-Supported Teaching–Learning Processes: A Quantitative Study of BSL-Level Students in Government Universities of Lahore, Pakistan

2026-05-18T09:50:15+01:00

The teaching-learning process requires proper communication between the teachers and students, especially in technologies-mediated environments. Nonetheless, advancement of communication technologies in pedagogy may cause obstacles that hinder the interaction and learning process. The quantitative research design, in this study, explores the factors between teachers and students that lead to communication barriers during technology-based instruction. The study sample included 100 BS-level students of government universities in Lahore, Pakistan, who were chosen valuing convenience sampling. The information was gathered through the use of a designed questionnaire that measured major aspects of communication barrier factors, such as technological barriers, language barriers, understanding of the teaching messages, delay in getting feedbacks, and involvement of students. The intensity and pattern of these barriers were evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistics, such as mean scores, standard deviations and correlation analysis. The results denote that the technological constraints, the lack of opportunities to interact with each other, postponed reaction time, the low level of digital literacy, and incomprehensible instructions have a great influence on teacher-student communication. This paper is an empirical study concerning interaction dynamics in technology mediated learning and can be used to support the literature by introducing quantitative information to the field involving the Pakistani university students. The findings may guide the teachers, policymakers and learning institutions on creating methods to improve communication and maximize technology-based instructional methods.

Teacher Preparedness in an Era of Technological Change: A Phenomenological Study of Professional Competencies and Training Challenges in Punjab

2026-05-18T09:55:35+01:00

The educational system is transforming in important ways, due to advances in technology, and a different view regarding what educators should do in the classroom. It calls for a thorough investigation of the pedagogy and training of teachers with the skills they acquire to face the challenges of the 21st Century. This was a qualitative study with a phenomenological research design, which was conducted to explore 'how teachers experience the profession' while engaged in teacher preparation during periods of rapid change in education. 9 participants were selected through purposive sampling from onc center of the Quaid-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development (QAED), Punjab, Pakistan. Data were collected through self-developed semi-structured interview guide and analyzed by reflexive thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged: technological integration in teacher training, need for social-emotional learning (SEL) in teacher training, and limited opportunities for teacher professional learning. The reflective experiences of the participants revealed significant difficulties relevant to the effective use of technology: difficulties in accessing digital infrastructure, limited resources around materials and preserve a teacher-centered curricular orientation. Further, flexibility, sympathy, and a desire for life-long learning were repeatedly found to be important traits of good teachers in an evolving educational environment. The study provides an argument that teacher training programs do not provide the necessary technologies and socio-emotional skills for the classroom today. It proposes the school teacher, as education practitioner, to be involved with a forward-progressive model of teacher education. The findings also have relevance to educational planners, policymakers, curriculum planners and school administrators who should ensure that teacher education matches the global norms in teacher excellence.

The Assessment-Policy Nexus: Reforming National Standards for Global Excellence

2026-05-18T10:07:22+01:00

The connection between the evaluation practices and the policy reforms in this systematic review falls under the national standards development framework towards global excellence loyalty. It looks at the international test high profile which are the PISA and TIMSS as a check of the quality of the education system and a testing tool of achieving better outcomes in terms of both, literacy, numeracy and science. The review identifies the critical nature of globalization in evoking the countries to align their education systems with those of the rest of the world particularly in STEM education. It also talks about the challenges that a country undergoes when trying to align its curriculum effectively, mostly due to the absence of teacher training and professional development, which makes the enactment of reforms difficult. In addition, the review offers the sense of evidence-based policymaking in which assessment data is employed to cause certain interventions to facilitate on-going shifts in education. It discusses the challenge of translation of policy-to-practice, especially institutional resistance and political ideologies, which used UK as an example and other countries. A portion of the reforms in the higher education accreditation systems that is in the current system that is being reviewed includes the reconfiguration towards binary accreditation systems as an attribute to improve transparency and global competitiveness. Though various significant challenges continue, the results demonstrate that the systems of national countries were brought closer to international standards dramatically. The review is concluded by the suggestions that appear to be practical such as the adjustment of the curricula to the international assessment, investment in STEM-education, training of educators, and the encouragement of international collaboration towards enhancing the educational practices in the global learning sphere.

Preventing Child Abuse: Integrating Safety Education into Teacher Training Programs

2026-05-19T08:56:36+01:00

The study explores the importance of safety education and examines how teachers apply strategies to prevent child abuse in public primary schools. A qualitative research design was used, involving semi-structured interviews with eighteen (18) school heads selected through purposive sampling. The findings highlight that school heads play a central role in preventing child abuse by promoting hygiene practices, encouraging modesty, and teaching preventive habits such as handwashing. They also address sensitive issues like self-touch behaviors and create safe spaces for discussing children’s curiosity about their bodies. The main challenge reported was the lack of adequate knowledge and skills among teachers. The study recommends that institutions develop and improve learning platforms, implement real-life scenario-based activities, and strengthen teacher training to enhance safety education in schools.

Constructing Fear: A Linguistic Analysis of Emotional Framing in Social Media Discourse on 2026 Iran–Israel War

2026-05-19T09:02:03+01:00

This article examines how fear is linguistically constructed in social media discourse surrounding the 2026 Iran–Israel war. A corpus of 150 English-language social media posts was collected from Twitter (X), Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube comment sections. These posts were sourced from Iranian, Israeli, and Pakistani digital spaces, as well as from international users commenting on the conflict. Using Emotional Framing Theory and Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as combined theoretical and analytical frameworks, a qualitative analysis was conducted to identify the dominant linguistic strategies used to construct fear in online war discourse. Out of 150 posts, 40 representative examples are presented in detailed analysis tables to illustrate the broader patterns found across the entire dataset. The analysis identifies six recurring linguistic categories: urgency markers, hyperbole, fear appeals, emotional vocabulary and imagery, intensifiers, and escalation narratives. The findings indicate that fear-inducing vocabulary was the most dominant feature, appearing in 78% of the total corpus, followed by hyperbole (64%) and urgency markers (53%). The study concludes that social media users whether intentionally or not employ layered linguistic strategies that do not merely report conflict events but actively construct an emotional atmosphere of fear, panic, and helplessness for their audiences.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Sustainable Value Chain Process: The Mediating Role of Knowledge through AI Integration

2026-05-20T12:01:32+01:00

This paper discusses how Artificial Intelligence (AI) affects the Sustainable Value Chain Process (SVCP), and in particular the mediating effect of knowledge via AI integration. Based on the Dynamic Capability Theory and the Knowledge-Based View, the study explores how AI-driven capabilities can improve sustainability in value chain activities through the creation, integration, and application of knowledge. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data in the textile industry of Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan where managerial-level employees were distributed the questionnaire. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) of AMOS was used to analyze 320 valid responses. The results show that AI can greatly enhance the processes of sustainable value chains by promoting efficiency, minimizing waste, and promoting environmentally responsible practices. Furthermore, the knowledge that is created with the help of the integration of AI has a significant mediating effect, and the relations between AI adoption and sustainability results are reinforced. The research adds value to the literature by bringing together AI and knowledge mechanisms to the sustainability framework and offers a practical value to industry players who need to use AI to enhance sustainable development.

Politics or People? An AI-Assisted Media Framing Analysis of the 2025 Pakistan Floods Across Local and International Broadcast News Media

2026-05-21T08:40:14+01:00

Despite the scale and recurrence of such disasters, empirical research systematically comparing domestic and international broadcast framing of Pakistan's floods remains sparse. This study addresses that gap through a comparative, AI-assisted content analysis of 400 flood-related television news stories sampled from four major Pakistani broadcasters (Geo News, ARY News, Samaa TV, and Dunya News) and four international outlets (BBC World News, Al Jazeera English, CNN International, and Deutsche Welle), covering the period July 15 to September 15, 2025. Drawing on framing theory (Entman, 1993) and agenda-setting theory (McCombs & Shaw, 1972) as its conceptual anchors, the study systematically codes each story for dominant frame (political/governance, human impact, relief/response, economic/infrastructure, climate/environmental), tone (empathetic, neutral, blame-oriented), and actor visibility (politicians/elites, citizens/victims, NGOs/INGOs, experts/scientists, military/rescue officials, international donors). Natural language processing (NLP) tools—including OpenAI Whisper for speech-to-text transcription of Urdu-language bulletins, neural machine translation, named entity recognition (spaCy), transformer-based sentiment analysis, and BERTopic for topic modelling—are integrated with manual coding to ensure scalability, consistency, and bilingual coverage. Findings reveal that Pakistani broadcasters relied predominantly on political and governance frames (60%), foregrounded politicians as primary actors (50%), and adopted blame-oriented tones (40%), while international outlets prioritised human impact (40%) and relief frames (20%), employed empathetic storytelling (45%), and gave greater visibility to citizens, NGOs, and humanitarian experts. Topic modelling and sentiment analysis corroborated these patterns, confirming an elite-centric news culture in domestic coverage that may privilege political spectacle over humanitarian urgency. These findings carry significant implications for journalists, policymakers, and humanitarian actors seeking more equitable, people-centred disaster communication in Pakistan and across the Global South.

