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This paper explores in which ways Imran Khan after no-confidence motion was depicted in two leading English and Urdu newspapers of Pakistan. The sample of the study was comprised of 249 editorials from Dawn newspaper and 99 from Jang newspaper (from April 2022 to April 2023). The findings of the research revealed that Dawn newspaper gives more coverage to the issues of the economy as highlighted by Imran Khan then Jang newspaper. The data demonstrates that the two newspapers' coverage varies significantly. The Daily Dawn publishes a greater number of editorials on numerous political concerns including regime change, economic difficulties, and fair elections. However, Jang newspaper tends to focus more on Imran Khan's perceived flaws and shortcomings. Despite Dawn's perspective, Jang constantly presents Imran Khan negatively, especially after the no-confidence motion. Further findings reveal that the Dawn newspaper gives more prominence to the agenda relating to Imran Khan following the no-confidence vote than the Jang newspapers, which indicates the power of the press in affecting public opinion and setting the agenda for Pakistani political discourse. It is recommended that the quantitative analysis be included in the study to improve its comprehensiveness. Additionally, broadening the research scope to include different media sources other than newspapers, as well as taking into account Pakistan's historical background and political landscape, will provide a more comprehensive view of media portrayal. Furthermore, investigating audience views and potential biases within newspaper editorial boards would help to provide a more comprehensive understanding of media coverage and its impact on public opinion and political debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental objectives of this research paper are to explore the enduring patterns of China's strategic competition in the Asia Pacific and to understand the interplay between states and their struggle for power from the lens of offensive realism. China and the US are currently the largest and the most powerful states. There was a time when the world was bipolar as the Soviet Union and the US during the Cold War were at loggerheads, but with the dismemberment of the Soviet Union, the US became the only superpower. However, in recent times, China has also demonstrated a promising rise in its economic and military power, and owing to its active engagement in Asia Pacific. In response, the US has also sharpened its interests in the given region. This research focuses on the broader analysis of China's Strategic Competition in Asia Pacific from the prism of Offensive Realism. This research has employed the qualitative method. Analytical literature (books and journal articles) for descriptive and historical research methods provide ample fresh information on the debate discussed in the research paper. Looking at the power play between the US and China, all states more or less have offensive capacities, but they fall into different levels of interest. With the realpolitik technique, China aspires to maximize cooperation with Russia, China, and India, though currently, China has flared territorial disputes with India. Through its economic and security capabilities, China would try to dominate the Asia Pacific region and exclude the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies gender disparity and female victimization in Anuradha Roy's All the Lives We Never Lived from radical feminist perspective. It argues that gender discrimination is a fundamental cause of female oppression particularly in Indian context. It emphasizes the need for equal power dynamics and communication between genders to negotiate claustrophobic domesticity and achieve female empowerment. It is a qualitative research that critically studies the problem of female subjugation using Germaine Greer's conceptual paradigm of radical feminism through textual analysis. The paper highlights the imbalanced nature of marriage where men act as dictators and treat women as inferior and sexual objects. Greer pleads the importance of women revolting against patriarchy, and breaking stereotypical gender roles and the protagonist Gayatri acts radically. She establishes her freewill by breaking the bond of her marriage and followed her dreams within an oppressive phallocentric Indian world, she revolted against patriarchal control and established her agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical negligence is a critical issue affecting countless patients and their families globally, with significant implications for all nations. Despite the existence of legal frameworks designed to protect patients' rights, the implementation and enforcement of these laws are often inadequate. This inadequacy is compounded by the inherent complexity of medical evidence and the stringent legal requirements for establishing negligence. Proving medical negligence involves demonstrating that a healthcare provider owed a duty of care to the patient, breached that duty, and caused harm as a direct result of the breach. This paper delves into the intricacies of Pakistani laws related to medical negligence. It explores notable cases, and discusses the systemic challenges in proving such negligence. The burden of proof, the high threshold for establishing a breach of the care standard, and the scarcity of expert witnesses present significant obstacles for patients seeking justice. Furthermore, the inefficiencies of the judicial system, including prolonged litigation and limited access to legal resources, exacerbate these challenges. The paper argues that a comprehensive and sustainable approach is essential to address these issues effectively. This approach should include raising awareness about patients' rights, enhancing the quality of healthcare services, and implementing and enforcing robust laws and regulations. Additionally, promoting access to justice through specialised medical tribunals and providing support to collect and present medical evidence are crucial steps toward ensuring accountability in healthcare. By leveraging advancements in digital technology, documentation, and information sharing, stakeholders can work towards a more transparent and accountable healthcare system. Such reforms are vital for protecting patients from medical negligence and ensuring that they receive the care they deserve. Through a detailed examination of the current legal landscape and practical recommendations for improvement, this paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on healthcare reform, ultimately striving for a system that upholds the highest standards of medical care and patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the bilateral relations between Pakistan and the European Union, with a specific emphasis on trade dynamics. The primary purpose is to explore the factors influencing trade between these two entities, delving into historical perspectives, contemporary developments, and future milestones set by the European Union and Commission. Design/methodology/approach: The objectives are achieved through a comprehensive analysis of trade data, policy documents, and relevant literature. The research employs a multi20 faceted approach, encompassing both theoretical and empirical considerations. The theoretical scope extends from the historical Silk Road to the contemporary geopolitical landscape, while the empirical analysis involves a PEST analysis and examination of internal and external factors influencing trade. Findings: The research reveals significant insights into the factors shaping trade relations between Pakistan and the European Union. These findings are presented through a thorough analysis, discussion, and interpretation of results, providing a comprehensive understanding of the bilateral trade dynamics. Research limitations/implications: While offering valuable insights, this study recognizes potential limitations, such as data constraints and geopolitical factors. Suggestions for future research are provided, focusing on areas that could further enhance the understanding of the relationship and trade dynamics. Practical implications: The paper identifies outcomes and practical implications for businesses and enterprises engaged in trade between Pakistan and the European Union. Recommendations for changes in business practices are discussed, considering the potential commercial and economic impact of the findings. Social implications: The study assesses the social impact of the Pakistan-European Union trade