Embodied Labour and Environmental Degradation: A Materialist Ecofeminist Study of Thinner than Skin by Uzma Aslam Khan

2026-05-21T08:44:52+01:00

This qualitative study performs a textual analysis (McKee 1) of Uzma Aslam Khan's Thinner than Skin (2012) through Ariel Salleh's materialist ecofeminist framework, as elaborated in Ecofeminism as Politics: Nature, Marx and the Postmodern (2017). The study addresses two research questions: how the novel represents embodied materialism through its female characters, and how embodied labour is materially connected to environmental degradation in Khan's fictional Kaghan Valley. The analysis is conducted exclusively through Salleh's central concept of embodied labour. This research finds that through the characters of Maryam and Kiran, the novel presents women's labour as materially embedded within the environmental landscape and essential to community and ecosystem survival. The study concludes that Thinner than Skin presents the exploitation of women's labour and the destruction of the environment as interconnected outcomes of capitalist-patriarchal structures. This is the first study to apply Salleh's materialist framework to the novel, bridging a research gap in scholarship on Pakistani fiction, which has previously been read through cultural, postcolonial, ecocritical, and ecolinguistic lenses rather than a material ecofeminist framework.

When Training Hurts before it Helps: Competitive Mediation of Staff Engagement and Student Satisfaction in Resource-Constrained Technical Education

2026-05-22T07:21:45+01:00

This study investigates whether leadership training intensity and institutional resources enhance institutional performance and stakeholder perceptions through the parallel mediating mechanisms of staff engagement and student satisfaction in resource-constrained public technical education institutions in Sindh, Pakistan. Drawing on Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model, the Job Demands-Resources theory, and the service-profit chain, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with 350 respondents (252 students, 98 teachers and administrators) from public Technical Education and Training Institutions under the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority. Data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling with bootstrapped mediation tests (5,000 resamples) in R. The measurement model demonstrated excellent fit (CFI = 0.962, TLI = 0.959, RMSEA = 0.027). Leadership training intensity significantly predicted staff engagement (β = 0.398, p < 0.001) and student satisfaction (β = 0.427, p < 0.001); institutional resources also significantly predicted staff engagement (β = 0.278, p = 0.003) and student satisfaction (β = 0.244, p = 0.009). Both mediators strongly predicted institutional performance (staff engagement: β = 0.461; student satisfaction: β = 0.905) and stakeholder perceptions (staff engagement: β = 0.573; student satisfaction: β = 0.691), with the model explaining 72.6% of variance in institutional performance. Critically, leadership training intensity and institutional resources exhibited negative direct effects on outcomes alongside positive indirect effects through the mediators — a pattern of competitive mediation reflecting organizational trade-offs where training incurs costs and disruptions. This is the first empirical demonstration of competitive mediation in technical and vocational education and training leadership development, supporting a hierarchical threshold model where training intensity and institutional resources must reach minimum levels before program quality and leadership buy-in become meaningful. The findings provide actionable policy implications for Pakistan's National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, provincial TEVTAs, and donor-funded programs such as the TVET Sector Support Programme.

Reproductive Labour and Patriarchy: A Marxist Feminist Analysis of The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

2026-05-22T07:28:00+01:00

This paper explores the ways in which the novel presents unpaid domestic and emotional labour of female characters as well as patriarchal family frameworks which capitalizes on this labour, using domestic and economic control. The novel explores various aspects of female oppression in a highly patriarchal and capitalist society through characters like Ammu, Mammachi and Baby Kochamma. The paper employs qualitative study which explores reproductive labour and patriarchy in The God of small things by Roy from the Marxist feminist perspective suggested by Fedirici. The findings suggest that The God of small things presents patriarchy as a deeply rooted social system that controls female characters through male dominance, family authority and owner ship of private property. The paper demonstrates that the male characters possess social and economic power while female characters remain dependent and marginalized within family and social institution. The overall study concludes that The God of Small Things critically exposes how patriarchy, and capitalism collectively sustain the social, economic, and emotional oppression of women in South Asian context.

Impact of Education Policy Reforms on Teacher Autonomy and Classroom Innovation: A Case Study of Pakistan

2026-05-23T08:35:34+01:00

Pakistan Education policy reforms have attempted more and more to address two similar issues: unequal access to high quality schooling and continuing learning inequality. However, reforms based on national standards, harmonization of curriculum, teacher professional standards, and harmonization of assessment all manipulate the professional space in which teachers make decisions. This article will discuss how teacher autonomy and classroom innovation in Pakistan have come under the influence of major reforms including the National Education Policy 2009, post 18th Amendment governance change agenda, the Single National Curriculum/National Curriculum reform agenda and teacher-professionalization initiatives. The research will be applied to a single-case policy study with a qualitative approach on the basis of document analysis, synthesis of institutional and peer-reviewed evidence. The main line is that policy change has allowed increasing the language of activity based, concept based and inclusive learning but has not always provided the decision rights, time, resources training and assessment flexibility that teachers need to transform classroom practice. The results show six mechanisms that include: curriculum standardization constrains curricular autonomy and may clarify minimum expectations; professional standards raise expectations but are weakly related to classroom support; assessment pressure drives textbook coverage and the examination preparation; resource and language disparity generates unequal autonomy; teachers engage in tactical innovation rather than system wide pedagogical change; and school leadership mediates whether reform produces either compliance or professional learning. The article suggests a supported-autonomy model where nation coherence is maintained but the teachers are formally authorized and practically supported to make curriculum, pedagogy and formative assessment, to be adapted to local learners. Contributing to the literature on education reform, the paper demonstrates that in Pakistan, formatted autonomy rather than independent autonomy should not be an issue, but instead equitable classroom innovation should be gained through structured autonomy.

Hybridization of New Public Management in Developing Countries: From Traditional Reforms to Digital-Era Governance, Sustainable Public Value, and Contextual Moderators

2026-05-23T12:09:55+01:00

The present theoretical paper has synthesized the theories and the key theorists of NPM, such as the managerial approach by Hood (1991), the approach by Niskanen (1971), Hood (2006) and Osborne and Gaebler (1992) respectively, the approaches and theories of network governance, the central managerial approach by Hood (1991), the public choice theory by Niskanen (1971), the principal-agent theory by Dunleavy et al. (2006). It also looks at recent trends like 2.0 managerialism, digital era government, new public governance (NPG), management of public value and digital transformation to smart government and sustainable development. The discussion includes modern criticism on the issues of ethics, social justice, hybridization of practices between the public and private, and multidimensional accountability, and emphasizes the current development of NPM in the face of globalization, technological subversion and multifaceted governance challenges. Based on the combination of theoretical frameworks, the paper provides key NPM constructs, such as decentralization, accountability, technology and innovation use, and performance measurement systems as the basis of the civil service reforms and better service delivery to the population, however, political and bureaucratic culture play moderating roles. This review provides an insight into the deeper meaning of NPM and its sustainability in terms of relevance and adaptability in the modern context of public administration, by following the historical underpinnings, extensions, and critical views of NPM. Theoretical, policy and future empirical research implications of both the developed and developing contexts are discussed.

China's Health Diplomacy towards Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative

2026-05-26T18:51:05+01:00

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China has become one of the largest frameworks from a geopolitical and economic perspective of the twenty-first century, including development of infrastructures, economic connectivity, and health connectivity. This paper explores the manner in which China has incorporated health diplomacy into the framework of BRI, with specific emphasis on its involvement with African countries, where poor health infrastructure, health challenges, and health institutions present significant humanitarian considerations as well as strategic considerations, The researchers have adopted qualitative approach using data collected from the systematic analysis of academic journals, policy documents, China Government Official Publications. The findings show that the health diplomacy activities in Africa under the BRI framework involve such elements as hospitals construction, drug chains, training for doctors, disease monitoring, telemedicine facilities, and joint efforts against pandemics, especially evident in China’s vaccine diplomacy in regard to COVID-19. These activities also help realize China’s strategic goals such as control of the African governments and other resources, apart from contributing to improvements in health conditions and closer diplomatic relationship between China and Africa,. This paper makes an important contribution to the existing body of research related to health diplomacy, international cooperation in the Global South, and China-Africa relations in general.

Relationship between Teachers’ Evaluation Practices, Self-Assessment, and Students’ Learning Outcomes

2026-05-30T17:27:20+01:00

This study investigates the relationship between teachers’ evaluation practices, students’ self-assessment, and students’ learning outcomes. A quantitative correlational research design was used. The population consisted of university students and a sample of 315 students was selected using a convenient sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire based on a Likert scale. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation in SPSS. The results revealed a moderate to strong positive relationship between teachers’ evaluation practices and students’ learning outcomes, and between self-assessment and learning outcomes. However, a weak but significant relationship was found in some dimensions of self-assessment. The study concludes that effective evaluation practices and self-assessment strategies play an important role in improving students’ academic performance. Overall, the study confirms that both teachers’ evaluation practices and students’ self-assessment are important factors in improving learning outcomes. It is recommended that Schools should promote a student-centered assessment environment.

Unlocking Productivity in the Digital Workplace: The Mediating Influence of Work–Life Balance on Remote Work Flexibility

2026-06-04T12:37:52+01:00

Remote work flexibility (RWF) has emerged as one of the most consequential workplace transformations of the twenty-first century, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and sustained by structural shifts in how organizations conceptualize the relationship between place and performance. Despite growing practitioner interest, the mechanisms through which RWF influences employee productivity (EP) remain theoretically underspecified. Drawing on Conservation of Resources Theory and Person-Environment Fit Theory, this study investigates whether work-life balance (WLB) mediates the relationship between RWF and EP. Data were collected from 312 knowledge workers across multiple industries in Pakistan using a structured self-report questionnaire. Structural equation modeling via Hayes PROCESS Macro (Model 4) was employed. Results confirmed a significant positive direct effect of RWF on EP (β = .318, p < .001) and a significant indirect effect operating through WLB (β = .277, 95% CI [.204, .351]). WLB fully mediated the pathway from temporal flexibility to EP, while partial mediation characterized the spatial flexibility pathway. These findings contribute to the theoretical literature by specifying WLB as a critical psychological mechanism and offer actionable guidance for HR practitioners designing flexible work architectures. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The Impact of Fin-Tech Applications on Financial Inclusion: The Mediating Role of Banking Awareness and the Moderating Role of Business Models

2026-06-06T10:00:22+01:00

Financial technology (FinTech) is changing the way financial services work by making them easier to use, faster, and cheaper (Ediagbonya & Tioluwani, 2023). Financial inclusion remains an important issue in the developing economies, with many individuals and small businesses lacking access to formal savings, credit, insurance, and secure payment services. Financial inclusion remains a significant issue in the developing economies, with many individuals and small businesses missing access to formal savings, credit, insurance, and secure payment services. Consumers' adoptions to use and accept digital financial services depend on how aware and well-informed they are. Business models that focus on price, usability, and security can help reach people who aren't already using them (Hassan, 2024; Mentari & Ilfitriah,2018; Philippon, 2019). This study employs Smart-PLS (PLS-SEM) to evaluate measurement reliability and validity, while estimating structural correlations, including mediation and moderation effects (Hair et al, 2021). The findings prove that Fin-Tech applications meaningfully impact financial inclusion, with banking awareness helping as a partial mediator of this link, while business modeling improves the FinTech-to-inclusion effect.

Beyond the Thucydides Trap: US and China Relations in the 21st Century

2026-06-09T08:10:56+01:00

This article takes a fresh look at the use of power transition theory in the Sino-American relationship and wonders whether the findings remain valid twenty years on, in a post-Thucydides Trap era, amid the popularisation of the “Thucydides Trap” as the same problem in public and policy imagination. The study retests the central propositions of power transition theory—relative capability, parity, and satisfaction—against empirical evidence through 2025/2026 estimates and projections. The analysis has three conclusions. First, the timing of overtaking depends on the measure. China overtook the United States in purchasing-power-parity (PPP) terms around 2014, but at current exchange rates, it remains significantly smaller than the U.S. economy. Secondly, China is not as contented as it is purported to be; indeed, several Chinese publications now claim that the status quo has itself become revisionist. Third, and most important, is that the Thucydides Trap is more of a warning about the possibility of war than a prediction of its inevitable occurrence, because it is only when conditions are met—specifically satisfaction, institutions, and statecraft—that it is likely to be triggered. The Taiwan issue is the most volatile. The article claims that the connection is structurally dangerous but not fatal, and that one needs to manage dissatisfaction more consciously than power.

University Teachers’ Awareness, Perceptions, and Classroom Implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) in Pakistan

2026-06-09T08:18:32+01:00

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has become a worldwide standard for measuring language ability and planning language learning. International adoption is gaining momentum, but it is not yet explored and is inconsistent in Pakistani HEIs. This review article explores the extent of awareness of CEFR among the university-level English language teachers in Pakistan and the extent to which this CEFR is being implemented in their pedagogical practices. This article is based on a synthesis of empirical studies published from 2018 to 2025 and original data from a survey of 120 university teachers from five major cities of Pakistan, using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression to examine key relationships. Results reveal a moderate awareness (M = 3.21, SD = 0.78) compared with a low level of practical implementation (M = 2.70, SD = 0.88). CEFR awareness, teaching experience, professional development, and institutional support were found as important factors predicting implementation (R² = .61). The study highlights the importance of specific teacher professional development programmes, policy support, and institutional involvement in the meaningful use of CEFR in the university curriculum in Pakistan.

Constructing the Threat: A Critical Discourse Analysis of India’s Terrorism Discourse Across the 2001 Parliament and 2008 Mumbai Attacks

2026-06-09T08:24:20+01:00

This article examines how Indian state institutions discursively constructed the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attacks through official speech acts, diplomatic communications, and parliamentary interventions. Drawing on a primary corpus of 29 MEA documents produced between December 2001 and February 2009, the study applies Norman Fairclough's three-level critical discourse analysis alongside Buzan and Wæver's securitisation theory within a broader constructivist framework. The analysis reveals how Indian official discourse performed a layered securitisation of both events — constructing existential threats to democratic identity, sovereign integrity, and international order — while simultaneously constituting India's national self as a restrained, law-abiding, ascending democracy positioned against a Pakistan constructed as the structural 'epicentre' of regional terrorism. Comparing the two cases, the article traces a significant evolution in Indian counterterrorism discourse: from the militarised, coalition-seeking register of the BJP-led government in 2001 to the institutionally calibrated, internationally oriented communication of the Congress-led UPA in 2008. Both discursive formations, however, share a foundational ideological architecture that naturalises India's regional dominance, forecloses structural explanations for political violence, and systematically marginalises Pakistani civilian perspectives, Kashmiri political grievances, and Indian policy failures. The article contributes to the literature on securitisation in non-Western contexts, the discursive construction of state identity in South Asian security politics, and the role of official language in mediating the India-Pakistan conflict.

The Role of Pakistan in Global Politics: A Strategic Realist Perspective

2026-06-09T09:23:58+01:00

The geographical position, nuclear potential, the scope of foreign relations and the increasing geo-economic interests make Pakistan strategically an important actor in the modern international politics. Pakistan is a key figure in the region and internationally due to its location at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and Indian Ocean. This paper analyses the role of Pakistan in the international politics using Strategic Realism, which is a theoretical approach that considers national interest, power, and security in the anarchical international system and strategic autonomy. This article maintains that realist concerns founded on the need to guarantee the survival of the state, to keep the region in balance and to maximize its strategic influence are major factors influencing the state foreign policy behaviour. The study assesses the relations of Pakistan with the key powers, such as China, United States, Russia, and the key Muslim countries, through the use of a qualitative research design that utilizes documentary analysis and also discusses its role in providing security in the region, combating terrorism, nuclear deterrence and economic diplomacy. The results indicate that the strategic value of Pakistan goes beyond South Asia due to its contribution in ensuring connection to the region, keeping a balance between great power rivalry, and ensuring stability in the fast-evolving global arena. Also, the way in which Pakistan has been changing its geopolitical inclination to geo-economic orientation identifies its readiness towards the new global realities. The paper ends by summarizing that Strategic Realism is an elaborate theoretical construct when judging the foreign policy of Pakistan and its shifting role in the new multipolar world order. The future sway of Pakistan in world politics would hinge on its capacity to strike a balance between security requirements and economic growth, as well as proper diplomacy and international relationships.

Case Study on Autism Spectrum Disorder

2026-06-12T08:08:37+01:00

M.H. was 5 years old and referred to the special educationist by the parents for assessment and management of his behavior problems. He shows stereotype and repetitive patterns of behaviors like lining up toys, laying on the floor, shouting, hand flapping from excitement, head banging, minimal on seat behavior have minimal eye contact, no order following, marked deficits in verbal and non-verbal social communication skills. Unusual interest in sensory aspects like smelling, biting, tasting. The child was assessed in different dimensions using the childhood autism rating scale (CARS-2) and Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLL-S) for identifying the reinforcer, behavioral observation and clinical interview were conducted. According to the CARS-2 assessment, the child obtained a 37.5 score, falling on the moderate to severe autistic level. The child’s management plan was developed, including rapport building, an individualized education program, and teaching him through reinforcement, prompting, and Modeling techniques. A total of 40 sessions were done on the child. With the help of management plan and intervention technique 60% of the improvement was observed in child.

Dissolving the Self: Hallajian Fanā and the Poetics of Self-Negation in Ghani Khan’s The Fairy Princess and Question or Answer

2026-06-13T12:44:17+01:00

This study examines the representation of self-negation in the poetry of Ghani Khan through the mystical philosophy of Mansur al-Hallaj, with particular focus on the doctrine of fanā (annihilation of the self). While Ghani Khan’s poetry has often been approached through aesthetic, existential, and socio-political frameworks, its engagement with radical Sufi mysticism remains underexplored. Employing a qualitative thematic analysis of selected Pashto poems, this paper investigates how Ghani Khan articulates the dissolution of the ego through recurring images of fragility, transience, and decay. The findings reveal that self-negation in his poetry is not portrayed as denial of life but as an existential condition through which authentic vision and spiritual awareness emerge. Drawing on Hallajian Fana, the study demonstrates that Ghani Khan translates metaphysical self-annihilation into lived human experience, thereby reconfiguring fanā as both a spiritual and existential process. By situating Ghani Khan within the Hallajian tradition, this paper contributes to Pashto literary studies and comparative mysticism by highlighting self-negation as a central poetic and philosophical principle in his work.