relationship, exploring how it influences public attitudes, corporate social responsibility, and environmental considerations. The research may inform public and industry policies, potentially affecting the overall quality of life. Originality/value: This paper contributes novelty by offering new insights into the dynamics of the Pakistan-European Union relationship, specifically in the context of trade. Its value lies in its relevance to policymakers, businesses, and researchers interested in understanding and enhancing this bilateral association [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore how political branding is defined and exhibited during the local body elections in Pakistani regions where voter turnout is high in number. This paper offers new appreciation in the study of political branding which is widely explored in the West. Data were collected through in-depth interviews among 37 campaign marketers who played an important role during elections and were participants in the World Marketing Summit 2020, Lahore, Pakistan. Political branding rotates around the personality measures through his/her intensity of charisma and charm, being smart, responsible and attentive, compassionate, trustworthy, and hardworking. While brand appearance includes visual representation. Musical entertainment in public meetings can also be a political brand-identifying agent. Political Brand Behavior covers emotional gestures, conscientiousness, and consistency. Overall, the study demonstrates how political branding helps voters differentiate candidates and facilitates recall at the ballot box, thereby potentially increasing voter turnout. Enhancing the likability of political brands through strategically crafted branding strategies may lead voters to respond more favorably to those campaigns. The research holds significance for advancing the understanding of political marketing practices in non-Western contexts. The findings provide actionable insights for campaign strategists seeking to optimize branding approaches. Moreover, the study contributes novel perspectives on how personality, appearance, and behavior collectively shape a candidate's political brand identity and popularity among constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the long-run and short-run relationship between money supply and inflation in Pakistan, utilizing annual data spanning from 1981 to 2021. The key objective is to assess the impact of monetary policy, specifically money supply, on inflation dynamics in the country. To achieve this, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach is employed, which is suitable for analyzing cointegration among variables with mixed integration orders. The results reveal both short and long-run cointegration between inflation, money supply, unemployment, and interest rates. Notably, unemployment demonstrates a negative correlation with inflation, while money supply and interest rates exhibit a positive relationship. These findings underscore the importance of dedicated policy measures to manage inflation effectively. The paper concludes by recommending the establishment of a policy implementation body and collaboration between the government and the central bank to ensure financial stability and control inflation through well-calibrated monetary and fiscal policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the role of field-configuring events (FCEs) and situational context in the institutionalisation of sustainability reporting (SR) in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach: This paper uses insights from the institutional logics perspective and qualitative research design to analyse the interplay of the institutional logics, FCEs, situational context and social actors' agency for the institutionalisation of SR among leading corporations in Pakistan. A total of 28 semi-structured interviews were carried out and were supplemented by analysis of secondary data including reports, newspaper articles and books. Findings: The emerging field of SR in Pakistan is shaped by societal institutions, where key social actors (regulators, enablers and reporters) were involved in the institutionalisation of SR through FCEs. FCEs provided space for agency and were intentionally designed by key social actors to promote SR in Pakistan. The situational context connected the case organisations with FCEs and field-level institutional logics that shaped their decision to initiate SR. Overall, intricate interplay of institutional logics, FCEs, situational context and social actors' agency has contributed to the institutionalisation of SR in Pakistan. Corporate managers navigated institutional logics based on situational context and initiated SR that is aligned with corporate goals and stakeholder expectations. Practical implications: For corporate managers, this paper highlights the role of active agency in navigating and integrating institutional logics and stakeholders' expectations in their decision-making process. For practitioners and policymakers, this paper highlights the importance of FCEs and situational context in the emergence and institutionalisation of SR in developing countries. From a societal point of view, dominance of business actors in FCEs highlights the need for non-business actors to participate in FCEs to shape logics and practice of SR for wider societal benefits. Social implications: From a societal point of view, dominance of business actors in FCEs highlights the need for non-business actors to participate in FCEs to shape logics and practice of SR for wider societal benefits. Originality/value: This paper focuses on the role of FCEs and situational context as key social mechanisms for explaining the institutionalisation of SR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research mainly aims to test the impact of green human resource management (GHRM) on environmental performance (EP) and to determine whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) mediates the relationship between GHRM and EP and whether organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) moderates the relationships between CSR and EP. The paper relied on a quantitative research approach with a sample of 204 employees from the pollutant industries of Pakistan. In this paper, the partial least square approach (PLS‐SEM) was employed to verify the proposed hypotheses. The outcomes confirmed that GHRM has a positive impact on EP. Additionally, the findings indicated that CSR affected EP. It was also revealed that CSR fully mediates the linkages between GHRM and EP. This paper acknowledges the existing gaps in the prior literature and enables us to clearly understand the significance of GHRM in affecting EP via CSR as a mediator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the implementation of a professional development program that aims at enhancing instructional practices to foster student-centered teaching approaches among engineering faculty at two universities in Pakistan. The program was guided by the theoretical perspective of enactivism and involved an initial three-day workshop, online modules, and reflective implementation assignments. The paper provides a detailed account of the program's framework, design, and evaluation. The research questions addressed are: What are the perceptions of faculty members regarding (a) the benefits of the program topics and (b) changes in their actions as a result of the program? Likert-item survey instruments with retrospective items were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. As the program moved from being required to voluntary, participation was declined. Faculty who participated in this engineering pedagogy project reported positive attitudes and significant growth in utilizing student-centered strategies. The three-day workshop was perceived as the most beneficial of the components. The module was perceived to be of the highest benefit when focused on writing effective questions for high-level thinking. All the pre-to-post retrospective items showed statistically significant increases, with the two largest being the use of student response systems (SRS) and the focus on big ideas in teaching. The combined approaches show promise for faculty who persist in long-term professional development projects, catalyzing changes in perceived value and the implementation of active learning techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the extent to which refugee girls and young women were able to access learning during COVID-19 education closures in Pakistan, and the role that EdTech played in their learning access. It