From Feudal Bargains to Developmental Coalitions: What the Meiji Restoration Can Teach Pakistan about State Capacity, Taxation, and Industrial Policy

2026-06-15T09:25:23+01:00

This paper looks at the reasons why certain states that are still late industrializing have managed to develop sustainable developmental capability whilst others have stagnated in the loop of reform and revert. The paper compares the experience of Japan and Pakistan in terms of its transformation process through a comparative historical institutional perspective. It states that modernization is essentially a political act of realignment powered in the reorganization of power among the elite, mobilization of revenue, and correction of economic agents and not merely a result of policy uptake. In the analysis, Meiji Japan was able to destroy the feudal elite bargains and established in its place the centralized developmental coalitions that can enforce the universal taxation, bureaucratic autonomy as well as performance based industrial policy. The reforms enabled the Japanese state to achieve fiscal strength, discipline industry and long-term economic transformation. In Pakistan, on the contrary there has been little change in elite accommodation by means of negotiated political settlements that limit taxation, politicize bureaucratic institutions as well as maintaining industrial rents without responsibility. Consequently, repeated reforms have brought in an outcome that is weak and reversible. The paper combines the perspectives of the developmental state theory coupled with historical institutional political economy to identify elite bargains as an integrative analytical theory to understand the divergent developmental processes. The research adds to the arguments about the state capacity and late development showing that the ongoing modernization requires the reorganization of political power instead of the enhancement of the policy design. Although the historical paths would not be repeatable on the wholesale level, the conclusions made demonstrate the significance of the coalition discipline, fiscal legitimacy, and the institutional enforcement in developing the Pakistan and other states, in which development is lagging.

Exploring Gender Disparities in Parental Support for Education of Children at Higher Secondary Level: A Case Study of District Swat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2026-06-16T06:50:52+01:00

Educational inequalities result from multiple factors related to the cultural, social and economic conditions of families and societies as a whole. Similarly, gender disparities in patriarchal societies stem from various reasons and beliefs rooted in people’s mind, creating a favorable environment for one gender while being unconducive for the other. The Objectives of the study were to explore gender disparities in parental support at the higher secondary level, identify the causes of these disparities, and recommend strategies for equal parental support in the education of both male and female children at the higher secondary level in district swat, KP Pakistan. Twenty intermediate level students- ten males and ten females- were selected as participants for data collection. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants. The data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six stages of analysis. The study revealed gender disparities in the financial, academic, and socio-economic support provided by parents for their children’s education at the higher secondary level. It also identified socio-cultural values and economic factors as causes of gender disparities in children’s education. The study recommends equal financial, academic, and socio-emotional support from parents for the education of male and female children at inter level.

Modeling the Impact of Circular Economy Practices on Environmental Sustainability

2026-06-22T08:39:48+01:00

Pakistan is currently facing significant environmental challenges, largely driven by its heavy reliance on fossil fuels and unsustainable resource utilization. These pressing issues underscore the ur-gent need for alternative and sustainable approaches to environmental management. In response, the circular economy (CE) model has emerged as a promising paradigm for addressing environ-mental sustainability. This study aims to examine the relationship between circular economy indicators and environmental sustainability within the context of Pakistan. To achieve this objective, an econometric model was developed using key CE indicators, GDP growth, recycling, renewable energy consumption, and CO₂ emissions. To assess their impact on environmental pollution empirical-ly, time series data from 2000 to 2023 were sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators and analyzed using statistical techniques such as regression and correlation analysis through SPSS 30. The results reveal a statistically significant relationship between circular economy indicators and environmental sustainability (R² = 0.772), affirming the potential of CE to mitigate environmental degradation in Pakistan. Specifically, recycling (B = -4.094, p < .001) and renewable energy consumption (B = -3.270, p = .011) were found to significantly reduce pollution levels, while GDP growth (B = 2.953, p < .001) and CO₂ emissions (B = 0.394, p < .001) were positively associated with increased pollution. These findings offer valuable insights and practical recommendations for policymakers, businesses, and academic researchers seeking to integrate circular economy strategies into national sustainability agendas.

Sentence Pattern Diversity in Pakistani Secondary Education: A Syntactic Analysis of Reading Comprehension Passages in the STBB Grade 9 English Textbook

2026-06-22T08:45:55+01:00

This paper is a syntactic analysis of the sentence patterns in reading comprehension passages of the 9th -grade English textbook published by the Sindh Textbook Board (STBB), Jamshoro. The research is based on the qualitative descriptive and exploratory methodology that involves the identification, classification, and analysis of syntactic patterns in the chosen passages using the sentence pattern theory of Quirk and Greenbaum (1973) and phrase structure rules, established by O'Grady, Dobrovolsky and Katamba (1996). Five reading comprehension passages were purposively sampled and then systematically analyzed; the sentences have been coded and extracted and diagrammed using tree diagrams that were created through the Syntax Tree Generator tool. These results demonstrate that there are 27 different sentence patterns and they are: (1) S + Lv + A (absent), (2) S + Lv + SC, (3) S + Vt + dO, (4) S + Vt + dO + A, (5) S + Vt + dO + OC (absent), (6) S + Vt + iO + dO, (7) S + Vi, (8) S + Vi + A + A + A, (9) A + S + Vt + dO, (10) A + S + Vt + dO + A, (11) S + Vi + A, (12) Vc + S + Vt + dO + OC, (13) S + Vi + A + A, (14) S + Lv + SC + A, (15) A + S + Vi + A + A, (16) A + S + Vi, (17) S + A + Vi + A + A, (18) S + Vt, (19) S + A + Vi + A + A + SC, (20) A + S + Lv + SC + A, (21) A + S + Lv + SC, (22) S + Lv + SC + A + A + A, (23) S + Vi + A + A, (24) S + Lv + SC + SC, (25) S + Vt + dO + A + A + A, (26) S + Vt + Vt + A, and (27) S + Vi + SC + A. Analysis indicates that the textbook has successfully combined syntactic variety with cognitive accessibility, presenting learners with a variety of structures without using too complicated formations that could potentially complicate the understanding process.

Navigating the Influence of Financial Development, Technological Innovation and Institutional Quality on Green Energy in Pakistan

2026-06-22T12:12:51+01:00

This study investigates the impact of financial development, technological innovation, institutional quality, and human capital on green energy consumption in Pakistan over the period 1993–2024. Annual time-series data were analyzed using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to examine both short-run and long-run relationships among the variables. Prior to estimation, the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test was employed to determine the stationarity properties of the data, while the ARDL Bounds Test was applied to verify cointegration. The empirical findings confirm the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship among green energy consumption and its determinants. The long-run estimates reveal that financial development, technological innovation, institutional quality, and human capital exert positive and statistically significant effects on green energy consumption, with technological innovation emerging as the most influential factor. The short-run results further support these findings, while the error correction mechanism indicates a rapid adjustment toward long-run equilibrium. Granger causality analysis identifies unidirectional causality running from financial development, technological innovation, institutional quality, and human capital to green energy consumption. The study concludes that strengthening financial systems, promoting innovation, improving governance quality, and investing in human capital are essential for accelerating Pakistan’s renewable energy transition and achieving sustainable development objectives.

Effect of Classroom Management Skills on Teaching Confidence of Prospective Teachers

2026-06-23T10:06:14+01:00

Classroom management is a central component of effective teaching because it shapes the organization of learning activities, student behaviour, classroom climate, instructional flow, and teacher-student interaction. For prospective teachers, classroom management skills are especially important because they influence how prepared and confident they feel before entering real teaching contexts. This literature-based research draft examines the effect of classroom management skills on teaching confidence among prospective teachers using 35 verified academic sources published during 2015–2025. The retrieved evidence was filtered for relevance to classroom management, teaching confidence, teacher self-efficacy, teaching competence, preparedness, and teacher education. The findings suggest that classroom management skills are closely connected with prospective teachers’ confidence because they support lesson organization, behaviour guidance, instructional control, communication, and professional readiness. Metadata-based results show that the evidence base includes studies on classroom management skills, teaching confidence, self-efficacy, teaching competence, simulation-based learning, reflective practice, and teacher education. The paper concludes that classroom management should be treated as a core part of teacher preparation programmes because it helps prospective teachers transform theoretical pedagogical knowledge into confident classroom practice. The manuscript is an AI-assisted literature-based academic draft and should be reviewed by a human education specialist before formal submission.

Emotional Experiences Following Pet Loss: A Qualitative Study

2026-06-23T10:12:57+01:00

The human-animal bond is a loving one and it is possible that the pet owner will experience great emotional trauma when a pet die. It may be given minimal attention and little care during the time of mourning. The emotional reactions of people who experience the loss of their pet were used as a focus for the study. Purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews were used to recruit subjects that had recently lost a pet. The participants gave very rich descriptions of their experiences. It is a sample of 8 people aged 20-30 years. This technique involved Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a qualitative data analysis that was used to uncover main psychological themes. Based on the data, four themes emerged: (1) Human Animal Relationship – this theme is related to the depth of the human-pet bond, (2) Experience of loss – sadness, helplessness, emotional distress, (3) Emotional Aftermath and (4) Life After loss, suggesting that pet loss could produce significant emotional problems, but also potentially positive growth for people. The results suggest that there is a need to acknowledge pet bereavement as a legitimate form of loss and imply that psychiatric treatment, social recognition, and empathic support groups are essential in helping people to cope with their emotion.

Human- AI Teaming in HRM: Reactions to Algorithmic Decision Authority

2026-06-25T09:30:00+01:00

The rapid adoption of algorithmic decision-making (ADM) systems in human resource management (HRM) has transformed traditional recruitment, selection, performance evaluation, and career development processes. While these technologies promise greater efficiency and objectivity, growing evidence suggests that employees and job applicants often respond negatively to algorithmic decisions. This study synthesizes existing literature to examine individual reactions to ADM, with a particular focus on the Pakistani context. Drawing upon key theoretical perspectives, including the Computers-Are-Social-Actors (CASA) paradigm, organizational justice theory, and signaling theory, the analysis reveals that ADM generally elicits more negative reactions than traditional human decision-making, particularly concerning fairness, trust, interactional justice, and organizational attractiveness. These reactions are significantly moderated by stakeholder type, level of human involvement, extent of automation, and task characteristics. In Pakistan, cultural factors such as high power distance, collectivism, and preference for relational decision-making appear to intensify these negative responses. The study highlights unique local challenges including digital divide, algorithmic bias concerns, regulatory gaps, and high youth unemployment. It argues that successful implementation of ADM requires a balanced, human-centered approach that combines technological efficiency with transparency, explainability, and meaningful human oversight. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for organizations and policymakers and suggests future research directions tailored to emerging economies. This study contributes to the growing discourse on responsible AI adoption in HRM by bridging global evidence with Pakistan’s socio-cultural and economic realities.

Women Empowerment: A Tool for Financial literacy and Well-Being

2026-06-25T09:36:35+01:00

Financial literacy is the amalgamation of strong mind with mature mentality for the completion of financial choices and individual well-being. The present inquiry investigates money related proficiency in women for creating nations as an imperative element that influences the sparing venture conduct women in creating nations in Pakistan. The study applied the deductive approach and quantitative data was collected through questionnaires. A total 150 questionnaires were distributed and 114 usable responses were received. Findings show that all the associations among different variables are existed. Women empowerment significantly relates with the financial well-being of women. Women should learn how to use the savings with budgetary mechanisms and different training sessions must be held for the improvements and educating the women.

Academic Locus of Control as a Predictor of Academic Motivation among Undergraduate Students in Pakistan

2026-06-27T07:02:23+01:00

Academic motivation has been widely recognized as a vital psychological factor that influences students' educational participation, persistence and achievement in university. Academic locus of control students' beliefs regarding personal versus external control over educational outcomes has been theoretically proposed as an important predictor of motivational functioning. Few studies have systematically investigated the prediction of specific motivational profiles, such as amotivation, by internal and external components of the academic locus of control in non-Western settings, particularly for university students in the undergraduate level. The purpose of the present study was to test academic locus of control as predictor of academic motivation of under graduate university students in Pakistan context. The research was conducted using a cross-sectional research design. The total number of participants were 400 undergraduate students (Male = 181, Female = 219) aged between 18-26 years from public, private and semi-government universities, who were selected by snowball sampling. The Academic Motivation Scale College Version (AMS-C 28; Vallerand et al., 1992) with an α = .870 and the Academic Locus of Control-Revised Scale (ALOC-R; Curtis & Trice, 2013; α = .607) were administered. The negative correlations between the internal and external Locus of Control and the intrinsic/extrinsic motivation were significant, while the positive correlations with amotivation were also significant in both cases for both the internal and external Locus of Control. The regression analysis also revealed a significant prediction of intrinsic motivation and amotivation by the internal locus of control and prediction of intrinsic motivation by external locus of control. The present results indicate that the nature of the relationship between academic locus of control and motivational functioning is not straightforward and simple among the Pakistani undergraduate students and have important implications in terms of educational interventions that strengthen the motivational functioning of students in their academic engagement.

Driving Efficiency and Resilience: The Impact of Lean Practices on Pharmaceutical Supply Chains in Pakistan

2026-06-27T12:13:36+01:00

This study explores the use of Lean practices to improve the operations of the pharmaceutical supply chain in a developing country of Pakistan where there is substantial empirical lean supply chain research gap. The study examines the relationships between these four key Lean tools (Just-in-Time (JIT), Value Stream Mapping (VSM), 5S Workplace Organization, and Kaizen Continuous Improvement), and three dimensions of supply chain performance (efficiency, cost reduction, and service quality). A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used and structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 237 professionals of Pharmaceutical Supply Chain in major pharmaceutical hubs of Pakistan. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's α reliability analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis in the program IBM SPSS v26.0 were used for data analysis. The empirical results supported all five research hypotheses as follows: JIT practices positively predicted supply chain efficiency (β = .362, p < .001); VSM had the highest positive effect on cost reduction (β = .341, p < .001); 5S positively predicted service quality (β = .298, p < .001); Kaizen had the strongest positive effect on overall supply chain optimization (β = .311, p < .001); and a composite Lean Implementation Index explained 51.0% of the variance in overall supply chain performance (β = .714, p < .001). The findings in this study further advanced Lean Thinking Theory and SCOR and Resource Based View (RBV) in order to provide the first systematic empirical evidence of Lean effectiveness in the Pakistani pharmaceutical supply chains which are under-researched in developing economy. The research provides a significant amount of theories and practical recommendations for supply chain practitioners and policy-makers to modernize Pakistan's pharmaceutical industry.

The Impact of Financial Literacy on Investment Decisions among University Students: The Mediating Role of Investment Intention

2026-06-29T09:12:23+01:00

This study examined the impact of financial literacy on investment decisions among university students, with investment intention as a mediating variable. Financial literacy is considered an important factor in developing responsible financial behavior, particularly among young individuals who are preparing for future financial independence. A quantitative research design was used, and data were collected from 300 university students through a structured questionnaire. The study measured financial literacy, investment intention, and investment decisions using a five-point Likert scale. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the demographic profile of the respondents, while Smart PLS was used to assess the measurement model and structural model. The findings showed that financial literacy had a positive and significant effect on investment intention and investment decisions. The results also revealed that investment intention had a significant positive effect on investment decisions. Furthermore, the mediation analysis confirmed that investment intention partially mediated the relationship between financial literacy and investment decisions. These findings suggest that students with higher financial literacy are more likely to develop investment intention, which further improves their investment-related decision-making. The study highlights the importance of financial education in universities and suggests that academic institutions, policymakers, and financial institutions should promote financial literacy programs to encourage responsible investment behavior among students. Overall, the study concludes that financial literacy plays an important role in shaping investment intention and investment decisions among university students.

Urdu Translation and Validation of General Attitude towards Artificial Intelligence Scale

2026-07-01T06:36:46+01:00

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become increasingly integrated into everyday life, creating a growing need to understand public attitudes toward AI across different cultural and linguistic contexts. The goal of the present study was to translate and culturally adapt the General Attitudes toward Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS) into Urdu and assess its psychometric attributes in adults of Pakistan. Quantitative cross sectional research design was used. The GAAIS was translated using standard forward backward translation, expert review and pilot testing procedures into the original English version. The sample size was 210 (86 males and 124 females aged 18 years and above) which were selected through convenient sampling method in the Bahawalpur, Pakistan. SPSS Version 27 was used to explore Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), reliability, convergent validity and gender differences. The Urdu version showed good psychometric properties. To assess the suitability of data for factor analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.91 and the Bartlett's Test of Sphericity was χ² = 1825.153, p < .001. A three factor solution obtained from exploratory factor analysis accounted for 57.07% of the total variance. There was high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91). A significant correlation between the positive attitude subscale and the negative attitude subscale provided convergent validity. With its cultural adaptation, this instrument can be utilized in future for research related to acceptance of AI, technology adoption, policy development and public awareness in Pakistan.

Examining the Effect of Geopolitical Risk and Inflation on Economic Growth of Pakistan

2026-07-01T08:19:06+01:00

In this study, the empirical impact of rising geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic instability in long-term economic growth of Pakistan is explored. In the context of Pakistan being the most vulnerable to the geopolitical threats, it is of paramount importance to manage the external shocks and price volatility within a country to create a sustainable economic growth pattern. In order to solve this problem, the study considers a linear-log production function to analyze the annual time-series data. It is designed for the classical production model to assess the effect of geopolitical risk on long run economic growth. The model has real GDP's log as its primary dependent development indicator, and evaluates it against the log of the Consumer Price Index (inflation), Gross Capital Formation Growth (capital accumulation), and the log of the labor force. In general, the study uses the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model and the data period is 1990 to 2025. This method can be used to examine both short and long run parameters. The ARDL bounds test corroborates the long term co-integrating relationship between the macroeconomic variables. According to the long-run results, the geopolitical risk has a significant negative effect on economic development. Higher instability and chronic inflation also hinders economic growth. It diminishes people's purchasing power and is a part of the vicious circle of poverty. Conversely, domestic saving is a great force in raising the national income. The study suggests more investment to build up capital and building up external and international threats by strengthening governance and political stability. The measures are required for sustainable economic growth.

The Enforcement Gap: Assessing Legal Professionals’ Knowledge of AI-Related Cyber Threats and Pakistan’s Cybersecurity Legislation

2026-07-04T07:14:32+01:00

The effectiveness of cybersecurity legislation depends not only on its statutory provisions but also on the awareness and competency of the legal professionals tasked with its interpretation and enforcement. This study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness of legal professionals in Karachi, Pakistan, regarding artificial intelligence (AI), its associated cybersecurity and social engineering threats, and the existing national legal framework principally the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. A quantitative survey was administered to 96 legal professionals, predominantly lawyers (85.4%), with data analyzed through descriptive statistics and bivariate Pearson correlation analysis. The findings reveal a significant “enforcement gap”: while 48% of respondents reported strong familiarity with AI and 63% were aware of AI-related legal risks, a striking 50% were entirely unaware of any specific Pakistani laws addressing AI-related threats. A strong positive correlation was identified between AI familiarity and concern about AI misuse (r = 0.461, p < 0.001), and between concern and the perceived importance of professional education (r = 0.276, p < 0.01). Despite these knowledge gaps, 88% advocated for new or updated AI-related legislation, and 82.4% considered AI-related education for legal professionals to be very important. These findings highlight a critical disconnect between the existence of legal tools and the professional capacity to deploy them, with significant implications for Pakistan’s ability to prosecute and deter AI-powered cybercrimes.