is based on findings from a survey with 403 Afghan refugee students, along with in-depth interviews with six young female refugees. The research shows that, while the majority of female refugee students were able to continue accessing education in some form during school closures, learning access was nevertheless limited, and a sizable minority were not engaged in any learning during this time. Teacher and institutional support was either absent or inadequate for many students, and infrastructure and devices that serve to support remote learning were not always reliable or accessible. Although male respondents were less likely than females to engage in independent study during the closures, refugee girls and young women were significantly less likely than their male counterparts to own the devices they needed for learning. The findings demonstrate how targeted investment in specific types of EdTech and teacher professional development, as well as supporting educational institutions in the establishment of remote learning opportunities, could help sustain learning during future periods of educational restriction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at street-level strategies employed by the police in their everyday interactions with khwaja sira sex workers using the lens of peripheralization. The findings of this study, based on 35 in-depth interviews with street-based khwaja sira sex workers in Lahore, suggest three important strategies of police repression. These include territorialization; securitization and manipulation of violence across urban centers and peripheries. The paper argues that police repression of khwaja sira sex workers serves to disconnect them from urban centers, key social ties and safety nets, and socio-economic resources critical for their respectful survival in the city. The result is the peripheralization of khwaja sira individuals and their communities, increased dependence on precarious/traditional forms of khwaja sira livelihoods including sex work, and production of difference and marginality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the relationship between human resource management (HRM) and organizational outcomes has mainly been studied at the organizational level so far. However, HRM scholars acknowledge that employees are the foundation of organizations, and they play an important role in the effect of HRM on employee and organizational outcomes. While research on HR content focuses on the effects of HR practices, HR process research considers how employee perceptions and attributions of HR influence organizational outcomes. In the special issue of New Frontiers in HR Practices and HR Processes: Evidence from Asia, we focus on emerging research in the Asian region, especially China and Pakistan regarding the role of employees, also known as the micro‐foundations of HR research, in terms of both HR content and HR process. In this Introduction of the special issue, we review the current state‐of‐the‐art studies in both research streams and highlight further research questions. We outline how the papers in this special issue advance our knowledge for the Asian region and we also call for more Asian region HR practice and HR process studies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pakistan being a low‐ and middle‐income country, its institutes are substantially deficient in scientific and technological aspects and share limited research contributions to the world repositories. Therefore, there is a rising concern to reflect on the history and status of publishing attitudes among medical students in Pakistan and to highlight and address the barriers that they are facing. Methods: A study was conducted aiming to determine the experience, motivation, and attitude of medical students in regarding publishing practices throughout Pakistan in several medical colleges. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to find the independent predictors of students publishing a research article. Forward selection was used to arrive at the final stepwise logistic regression. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. p < 0.05 was considered significant for all statistical tests. Results: From a sample size of 1225 participants, only 6.6% of students had published an article in our study. Of these, 59% were males and 31.3% were in final year. Males were more likely to publish articles than females (OR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.37–5.26) and final‐year students were more likely to publish articles than first‐year students (OR = 7.48, 95% CI: 1.34–41.81). Students that had the knowledge that performing research is the way through which they will be judged for jobs had significantly higher odds of getting an article published (OR = 16.21, 95% CI: 3.65–71.88). Additionally, students who had been taught how to write a paper and those who knew the process of submitting an article were more likely to get published than the others. Conclusion: Our study has successfully highlighted the status of publishing among medical students in Pakistan. Our findings serve as an eye opener and call to action for authorities to address the grievances of students in terms of barriers, lack of mentorship, and lack of research teaching. We hope our findings can guide a strong policy change to facilitate the next generation of passionate researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, international communities have developed poverty measures to inform needs assessment and aid allocation. Building on these efforts, this paper examines the discrepancies between global poverty measures and brings that analysis to bear on identifying the salient dimensions of poverty. First, a comparison is made between the monetary and capability approaches to poverty and identifies comparable indices: the poverty headcount ratio (P0) and the multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (H), respectively. The paper then describes the degree of discrepancy between P0 and H for 102 developing countries from 2010 to 2019, synthesizing data from the Multidimensional Poverty Index, the World Development Indicators, and OECD aid activity. Next, the position of countries are analyzed with respect to the fitted line of the two measures, classifying countries into either income-poor or capability-poor categories. Findings suggest that countries such as Pakistan and Ethiopia, for example, experience capability poverty while Malawi and Mozambique experience income poverty. Finally, I examine whether sector aid composition corresponds to a country's relative income and poverty status, finding that capability-poor countries receive marginally higher social sectoral aid compared to economic sector aid. This study suggests that the discrepancies between measures of international poverty can be used to target, monitor, and evaluate global aid distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an approach to assess the political risk associated with implementation of institutional reforms in the water sector, while providing insights into the interrelationship of institutional arrangements, power structure, and policy outcome. The analytical approach consists of a two-tier process to assess the institutional feasibility of reform implementation. The first tier is a structured analysis of power distribution among the power groups interested in the outcome of the reform. The second tier is a Delphi process, reflecting the opinions of experts. The approach was applied to the case of the National Drainage Program Project (NDP) in Pakistan, currently in the early stages of implementation. Several hypotheses regarding likely progress were tested, using the feedback provided by a panel of experts in the Delphi process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality academic achievement is based on the development of good reading skills. Generally, reading is important for students to cope up with the evolving world of knowledge. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have vastly influenced the reading practices of students. The younger generation of the information age spends most of their time in front of screens. Due to these drastic changes in the fabric of reading, generation Z is more likely to adopt e-reading. Therefore, an empirical investigation was carried out to explore the reading habits of generation Z students. For the study, a survey-based quantitative research design was applied. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire. The population included the students of two schools - one semi-government and one private higher secondary school of the Lahore district. The sample was selected purposively. Findings revealed that generation Z students prefer to read in paper form and in the English language. On average they read for up to four hours daily, preferably at home and mostly for academic purposes. They prefer print format, however, the advantages associated with e-reading motivate them to use electronic contents. One of the noteworthy findings is that libraries (academic/public) were their least preferred place for reading and obtaining reading material. The findings of the study would help parents, educators, and publishers to take necessary measures for promoting reading habits among students. The research findings would serve as a guideline for educationists to plan education policies according to the need and preferences of the future generation and for libraries to develop user-centered library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As Covid-19 became a pandemic, numerous people were forced to stay at home, leading to increased intimate partner violence (IPV) in many countries, particularly in developing and least-developed ones. This paper aims to highlight the IPV based on 15 different cases formed from the practical evidence of five developing countries. Design/methodology/approach: The authors interviewed 15 women from five countries who were the victims of IPV during the early periods of Covid-19 outbreak. Due to geographical remoteness, the authors conducted informal telephone interviews to collect the participants' personal experiences. The conversations were recorded with participants' permission; afterwards, the authors summarized participants' experiences into 15 different cases without revealing their original identities (instead, disguised names were used). Findings: It was revealed that the women were the primary victims of such violence, particularly from their intimate partners (husbands). In most cases, such IPV, as reported by the interviewees, originated or increased after the pandemic when they were forced to stay at home, losing their partners' jobs or income sources. Originality/value: The authors summarized the causes of IPV and put forward a few action recommendations based on the interviewees' practical experience and existing literature. This paper will open a new window for research investigations on IPV during emergencies such as Covid-19 outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs the feminist educational leadership perspective to analyse the ecological context and its influence on the leadership experiences of school head teachers within a patriarchal cultural setting. Methodology: This paper forms part of a mixed methods study that included a quantitative random survey during the first research phase to determine the leadership styles of 350 secondary school head teachers across nine districts in the Punjab province of Pakistan using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. This paper is based on the second research phase that analyses empirical data from semi structured interviews of a purposive-stratified sample of 14 head teachers, selected from among the 264 survey respondents, comprising of seven males and seven females. Bronfenbrenner's ecological development theory is employed as an analytical framework for thematic analysis. Findings: The study reveals that females must navigate gender stereotypes in a society where they have to fight to establish authority, encounter misogynistic attitudes, rely upon familial support to begin their career, gain spiritual support from a higher power, face work-family conflicts all while practicing educational leadership with high motivation. On the other hand, males assume themselves to be natural leaders and appear to be spared from ecological challenges that impede their leadership journeys. Implications: The findings confirm the prevalence of gender stereotypes that position leadership within the masculine domain in a patriarchal context. The study proposes a complete restructuring of the socio-cultural framework to create a gender neutral society that provides equal educational and professional opportunities to all social members in order to maximize human capital development that is crucial for a country's economic progress. The findings reflect several subtle and non-subtle socio-cultural challenges faced by female leaders around the world. Originality – This study contributes to enhancing the literature on gender and educational leadership in a patriarchal cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospitals play a very important role in human lives. People are in search of quality and timely healthcare facilities. This paper talks about the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services. One needs to identify the factors and mechanisms to enhance the performance of government and private hospitals. This study aims to find the important variables that were required to find the best solution for public and private hospitals in Pakistan. The major contributions of the paper are as follows. The paper first deliberates on the need for technical excellence as compared to interpersonal excellence for hospital management. It also performs a qualitative review of the literature on the important variables for determining the effectiveness and efficiencies of the hospital. Then, the paper presents a public survey about the effectiveness and efficiency of public and private hospitals using different questionnaires. These questionnaires were filled by the relatives of patients or patients themselves when they visited hospitals. On this dataset, the paper applies a machine learning algorithm i.e., random forest, to predict which hospital type is suitable for them while considering the variables. These variables include; the services of the hospital, admission process, treatment, doctor's behavior, timely treatment, and knowledge of the staff about SOPs. The data was split into 75 % training and 25 % testing dataset. Python’s Library SK-learn was used for implementation. The accuracy of the classifier on the test dataset is 96.91 %. The paper then determines the variables that are contributing the most to the measure of effectiveness and efficiencies of hospitals. The algorithm also ranks these features that can be used to improve a hospital's performance. It also provides a benchmark to the patients in the selection of hospitals for healthcare facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of the golden ratio and the development and the theory for the golden ratio in modern science have witnessed the use of the ratio across many fields, including business, economics and finance. However, the ratio has rarely been used in solving corporate problems, such as fundamental analysis and capital structure decisions. To bridge the gap in the literature, in this paper, we examine the role of the golden ratio in deciding the capital structure and its effect on the firm's financial performance and market acceptance for the manufacturing and services sector listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange for the period from 2010 to 2019. In our analysis, we find a significant association between the deviation from the capital structure and the variation of the firm's financial performance and market acceptance by using the golden ratio. The empirical findings of this study suggest that the golden ratio is an efficient tool for measuring capital structure and is useful for firms to boost financial performance and market acceptance. In general, the findings in our paper suggest financial managers of both the manufacturing and services sectors use a 38.2% ratio of equity and 61.8% of debt at the capital structure level. To the best of our knowledge, no prior studies in the literature have examined the role of the golden ratio in deciding an optimal level of capital structure in Pakistan. Therefore, our paper has a significant contribution to the existing literature, and the empirical findings of the study are found strong and more evident for manufacturing than the services sector. Moreover, the findings in our paper also suggest managers in Pakistan apply the aforementioned percentage of debt and equity in capital structure level subject to performance measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future and prosperity of Pakistan largely relies upon the nature of its relations with neighbouring Afghanistan. The strategic quandaries between Pakistan and Afghanistan like border issues and persistent cross-border terrorism directly affect Pakistan's domestic situation and are producing reverberating influence throughout South Asia. This paper sought to examine the strategic limitations influencing their relations significantly in the wake of American withdrawal from Afghan soil. Furthermore, elucidating the profound impacts stemming from the circumstances after the American exit, it explores the political dimensions and ramifications of their relations. To that end, this research builds multi-dimensional causal relationships and employs qualitative approaches. The study's findings depict that these strategic constraints are deep-rooted and multifaceted with implications for regional stabilization, manifesting through traditional security conundrums, disruption of trade routes, and obstacles to economic integration. The implications of this study accentuate the pressing need for coordinated measures to promote peace and stability in the region. It concludes by presenting some policy recommendations intended to lessen the existing challenges as well as encouraging a conducive environment to ameliorate relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The US National Security Strategy of 2022 introduced a relatively new concept of Integrated Deterrence (ID) that will likely impact security discourse amongst global rivals such as the US, China, and Russia while affecting the strategic thinking of relatively smaller powers like India, Pakistan, and others. With an expanded scope and objectives, ID aims to build and integrate the entire spectrum of capabilities of the US, its allies, and partners against the perceived threat from China and possibly Russia. Resultantly, the paper focuses on implications of ID for security and strategic stability in South Asia. India, being a major strategic partner with the will to play a significant role in the US-led China containment strategy, is likely to be a major beneficiary of the new US posture of ID. With enhanced and integrated military capabilities, India is likely to adopt a more hostile posture towards its neighbours, especially Pakistan, thus forcing the latter to develop options in the form of 'Integrated Response', to help maintain strategic stability in the region without indulging in an arms race, and by maintaining neutrality in the evolving US-China great power competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are individual tokens with valuable information stored inside them over blockchain technology. They can be purchased and sold like other physical and virtual art pieces because their worth is mostly determined by the market and demand. The unique data of NFTs render it simple to verify and authenticate their ownership and transfer of tokens between owners. However, in Pakistan, developers cannot acquire different licences to accomplish their projects not because they cannot afford it, but because they cannot invest in every piece of software to accomplish each new sensitive task. Rather, they can render the product platform independent. Considering this technology, this paper provides IT professionals with a new NFT approach and business policies that solely belong to the information technology domain. In addition, this paper also introduces how NFT tokens can hold software applications. Since we can store files, we can let NFTs also store complete applications to help developers in further utilising virtuality and having the metaverse at their fingertips. Whenever they succeed in a project, they never receive rewards, and their skills only pay the bills. In a nutshell, this paper presents a prototype of NFTs that would be further polished to save and utilise applications in a decentralised manner while rewarding the developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decentralization and efforts for inclusivity in Pakistan's public sector from 1973 led to the recruitment and advancement of women as officers of the newly constituted Central Superior Services (CSS) of the federal government of Pakistan. Quotas for women made government more diverse and representative, and educational and length of service benchmarks for recruitment and promotion made advancement more attainable and transparent. The increasing participation of these new officers of state, outlined in this paper, can be seen as an outcome of the 1973 public sector reforms, but government policy alone is not sufficient to account for women's entry into public life and policy making where they had been excluded from it over the previous century of the development of the bureaucracy. This paper presents professional life history narratives of 23 women officers of the CSS recorded in an oral history project in Lahore and describes the women who participated in this state project of decentralization and gender inclusivity and their motivations, complementing an historiography of administrative reform. I argue for attention to the role of families and academic institutions in enabling women in finding pathways into the CSS and advancing and succeeding in their roles, mediating between the state and Pakistani society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of interactive media, such as virtual reality (VR), has the potential to revolutionize education in Pakistan. This research paper delves into the possibilities offered by VR technology and explores its benefits, challenges, and practical applications within the Pakistani educational system. By conducting a thorough examination of existing literature, empirical research, and case studies, this paper aims to shed light on the transformative impact of VR on teaching and learning outcomes. VR has the unique ability to transport students into immersive and interactive virtual environments, providing them with engaging and experiential learning opportunities. Through VR, students can explore distant places, conduct virtual experiments, delve into historical events, and develop vocational skills in a safe and interactive manner. The paper synthesizes the findings of previous studies to highlight the positive impact of VR on student engagement, knowledge retention, critical thinking skills, and overall learning outcomes. Moreover, the paper examines various practical applications of VR in the Pakistani educational context. It discusses how VR can be integrated into different subjects and disciplines, such as science, mathematics, history, and vocational training. The exploration of these practical applications serves as a guide for educators and institutions seeking to implement VR in their teaching practices and curriculum. Ultimately, the goal of this research paper is to inspire and empower educators, policymakers, and stakeholders in Pakistan to harness the power of interactive media, specifically VR, for innovative and effective education practices. By leveraging the transformative potential of VR technology, Pakistan can create inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments that prepare students for the challenges of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the broad outlines of Pakistan's nuclear weapons' programme are well documented, significant gaps remain in the understanding of the country's nuclear security regime. Nuclear security remains a highly politicised topic, with little robust information available regarding the steps taken to secure the country's nuclear assets. To help "fill the gaps", this paper places official Pakistani documents, statements, and other open source information, into an analytical framework based on international standards of physical security. Although gaps in understanding remain, this paper finds that, in general, Pakistan has enacted robust security measures to protect its nuclear weapons and nuclear-weapons related infrastructure. Nonetheless, the prevailing perception of Pakistan's nuclear security remains dominated by embarrassing episodes that emphasise the importance of effective nuclear security culture. Based on its findings, this paper also offers policy recommendations which may offer additional confidence about the rigours of the country's nuclear security regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English has gained supremacy as the primary language in a range of domains including business, science, technology, higher education, and research. This dominance has created a necessity for a curriculum that meets learners' needs. In Pakistan, postgraduate students face challenges related to the English language in coursework, research paper writing, and dissertation preparation. The objective of this research was to examine the English language requirements of potential Pakistani postgraduate