Connectedness Among Sectoral Stock Indices in Pakistan: Static and Time-Varying Evidence

2026-07-04T07:40:15+01:00

This study examines the spillover effects among sectoral stock indices in Pakistan over the period 2009–2022 using the spillover index methodology of Diebold and Yilmaz (2012). The methodology measures total, directional, net, pairwise, and time-varying spillovers based on generalized forecast error variance decompositions from a VAR framework. The findings reveal that the Basic Materials and Industrials sectors are the biggest net transmitters of spillovers, whereas the Financials and Consumer Discretionary sectors are the biggest net recipients. The net spillover and pairwise spillover analyses produce consistent results, identifying the same sectors as the primary transmitters and recipients of shocks. The overall connectedness index is 19.03, indicating the presence of spillover effects among Pakistan's sectoral stock indices. The rolling window analysis reaffirms the static results and shows that the Basic Materials and Industrials sectors occasionally become recipients of volatility following economic and political events. Spillover effects fluctuate mostly between 50% and 67%, with notable peaks in 2017 and 2018, when almost all sectors exhibit strong reactions. Overall, the findings demonstrate that spillover effects in Pakistan vary over time and provide useful insights for understanding sectoral interconnectedness in the equity market.

Exploring the Impact of Traditional Masculinity on Peacebuilding Approaches among Youth in Pakistan

2026-07-06T08:59:31+01:00

Traditional norms of masculinity remain deeply embedded in many societies, particularly in Pakistan, where cultural, religious, and patriarchal values strongly shape gender roles. These norms portray men as independent, emotionally restrained, dominant, and primary decision-makers, while women are expected to be nurturing, subordinate, and primarily responsible for domestic roles. Such expectations reinforce gender inequality and discourage emotional expression and help-seeking among men. This study examines the social construction of traditional masculinity and its influence on gender roles, emotional expression, and gender equality in the Pakistani sociocultural context. A qualitative research design was employed to explore participants' lived experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 participants selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Interviews were conducted with informed consent, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework. The findings indicate that family, culture, religion, and media are the primary influences shaping traditional masculine identities. Participants commonly associated masculinity with strength, authority, financial responsibility, and emotional control, reinforcing men's roles as providers and decision-makers while positioning women as caregivers. Emotional suppression emerged as a major theme, with many participants reporting pressure to conceal emotions and avoid seeking support during stress. Cultural expectations also continue to restrict women's participation in employment and leadership, sustaining gender inequality. However, younger and more educated participants expressed more egalitarian views, supporting shared family responsibilities, greater emotional openness among men, and increased opportunities for women. The findings suggest that while traditional masculinity continues to shape gender relations, changing social attitudes indicate a gradual shift toward more inclusive and flexible understandings of masculinity. Gender-sensitive education, public awareness, and supportive policies are essential to promote emotional well-being and gender equality.

When Simpler Wins: Interpretability, Performance, and Regulatory Fit in Machine Learning Credit Scoring

2026-07-06T09:10:41+01:00

The adoption of machine learning in credit scoring presents a persistent governance challenge: models that perform best on predictive metrics are often the least interpretable, and the models regulators most readily accept perform worst. This research empirically examines that trade-off using the German Credit dataset (UCI, n = 1,000), comparing Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and XGBoost across Accuracy, F1-score, and AUC. Rather than treating explainability as a binary property, a composite Explainability–Performance Trade-off Index is constructed and applied across all four models. Results challenge the assumption that model complexity drives predictive dominance: Logistic Regression achieves the highest AUC (0.804) on this structured dataset, outperforming XGBoost (0.775) and Random Forest (0.779), while also scoring highest on the trade-off index (0.600 versus 0.165 for XGBoost). SHAP analysis of the XGBoost classifier reveals that its most influential predictors, checking account status, credit duration, and credit amount, are economically interpretable but recoverable only through post-hoc methods, underscoring why SHAP improves but does not resolve the transparency deficit. The study draws on these findings to argue that current regulatory frameworks, by specifying explainability in technology-neutral but practically constraining terms, impose compliance costs that fall disproportionately on borrowers. Technically specific, risk-proportionate explainability standards would enable deployment of higher-performing models in regulated environments without abandoning the consumer protection rationale underlying explainability requirements.

Enhancing Employee Well-Being and Work-Life Balance through Paradoxical Leadership Behavior: A Contemporary Perspective

2026-07-06T09:46:04+01:00

Employee well-being and work-life balance have emerged as critical organizational priorities in response to increasing workplace complexity, technological advancements, globalization, and evolving employee expectations. Organizations are increasingly recognizing that employee productivity, organizational commitment, innovation, and long-term sustainability depend not only on financial incentives but also on supportive leadership practices that promote psychological health and work-life integration. This study examines the influence of paradoxical leadership behavior on employee well-being and work-life balance by integrating insights from Paradox Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory, and Social Exchange Theory. The study proposes that leaders who effectively manage organizational paradoxes create psychologically safe work environments that reduce stress, improve emotional resilience, strengthen employee engagement, and promote healthier work-life integration. Furthermore, paradoxical leadership is expected to enhance employees' job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and overall quality of working life while reducing burnout and work-family conflict. The article develops a comprehensive conceptual framework explaining the direct and indirect relationships between paradoxical leadership behavior, employee well-being, and work-life balance. The findings are expected to contribute to leadership and organizational behavior literature by extending current understanding of leadership effectiveness under dynamic organizational conditions. Practically, the study offers valuable recommendations for managers, human resource professionals, and organizational policymakers seeking sustainable leadership strategies that simultaneously improve employee welfare and organizational performance in increasingly uncertain and competitive business environments.

From Roads to Jobs: How the Belt and Road Initiative Shapes Employment in OECD Countries

2026-07-06T10:12:17+01:00

While the Belt and Road Initiative’s (BRI) effects on trade, investment, and growth are well documented, its labor market implications for advanced economies remain underexplored. This study examines whether and under what conditions BRI participation influences employment in OECD economies. Using an unbalanced panel from 2000 to 2024 (World Development Indicators) and a difference-in-differences framework with country and year fixed effects (2014 as the intervention), we find that BRI engagement significantly improves employment-to-population ratios. Dynamic estimates reveal accumulating and persistent effects. Robustness checks, including placebo tests, lagged specifications, winsorization, entropy balancing, and heterogeneity analyses, confirm the results’ stability. Moderation analyses further show that governance quality, income levels, and domestic capital formation strengthen the employment impact of BRI participation. This study contributes to BRI literature by documenting macro-level employment gains in advanced economies and highlighting the role of domestic conditions in shaping labor market responses to international infrastructure cooperation.

From Classroom to Counter: The Textile Craft Centre and Shop as an Integrated Departmental Model for Design Education, Graduate Careers, and Export Repositioning in Pakistan

2026-07-09T10:22:00+01:00

Pakistan's textile sector accounts for the majority of the country's export earnings, yet it remains locked into the lowest tiers of the global value chain, exporting undifferentiated yarn, greige cloth, and cut-make-trim garments while the design margin is captured elsewhere. At the same time, textile design departments in Pakistani universities graduate students into an industry that has little institutional demand for design authorship, and the departments themselves remain financially dependent on state allocations that rarely keep pace with the cost of studio-based teaching. This paper proposes an institutional model that addresses all three problems simultaneously: a textile design department structurally integrated with a Textile Craft Centre (a production, research, and artisan-residency facility) and a Craft Shop (a campus and online retail interface that sells the work of students, artisans, and faculty under a provenance-labelled institutional brand). Drawing on the Bauhaus workshop-production tradition, Schon's account of reflective practice, Gereffi's theory of industrial upgrading, and Verganti's design-driven innovation, the paper argues that the craft centre and shop convert the department from a cost centre into a value-generating institution: students earn, exhibit, and test the market before graduation; endangered regional crafts acquire an institutional custodian; the institute gains a self-financing growth engine; and the national industry gains a working prototype of design-authored, story-rich, higher-margin export production. The model is developed with reference to the author's professional trajectory across all three sites the model connects: seven years in the textile industry as a CAD consultant and design manager, seven years as Assistant Professor at the National College of Arts, Lahore, and almost twenty years at SABS University, Jamshoro, building and running its textile design department, together with the natural-indigo brand Lallari as a practice-based demonstration of the pathway from studio to market. An implementation sequence, governance structure, revenue-circulation mechanism, and risk analysis are proposed.

Professionalizing Urdu Language Teaching in Multilingual Context: Evidence from the Government College of Education, District Central Karachi

2026-07-10T08:46:46+01:00

In Pakistan’s multilingual landscape, Urdu holds national significance as both a medium of instruction and a subject in public schools. However, a persistent misconception suggests that native fluency alone is sufficient for effective Urdu teaching. This assumption is further reinforced by classroom observations, which expose the non-professional and traditional methods still commonly practiced in Urdu language instruction. To challenge this belief through the lens of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), the Government Elementary College of Education, Hussainabad (Karachi) introduced an Urdu Specialization Course in the final year of its four-year B.Ed. program. This course was designed to deepen pre-service teachers’ theoretical and pedagogical understanding of Urdu language instruction, with a specific focus on addressing the needs of multilingual classrooms in urban Karachi. It integrates modern language acquisition theories, AI-based assessments, micro learning, hybrid teaching strategies, and reflective practices. Emphasis is also placed on bilingual education methods and translanguaging strategies, aligning instruction with the linguistic realities of students. The course underwent rigorous internal and external review processes to ensure alignment with the HEC-based teacher education curriculum. Launched in Fall 2024, it addresses gaps in inquiry-based learning, research-oriented teaching, and curriculum development for Urdu educators. Graduates of this course are placed in Zindagi Trust’s adopted schools in Karachi (SMB Fatima Jinnah School and Khatoon e Pakistan School Karachi), where they continue to be closely monitored and supported. This ongoing follow-up and tracking of their performance serve as a key indicator for evaluating the course’s broader effectiveness and long-term success. By professionalizing Urdu teaching through structured, reflective, and contextually grounded training, this initiative aims to raise instructional quality, promote curriculum innovation, and empower Urdu educators to meet the challenges of multilingual education in Pakistan.

Effect of Mindful Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools on Students’ Self-Sufficiency, Higher-Order Thinking Skills, and Academic Confidence

2026-07-10T08:53:05+01:00

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in higher education has transformed the educational experiences of university students worldwide. Applications such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Google Gemini are increasingly used for academic writing, problem solving, content generation, and personalized learning support. Despite the educational advantages of AI, excessive dependence on these technologies may negatively influence students’ cognitive independence and academic growth. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of mindful use of AI tools on university students’ self-sufficiency, higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), and academic confidence in Pakistani universities. A quantitative correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from 400 university students selected from public and private universities in Lahore, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was used to measure mindful AI use, self-sufficiency, HOTS, and academic confidence. Statistical analysis was conducted through SPSS using descriptive statistics, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear regression analysis. The findings revealed that students demonstrated a moderate level of mindful AI use. Results further indicated a significant positive relationship between mindful use of AI and all three dependent variables. Students who used AI tools reflectively and ethically exhibited greater independence in learning, stronger analytical and creative thinking abilities, and higher academic confidence. Regression analysis confirmed that mindful AI use significantly predicted self-sufficiency, higher-order thinking skills, and academic confidence. The study contributes to the growing literature on AI in education within a developing country context where empirical evidence remains limited. The findings suggest that universities should integrate AI literacy, ethical AI practices, and mindfulness-based digital learning strategies into higher education curricula. Such initiatives can help students utilize AI responsibly while preserving self-sufficiency, higher order thinking skills and academic confidence.

Psychological Issues among Adults Following the 2025 Indo-Pakistan Conflict: The Mediating Role of Social Support

2026-07-12T08:50:18+01:00

Armed conflict is one of the more psychologically damaging experiences a civilian population can go through, and it commonly leaves depression, anxiety, stress, and disrupted sleep in its wake. The 2025 escalation of the Indo-Pakistan conflict created a sustained climate of fear and uncertainty for Pakistani civilians, but until now no one had actually measured its psychological effects using validated instruments. We set out to do that here, examining how common conflict-related psychological distress was among Pakistani adults and, more specifically, whether perceived social support helps explain the link between that distress and depression and anxiety. Data came from 302 adults (M age = 24.98 years, SD = 4.00; 66.6% female) recruited through purposive sampling from communities in the Bahawalpur district of Punjab. Participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) along with three scales built for this study,a Conflict-Related Psychological Distress Scale, a Sleep Disturbance Scale, and a Social Support Scale (all α ≥ .96). Depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep disturbance all came out at moderate levels, while conflict-related distress was somewhat higher (M = 3.11, SD = 0.86), sitting above the scale's midpoint. Conflict-related distress correlated positively with every distress outcome we measured (r = .50–.61, p < .001), and social support correlated negatively with all of them (r = −.42 to −.50, p < .001). Using Baron and Kenny's (1986) regression-based approach, we found that social support partially mediated the relationship between conflict-related distress and both depression and anxiety, accounting for roughly 22% of the total effect on depression. Gender and education level did not significantly affect any of the outcomes. Together, these findings mark the 2025 conflict as a genuine collective psychological stressor for Pakistani civilians and point to social support as something that can actually be acted on to reduce conflict-related psychological harm, with clear implications for both clinical practice and mental health policy.

Political Interference in Civil Bureaucracy: Challenges to Neutrality in Pakistan's Public Administration

2026-07-13T13:35:18+01:00

Political neutrality is one of the fundamental principles of an effective civil service. In Pakistan, however, political interference has increasingly undermined the independence, professionalism, and efficiency of the civil bureaucracy. Frequent transfers, politically motivated appointments, patronage networks, and external influence over administrative decision-making have weakened institutional capacity and compromised public service delivery. This article examines the historical evolution of Pakistan's civil bureaucracy, identifies major forms of political interference, analyzes their implications for governance, and proposes institutional reforms aimed at restoring bureaucratic neutrality. Using qualitative analysis based on constitutional provisions, academic literature, policy reports, and secondary data, the study concludes that strengthening merit-based recruitment, protecting tenure, enhancing accountability, and depoliticizing administrative institutions are essential for improving governance and democratic consolidation in Pakistan.

The Digital Experience, Perceived Convenience, and Brand Transparency as Antecedents of Customer Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Customer Confidence

2026-07-13T10:40:16+01:00

As the fintech industry is rapidly innovating and reshaping customer access and experience to financial services, customer satisfaction is one of the top priorities for the financial services providers in Pakistan. The study explores how digital experience and perceived convenience and transparency of the brands affect customer satisfaction, with the mediation of customer confidence in the fintech users in Pakistan. Based on the literature of service marketing and trust, seven hypotheses were formulated and subsequently examined with the use of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on the data obtained from a structured questionnaire which obtained 267 valid responses. After one item was deleted from the Customer Confidence scale due to discriminant validity concern, the results show that all three independent variables positively and significantly influence customer confidence, with perceived convenience, digital experience and brand transparency being the strongest predictors. However, customer satisfaction is a good mediator for customer confidence and the customer's other three antecedents are fully mediated by customer confidence. The relationships between the constructs of the study in the refined model are good. The results add to the service marketing literature on fintech and provide practical advice for fintech managers aiming to increase consumer confidence and satisfaction by communicating clearly, having an intuitive digital interface, and delivering the service in a convenient manner.

War Crimes and their Impact on the Environment

2026-07-16T08:14:50+01:00

Armed conflicts and war crimes inflict devastating consequences that extend far beyond human casualties. The environment comprising soil, water, air, biodiversity, and ecosystems bears a profound and often irreversible toll from military operations. This research paper examines the multidimensional environmental effects of war crimes, analysing mechanisms of ecological destruction, including chemical contamination, deforestation, water system destruction, and the use of prohibited weapons. Drawing on case studies from Vietnam, Iraq, Ukraine, Gaza, and the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia, the paper evaluates the legal frameworks governing environmental protection during armed conflict, with particular focus on Article 8(2)(b)(iv) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and emerging discussions on ecocide as a fifth international crime. A systematic qualitative research methodology is employed, synthesizing peer-reviewed literature from indexed journals (Oxford Academic, Frontiers in Environmental Science, Earth-Science Reviews, Journal of International Criminal Justice), reports from the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and verified legal scholarship. Findings demonstrate that existing international humanitarian law (IHL) is fundamentally insufficient to prevent or adequately punish environmentally destructive warfare, and that the formal criminalization of ecocide represents an urgent legal imperative. The paper calls for strengthened enforcement mechanisms, expanded ICC jurisdictional interpretation, and binding post-conflict ecological rehabilitation frameworks.

Effects of Special Education and its Services on Children with Special Needs in Punjab-Pakistan

2026-07-17T08:55:43+01:00

The principle topic of the review was to investigate the effects of special education and its services on children with special needs in Punjab, Pakistan. This research investigated perceptions of special education teachers in identifying the effectiveness and experiences about effects of special education which facilitated children with special needs a successful life. It is likewise fundamental to appreciate special education and the services being proposed to children with unique requirements who have any sort of loss of vision, deaf and dumb, physically or intellectually impaired. The review was descriptive in nature and survey design was utilized to lead this review. A short certain underpinning of special education and also the educational setting, educational plan and informative methodologies utilized for hearing impaired, visually impaired, physically and intellectually impaired students are figured out. The population in this review was the special teachers of every class working in a special education schools and centers in Punjab, Pakistan. A representative sample of 100 special teachers and professionals was simple randomly selected from the special education schools and centers of Punjab, Pakistan. A questionnaire on Likert scale was to collected data. It was concluded that special education is useful and very effective for children with unique needs and this also played a vital role in enhancing the learning & quality education to make them constructive and productive citizen of Punjab, Pakistan. The majority of responded favorably that their overall experiences had been positive about services offered in special education for children with unique requirements and also had positive perceptions of the effects of the special education on the children with unique requirements. On the basis of conclusions it was recommended since special education plays an important part in educational life of children with special needs, so the government ought to have to make viable arranging in regards to use of assets and to accomplish the strategy objectives with assets in successful manner.