students, who were pursuing studies in science disciplines. The sample included 26 prospective MS students and 4 prospective PhD students, who were preparing for admission tests. The researchers used a semi-structured questionnaire to collect the data, which had been validated by two experts. Thematic analysis revealed that the prospective postgraduate students needed reading skills for reading and comprehending research papers, followed by writing skills for research proposal writing and thesis writing. Participants also recognized the importance of speaking skills for research presentations and communication with supervisors, and listening skills for better understanding of lectures and seminars. The findings suggest that ESP learner-cantered courses should be offered to Pakistani MS/MPhil and PhD candidates that focus on the four language skills for research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationship between the Pygmalion Effect and female career progression. The data was collected from sales representatives in the real estate sector in Pakistan through semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using Quirkos 2.5.3. The results of thematic analysis revealed that male employees received preferential treatment due to their perceived self-efficacy, leading managers to invest more in their development, which can be linked to the Pygmalion Effect. In contrast, female employees did not receive the same treatment within the real estate sector. The findings recommend that top management in the real estate sector should maintain similar interactions with all employees, regardless of their gender, to avoid sub-group formation. Conducting exit interviews with female employees can help identify underlying issues that contribute to their departure from organizations. This paper fills a gap in the existing literature by developing a model for understanding the role of the Pygmalion Effect in female career progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese mammoth investment projects abroad, and especially those under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) umbrella, are receiving heavy scrutiny in academic and policy circles. However, there is insufficient empirical evidence to evaluate their impact. This paper employs a difference- in-differences approach and a pair of new datasets on government spending and economic activity compiled by the World Bank to examine the local impacts of the Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan. It finds that the 2013 announcement of CPEC was accompanied by a disproportionate increase in government spending in CPEC districts. However, in the six years after it was first announced, CPEC has not directly contributed a significant increase in economic activity in the districts along its path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although green training has been shown in past research to promote environmentally responsible behaviors at work, scholars have paid less attention to its influence on employees' eco‐friendly behaviors outside of work. This omission is critical because confining green training research to the work domain obscures its benefits in promoting employees' pro‐environmental behaviors beyond the workplace, and thus its role in supporting organizational efforts to conserve the natural environment. To address this gap, we examine the direct and indirect (via connectedness to nature) relationships between green training and employees' eco‐friendly behaviors outside of work, including consumption of eco‐friendly products, reuse of items and materials, and reduced consumption of resources such as water, electricity, and paper. We also examine the moderating influence of intrinsic spirituality on the direct link between green training and connectedness to nature, as well as the indirect link between green training and eco‐friendly behaviors beyond the workplace. Using time‐lagged, multisource data, we find support for our hypotheses. Our findings advance knowledge on the important yet largely overlooked role of green training in shaping employees' environmentally responsible behaviors outside of the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper points out the availability of many published proceedings declared as unavailable in a recently published article; giving a brief background; lists and reviews in detail the contents of the published 1965 conference proceedings reported by the authors of the articles as not found. It gives details in terms of authors, their regional representation, subjects covered, length of papers, etc. It also identifies and comments on four papers from the proceedings that were different from others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last two decades or so we have witnessed unprecedented growth and expansion in higher education not only in the high income countries but in middle income and low income countries as well, Pakistan being no exception. In 2002 a new apex body, Higher Education Commission was established to manage affairs of higher education which adopted measures to improve the quality of higher education in the country. The HEC adopted a new framework and policy towards higher education and made strenuous efforts not only to bring quantitative expansion but to improve the quality of higher education in the country as well. Consequently, the academic community has witnessed an unprecedented expansion in higher education in terms of number of higher education institutions and its enrolment. One of the goals of Higher Education Commission was to develop research culture within the country and enhance research productivity of the universities and higher education institutions to help achieve the objectives of knowledge economy. This paper attempts to analyse the available data to assess the research productivity of Pakistani institutions of higher education, trends over the last decade or so in the number of articles produced and their citation index and to see what factors have contributed towards increasing the number of research articles, enhancing the visibility of research produced by Pakistani universities and identifying the most productive institutions in this regard. Results of the study may help in framing a policy and developing a strategy increase the research productivity of Pakistani institutions of higher education and improving its visibility and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media has evolved significantly over the years while providing strategic platforms for voices to reach billions of people within no time. Accordingly, it has advantages and disadvantages (threats). The nature of threats emanating from social media, especially Twitter, in the context of Pakistan, are mainly in the form of radicalization, glorification of terrorist groups, propagation of violent sub-nationalism and hybrid warfare. Though Pakistan has been relatively active after 2020 in responding to social media challenges, implementing social media regulations remains an issue, especially when most social media platforms are foreign in origin. This paper evaluates the interlinkage of social media and national security in the context of Pakistan while exploring how agents of insecurity and instability exploit social media and what response mechanism the state has placed to mitigate these threats. The paper is a qualitative inquiry using primary and secondary sources to answer these questions. The research findings suggest marginal securitization of social media, albeit without significant implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the influence of external examination on teaching and learning of Mathematics at the secondary schools affiliated with provincial and private examination boards in Pakistan. By employing the explanatory sequential mixed-method approach, this study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the Mathematics examination papers of last five years from both provincial and private examination boards were reviewed and analyzed to understand (1) the cognitive complexities required from the learners to solve the questions, (2) the frequency and variety in which the questions were repeated and (3) the chapters of prescribed books from which the questions are selected in the examination of last five years. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews with teachers and students were conducted, along with participatory observation to understand how the examination patterns shape their teaching and learning. The findings revealed that the external examination directly influences teachers’ teaching, and indirectly students’ learning. Both the positive and negative effects of the external examination were found on the teaching and learning strategies of teachers and students, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical debate on the relationship between the quality of government, social capital and corruption remains underspecified in relation to the analysis of local governance. This paper asks how quality of government (QoG) impacts on the role of social capital (SC), and how SC connects with corruption in the local governance context. The paper develops a local governance approach in order to better understand this relationship through an in-depth qualitative case-study of the governance of Batkhela Bazaar in Malakand District of Pakistan. Three findings emerge: Firstly, the results demonstrate how QoG and socioeconomic inequalities shape the context for SC development and its role in corruption, which feeds into the poor QoG. Secondly, unlike the existing mainstream literature, the results show the fundamental importance of petty corruption to levels of trust within a society. Thirdly, reciprocity plays a crucial role in maintaining trusting ties in the context of ineffective formal institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the findings from a quantitative study regarding the correlation between teachers' beliefs about their practices as leaders and the available leadership opportunities in six dimensions: developmental focused, recognition, collegiality, communication, autonomy and positive environment. The data were collected by administering a survey questionnaire among all the 220 teachers working in different schools under the umbrella of a private school system in Karachi, Pakistan. The analysis has revealed the existence of a significant correlation between teachers' beliefs about their practices as leaders and available leadership opportunities in the six dimensions to a varying extent – strong in the dimension of positive environment, moderate in collegiality and communication and weak in developmental focus, recognition and autonomy. The existence of significant correlation implies that teachers' practices as leaders can be enhanced through intentional intervention by providing them with opportunities in the schools. Further analysis of teachers' responses toward the items has revealed that teachers' practices as leaders can be improved through developing a positive environment in the school, providing teachers with ongoing professional development opportunities and involving them in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes a legal and a South Asian perspective to the emerging scholarship on the materiality of the Qur'an, exploring and analysing the development of the laws and regulations that protect the Qur'an as a sacred object against the risk desecration, defilement as well as heretical translations and interpretations. Starting with the enactment of Indian Penal Code, 1860 in colonial India and ending with amendments to the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) Act, 2011 in 2022, this paper identifies multiple layers of statutes and regulations that accompany the life-cycle of the Qur'an from 'cradle to grave'. In analysing the legal developments that have fused the object and the text of the Qurʾan into a legal entity that demands particular interpretations of Islam, this paper identifies an Islamic state doctrine that asks and expects the Pakistani state to protect and promote Islamic law and religion in an increasing number of contexts and occasions, the protection of the Qurʾan being only one of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines poverty and inequality in Pakistan's mountains, using nationally representative data. Our analysis reveals that, despite a slight decline in poverty rates, overall rates remain alarmingly high, with significant variations across provinces and regions. Rural and mountain areas exhibit higher poverty rates (31% in rural areas, 13% in urban areas in 2015/16) compared to urban centers. The national incidence of multidimensional poverty in 2014/15 was 41%, surpassing monetary poverty rates. Notably, rural areas (47%) experienced significantly higher multidimensional poverty than urban centers (12%), with Balochistan's mountainous province recording the highest rates (63%). The four provinces display significant heterogeneity in multidimensional poverty, with district-level variations ranging from 10 to 90% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The majority of districts with high poverty incidence are situated in mountainous regions, where people face multidimensional challenges in accessing basic facilities such as health and education, cooking fuel, and housing. To address this issue, Pakistan needs to prioritize mountain areas and implement targeted programs aimed at improving access to basic services, addressing gender inequalities, and promoting sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To review the international evidence base on interventions to support the mental health of family carers of children with brain injuries in low and middle income countries (LMIC). Methods: Searches were conducted with five electronic databases (Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL) using search terms related to "family carers", "brain injury", "children" and "low and middle income countries". Studies were independently screened using predetermined eligibility criteria by two authors. Data were extracted from included studies using standardised data extraction and quality appraisal tools. These data were then subjected to narrative synthesis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to govern the review process. Findings: One study met our inclusion criteria and described an acquired brain injury called nodding syndrome which occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study was conducted in Ghana and provided group-based psychotherapy to carers and their children. As such we found no study which sought to solely support the mental health of family carers. Conclusions: There has been a lack of focus in the literature on the mental health of family carers of children with brain injuries in LMIC. Considering the vital importance of caregivers in supporting their children it is imperative that service providers and researchers devise programmes to better meet their needs. The mental health of family carers should be better supported to improve their overall wellbeing, which will in turn improve the wellbeing of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe pollution-induced flashovers on insulators present a pressing challenge to power system safety. The frequent failure of high-voltage insulators, particularly in the polluted environments of Pakistan, poses a critical concern. This paper investigates the impact of insulator profile on reducing pollution flashovers, testing two designs as per IEC standard 60383 and simulated using the Finite Element Method in COMSOL Multiphysics®. The test results revealed that deep under-ribs insulators exhibited a 5.008% reduction in flashover voltage, while alternating shed insulators experienced a 3.233% decrease in polluted conditions compared to clean conditions. Notably, under both clean and polluted conditions, alternating shed insulators consistently outperformed deep under-ribs insulators, with a 25.377% higher flashover voltage in clean conditions and a 27.400% superiority in polluted conditions. Computational analysis through the Finite Element Method in COMSOL Multiphysics shows a consistent pattern in potential distribution with increasing insulator count, but the presence of a pollution layer introduces spikes in the electric field distribution, validating experimental results. These findings highlight the superior performance of alternating shed insulators, especially in polluted environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inequity in health and well‐being is driven by systemic, political, and structural forces that, along with social factors, influence the allocation, access, and impact of health resources across communities based on religion, gender, caste, sexuality, and ability. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, and plus (LGBTIQ+) communities, marginalized for subverting cis‐gender norms, face heightened risks of poor health, well‐being, and limited psycho‐social, medical, and legal support. Understanding the challenges and triumphs of LGBTIQ+ individuals navigating oppressive and discriminatory legal, social, and structural forces can significantly contribute to improving their health and well‐being. Additionally, such insights can inform public policy and legal structures to be more inclusive. This paper offers a commentary on the health and psycho‐social well‐being of LGBTIQ+ individuals, focusing on the systemic transitions in Russia, Turkey, Pakistan, and India. The unique, intersectional identities of queer individuals make them particularly vulnerable to stigma and discrimination. While Pakistan has laws to protect transgender rights and India has decriminalized same‐sex behavior, LGBTIQ+ individuals in these countries still face discrimination in housing, careers, and healthcare, similar to the experiences in Turkey and Russia, where no legal protections exist. The paper emphasizes the need to view queer experiences through an intersectional lens, acknowledging that advancements in one area alone may not suffice to transform their experiences from marginalization to inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the narratives of three deceased high-altitude mountaineers who lost their lives while climbing in the Greater Himalaya. These individuals were participants in part of a larger ethnographic study on 'Tourism in the Death Zone' conducted over the space of 150 days fieldwork in Pakistan and Nepal in 2019. The paper seeks to explore how these participants depth of immersion in the 'social world' of high-altitude mountaineering eventually lead to their deaths. To do so, the phenomenological concept of the lifeworld [lebenswelt] is utilized to show how the participants lived realities and aspirations became entwined with high-altitude mountaineering – a serious leisure community. Previously, the connection between the lifeworld and serious leisure viewed within the context of extreme risk taking and possible death, has not been explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on issues related to living organ donation for transplantation in Bangladesh. The policy and practice of living organ donation for transplantation in Bangladesh is family-oriented: close relatives (legal and genetic) are the only ones allowed to be living donors. Unrelated donors, altruistic donors (directed and non-directed), and paired/pooled or non-directed altruistic living donor chains—as many of these are implemented in other countries—are not legally allowed to serve as living donors in Bangladesh. This paper presents normative arguments explaining why the family-oriented nature of regulations and practices surrounding living organ donation for transplantation is essential for Bangladesh. In this article, I specifically argue that if the Bangladesh government revises the current biomedical policy robustly beyond relatives and allows unrelated donors to donate organs legally, this may foster organ selling due to the poverty and corruption problems in Bangladesh. The family-oriented requirement of the living organ donation policy and practice is defensible and morally justifiable as it preserves common notions of the family unit and family bonding in Bangladesh. Maintaining the current living-donation regulations and promoting deceased donation is the way forward, as this safely preserves the family values, protects against organ selling, and increases access to organ transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research is the most unwanted, and orphaned part of every discipline in Pakistan. Pakistan Medical & Dental Commission, Higher Education Commission (HEC) or numerous medical universities in the country have been responsible for promoting research, but their responsibilities are finished after counting the number of published papers by any candidate for promotion. HEC has developed a software - called HJRS, but you visit this site and find a jumbled-up data which is four years old. Out of 58 listed Pakistani medical journals only 4 are in 'W' category. Many of the journals have been derecognized, but listed. Research related software like plagiarism check, reference actuality check, reference accuracy check, language etc. are hard to find by the average researcher. 'Anaesthesia, Pain & Intensive Care' was started in 1997, with the objective to foster the culture of research in the members of the neglected specialty of anesthesia, and the journal engaged renowned research fellows to write on the research related topics and published. This invited editorial sheds some light on the barriers to research and the suggested measures to promote research in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has had unprecedented effects on construction markets globally due to supply chain disruptions and workforce restrictions, etc. However, construction industries in developing countries are more vulnerable to the obstacles associated with the pandemic. As such, the goal of this paper is to capture the impact of COVID-19 on construction projects' performance in developing countries by taking the Pakistani construction sector into perspective. A multistep project-based research methodology was adopted, including a literature analysis and questionnaire survey with 20 construction professionals to assess factors affected by COVID-19; formulation of open-ended questions against each factor; collecting data using semi structured interviews; and presenting challenges and adopted mitigation strategies to examine the perceived impact. Results showed that the pandemic has caused a total of 13 factors to impact the project performance, which are grouped under four construction groups, including material and equipment, human resource, occupational health and safety, and financial and contracts. The factors impacted the most by the pandemic are cash flow management, supply chain disruptions, increased overheads, construction safety measures, material shortage, contractual issues, and construction workforce. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a foundation for researchers to enhance investigating the impact of the COVID-19 in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explains the mechanisms of informal value transfer systems (IVTS) and illustrates the obstacles to domestic and international IVTS regulation including lax recordkeeping, language barriers and lack of communication between federal and international regulatory regimes. It highlights the steps taken by the U.S. to regulate IVTS and discusses the ongoing challenges to the U.S. approach. It compares the regulatory attempts of foreign countries including India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

This paper examines the role of Madaris in Pakistan's educational system and their alleged connection to radicalization and extremism due to a lack of emphasis on critical thinking, morality, and exclusive religious epistemological sources. In contrast to the prevalent simplifications attributing their function to Madaris, this paper argues that the conventional general education system has also failed to prioritise morality and inclusive epistemology in its curricula. Therefore, it is essential to adopt a more nuanced approach to the analysis of the education system, and it is argued that a comprehensive approach that acknowledges both inclusive epistemology and morality is required for an environment conducive to the maintenance of sustainable societal harmony. The paper argues that by employing such an approach, students can appreciate diversity and diverse perspectives, develop critical thinking skills, and be better equipped to promote social cohesion and peace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human capital and trade liberalization are playing a central role in growth theories. However, the link between human capital, trade liberalization, and economic growth remains a challenging question due to the inconclusive results of the previous studies. Paper contributes to this debate through asymmetric links among human capital, trade liberalization, and economic growth by incorporating labor and capital for Pakistan's economy by applying the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model. Results suggest that the positive and negative asymmetric impact of trade liberalization and human capital on growth substantially vary in the short and long run. In the long run, the increased trade liberalization hurts economic growth, while increased human capital has a minimal positive impact on economic growth in the short and long run. The implications of this paper are for economists and policymakers to strengthen the role of human capital and trade liberalization for Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]