Unveiling Execution Challenges to Life Skills Practices and its Way Forward: A Phenomenological Insight of Prospective Teachers at Universities of South Punjab

2026-07-20T11:19:28+01:00

The present study was envisioned to unveil the challenges in executing life skills encountered by prospective teachers in classroom and its way forward. The study applied phenomenological approach for investigating the problem from the respondents. A total of 28 prospective teachers were interviewed from three public sector universities located in South Punjab who were currently enrolled in teacher education programs under Department of Education of these universities. The respondents were selected based on purposive sampling technique. The data for the study were collected based on convenient sampling basis. For data collection, semi-structured interview guide was prepared and used. The interview instrument was tested before using in the field for data collection. Thematic analysis method was applied for analysis of the data. Based on analysis, five important themes emerged as main challenges regarding the practices of life skills implementation in teacher education departments of the public sector universities. These included, 1) lack of awareness, 2) time barriers and constraint, 3) lack of mechanism, 4) attitude restriction and 5) lack of supportive learning environment. The study results give pertinent information to management and leadership of teacher education institutions about the challenges faced by prospective teachers in learning and practicing the life skills and how to effectively implement these skills through classroom instruction.

A Socio-Religious Comparative Analysis of Islamic and Christian Perspectives on Domestic Violence Against Women

2026-07-21T07:36:43+01:00

Domestic violence against women remains one of the most serious violations of human rights affecting women in all societies around the world. Even though both Islam and Christianity emphasize justice, compassion, and the sanctity of family life, there are certain passages in both scriptures which have been misinterpreted and given rise to debates on gender roles and marital authority. Therefore, there exist misunderstandings regarding the religion which have shaped the public perception of domestic violence. The objective of the study was to compare the perspective of both Islam and Christianity on domestic violence against women in order to discover the extent to which the truth of the religion can support or deny any violence within the family. The main purpose was to find out the similarities and differences between religions, to differentiate the religious teachings from the cultural practices, and to check the role of religious leaders in stopping domestic violence or establishment of women's rights. A qualitative research design was utilized utilizing a comparative method. The primary data were gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted among 10 religious scholars who were five Muslim scholars and five Christians scholars selected conveniently using purposive sampling based on their religious knowledge and experience. Interview data were than analyzed in accordance with thematic analysis. The analysis has shown that there are seven themes (1) respect for women and their dignity, (2) condemning domestic violence as something that goes against the true teaching of religion, (3) interpreting religious texts in their context (4) social and cultural reasons behind domestic violence (5) involvement of religious leaders in fighting such violence (6) securing women’s rights and (7) ways to stop domestic violence. Both communions Muslim and Christian scholars confirmed that women have their dignity and domestic violence does not comply with the morality of religions. Islamic scholars stressed that interpretation of the Qur'an should be conducted in a wider context of justice, mercy, and Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) attitudes toward women. It has been disclosed in the findings that many of the causes of domestic violence can be traced back to both certain cultural norms of patriarchism, as well as such things as misinterpretation of scriptures, inadequate religious education, poverty, substance abuse, poor communication skills, and lack of proper implementation of laws rather than the core teachings of Islam or Christianity. The results of this study revealed remarkable similarity between Islam and Christianity regarding domestic violence against women.

Panel ARDL Analysis of Trade, Energy Innovation and Carbon Emissions in N-11 Economies

2026-07-23T13:32:52+01:00

The present study investigates the dynamic interrelationships between trade openness, energy innovation, renewable energy consumption, economic growth, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the Next-11 (N-11) economies for the period 2000–2024. This study employs annual panel data and panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique with pooled mean group (PMG) estimator to examine the short-run dynamics and long-run equilibrium relationships among the variables. The empirical results indicate that the error correction coefficient is significant and negative (-0.322661) confirming the presence of a stable long-run cointegrating association and implying that about 32 percent of the disequilibrium is corrected in one year. In the long run, renewable energy consumption has a highly significant and negative effect on CO₂ emissions with a coefficient of -0.101619 while trade openness has a significant mitigating effect with a coefficient of -0.015851. In contrast, the coefficient for economic growth is 0.010406, which shows a positive marginal effect of economic growth on emissions, and the coefficient for energy innovation is 1.67, which implies that general innovation would increase emissions initially until green technologies are effective. Short run: Only renewable energy consumption has marginal significance while the remaining variables do not have statistically significant immediate effects. The bounds testing approach is used to verify cointegration and the Hausman test is used to check the suitability of the PMG estimator. These findings highlight the importance of the N-11 economies to accelerate renewable energy adoption, encourage environment-specific innovations, and utilize trade openness for green technology transfer for sustainable development and emission reduction goals.

The New FIDIC Collaborative Contract Model: Integrating Collaborative Management Teams (CMTs) into GCC Giga-Project Concessions

2026-07-25T09:20:24+01:00

The rapid expansion of giga-projects across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has transformed the contractual landscape of infrastructure and concession-based development, creating a need for more collaborative and adaptive project delivery mechanisms. Traditional FIDIC contract models, while effective in allocating risks and responsibilities, have often been criticized for fostering adversarial relationships that contribute to disputes, delays, and cost overruns in large-scale projects. This article examines the emerging FIDIC collaborative contract model, with particular emphasis on the integration of Collaborative Management Teams (CMTs) into GCC giga-project concessions. Using a qualitative doctrinal research methodology based exclusively on secondary sources, the study analyzes recent developments in FIDIC contract philosophy, collaborative governance, and concession-based infrastructure procurement within the GCC. It argues that CMTs enhance communication, joint decision-making, proactive risk management, and stakeholder coordination throughout the project lifecycle. The article further explores the legal, institutional, and practical implications of embedding collaborative mechanisms into concession agreements, highlighting their potential to improve contractual performance, reduce disputes, and strengthen project resilience. The findings suggest that integrating CMTs within the evolving FIDIC framework offers a balanced contractual approach capable of supporting the successful delivery of complex GCC giga-projects while promoting long-term sustainability and value creation.

The Impact of Teaching Methodologies on Students’ Academic Achievement at Public Sector Universities in Quetta

2026-07-27T16:42:41+01:00

Teaching methodology is one of the factors that play a significant role in teaching and learning as it is the way knowledge is presented by the teacher and understood, participated and performed by students. This study aimed at investigating the effect of teaching methodology on the academic achievement of students in public sector universities of Quetta. The study used descriptive survey research design, quantitative approach. The subjects of the study were university students of public sector universities of Quetta. The sampling was done from three public sector universities namely Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, University of Balochistan and Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences. The data were gathered by using a structured questionnaire having five-point Likert scale. The instrument was reliable with the Cronbach's alpha value of .720. The data were analyzed through SPSS by using regression analysis. The results showed that the teaching methods significantly and positively influenced students' achievements with R = .381, R² = .145, F = 24.808 and p < .001. The study found that effective, interactive and student-centered teaching approaches have a positive effect on students' achievement. University teachers should adopt various ways to teach and ask students to participate in class and give equal chances for students to ask questions and do learning activities.

The Role of E-Service Quality and System Efficiency in influencing Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty - A case of Islamic Banking

2026-07-27T16:55:19+01:00

The current paper is intended to explore the critical role of the two independent variables, e-service quality and system efficiency in customer satisfaction and subsequently, customer loyalty in the Islamic banks working in Pakistan. Since the digital banking has grown up quite rapidly during the past decades, more reliance has been placed on mobile banking apps and web portals by the Islamic banks for providing their services, and hence, become critical determinants of customer experiences in this regard. The current study proposes that customer satisfaction mediates the impact of two independent variables mentioned above. This research has used a quantitative approach to research methodology, and data were gathered from clients of Islamic banks. In this regard, respondents were selected from the clients of Islamic banks operating Pakistan, using non-probability convenience sampling method. In the present study, a structured survey was carried out on the basis of valid scales; however, a sample size of 301 responses were collected, which gave a response rate of 60%. The data obtained were then analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS, which followed a two-step method including measurement model and structural model assessments. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for Islamic banks regarding how improvements in e-service quality and system efficiency can enhance customer satisfaction and, in turn, strengthen customer loyalty. The study also contributes to the growing body of literature on digital banking and customer behavior within the context of the Islamic banking sector in Pakistan.

Optimizing the Human-AI Learning Eco-system: Evaluating an AI-Scaffolded Andragogical Framework and Student Dynamics in Effective Classroom Practices

2026-07-30T17:04:13+01:00

In the current digital era, traditional teaching methods struggle to integrate evolving AI technologies with learning frameworks to meet the demands of the labour market. To satisfy the needs of current youth and future leaders, a mixed method quasi-experiment was conducted in a basic accountancy module at undergraduate level. The goal is to identify effective classroom practices under AI-integrated andragogical learning framework and improve student performance in areas of cognitive skills, social skills and efficient productivity. It evaluated an AI-scaffolded, andragogical learning framework with progressive difficulty levels across six student groups (A–F). Results: The approach yielded a 98.06% pass rate among 103 undergraduates, proving that class size had no impact and prior background did not prevent mastery. Variance analysis confirmed that assignment scores accurately reflected exam performance. Stronger academic groups adapted (groups D-F) quickest. Group D internalized the framework rapidly, while Group E used AI to overcome social-cognition struggles. Mediocre academic groups (A, B and C) faced wider performance variations as difficulty escalated, requiring more of the teacher’s support. Notably, weaker students relied entirely on AI, whereas stronger students cross-referenced AI data. Student engagement was exceptional; with over 72% of students completing all aggressive demands of ten team assignments of the module. Peer collaborations surged past 99% for groups A, B and C, when difficulty level escalated. However, Groups D and F reflected slower progress in developing social skills; and in only Group E students reverted to isolation under progressive difficulty. Ultimately, student satisfaction exceeded 90%, attendance rates remained relatively high.