The Journal provides an international forum for the discussion and rapid dissemination of research findings in the field of Social Sciences, Physical and Numerical Sciences, Humanities, Life Sciences, Engineering and Health Sciences ranging from primary level to provincial, national and international levels. Additionally, The research invites commentaries and original opinion pieces or analyses of issues and events of concern to the concern domains. Views expressed in the Journal are authors’ views, based on their research works and analyses, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the research itself. The aims to provide a platform for researchers, academicians, professionals, practitioners, and scholars to impart and share knowledge in the form of high quality empirical and theoretical based research papers, case studies, literature reviews, and book reviews. The Journal provides a forum for the publication of original papers on a variety of subjects reflecting the socio-economic, political issues, and sustainable development goals. Areas of interest for the Journal include, but are not limited to, the following Subjects: Business Studies, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, International Relation, Economics, Sports Science, Tourism, Law, English language, Linguistics and literature, Home Economics, Islamic Studies, Geography, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Pharmacy, Agriculture Sciences, All Fields of Engineering and Health Sciences. Preference is given to the contributions based on empirical research. However, book reviews and theoretical articles of immense importance and relativity; and of social scientists are also published. The Journal provides an international forum for the discussion and rapid dissemination of research findings in the field of Economics, Finance and social sciences from the primary level to provincial, national, and international levels. Additionally, the invites commentaries and original opinion pieces or analyses of issues and events of concern to the concerned domains. Views expressed in the Journal are the authors’ views, based on their research works and analyses.
Collaborative Educational Learning Institute
Language, Power, and Transracial Identity: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Florence Olajide’s Coconut
This study critically investigates the intersections of language, power, and transracial identity in Florence Olajide’s Coconut (2021) through the theoretical lenses of Antonio Gramsci’s concept of hegemony and Homi K. Bhabha’s concept of hybridity. Applying a qualitative research approach, the study employs Fairclough’s 3D model as a methodological tool of Critical Discourse Analysis to analyse the memoir's textual, discursive, and social practices. The study highlights how linguistic choices, narrative structures and institutional discourses shape, reproduce, and challenge predetermined racial ideologies within the context of transracial fostering in postcolonial Britain. By relating the memoir within the discourses of cultural contexts, the study illustrates how language functions as a tool of hegemonic control and operates the counter-hegemonic narrative that challenges the agencies and power dynamics. Ultimately, the study focuses on hybridity as the emergence of a third space in which identity is transracialized due to experiences of cultural dislocation and identity fragmentation. The study contributes to existing studies of Critical Discourse Analysis, postcolonial narratives, and transracial studies by aligning with the post-2020 work of Coconut (2021), which serves as a powerful direction for ideological reproduction.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dialogue Social Science Review (DSSR)
PUBLIC PERCEPTION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF INFLATION ON EVERYDAY LIFE IN URBAN FAISALABAD
Now a day, inflation has become a menace and a pressing socio-economic challenge affecting the quality of life of people in developing countries including Pakistan as the increasing price of essential goods and services have significantly reduced household purchasing power. The present study explored public perceptions regarding the impacts of inflation on living standards in Samanabad, Faisalabad using a quantitative research design and data were collected from 200 respondents selected through a systematic sampling technique from four localities of Samanabad Faisalabad. The questionnaire was employed for data collection. The collected data were analyzed on Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) through descriptive statistics and percentage distributions. It was revealed from the findings that inflation has severely affected household living standards through rising food prices, reduced purchasing power, declining savings and increased financial stress and the participants identified the factors i.e. corruption, poor governance, political instability and global economic conditions as major contributors to inflation. Moreover, it further examined that inflation is linked with social inequality, psychological stress and reduced access to quality education and healthcare services as majority of the respondents stressed the importance of improved governance, employment generation, local production and stronger economic policies to address inflationary pressures. It was concluded that inflation is not only an economic issue but also a social problem that influences the overall well-being and quality of life of individuals and families. The effective policy measures are needed to protect vulnerable groups and improve living standards.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AGAINST RICE PEST COMPLEX THROUGH PARTICIPATORY TRIALS
Integrated pest management is widely recommended for rice, but adoption remains limited when farmers do not see clear field-level economic benefits. Participatory trials were conducted in Haripur and Mansehra districts of the Hazara region to validate a locally adapted rice IPM package against farmer practice. At each location, IPM and farmer practice plots were compared side by side. The IPM package included resistant variety use, line sowing at recommended spacing, soil-test-based fertilizer management, weekly pest scouting, natural enemy conservation and need-based pesticide use. Pest observations focused on stem borer, leafhoppers and aphids. Natural enemies, grain yield and economic returns were also recorded. IPM plots reduced stem borer damage from 22.3% to 8.5% at Haripur and from 20.3% to 7.7% at Mansehra. Leafhopper abundance decreased from 7.4 to 2.8 per plant at Haripur and from 6.9 to 2.5 per plant at Mansehra. Aphid populations were also lower in IPM plots. Natural enemy abundance was higher under IPM, indicating reduced disruption of biological control. Mean grain yield increased from 3150 kg ha-1 under farmer practice to 3885 kg ha-1 under IPM, representing a 23.4% yield increase. The IPM package also produced a higher cost-benefit ratio of 1:3.6 compared with 1:2.4 under farmer practice. The results demonstrate that a participatory, locally validated IPM package can reduce pest pressure, conserve beneficial organisms, improve yield and increase profitability. Wider adoption should focus on farmer training, pest scouting skills and simple economic decision rules. Keywords: Oryza sativa; rice IPM; participatory trials; stem borer; leafhopper; natural enemies; benefit-cost ratio; Hazara
AI among Academicians of Pakistan: as Catalyst in Reducing Burden or Enhancing Accountability
In the recent times Artificial Intelligence is the most emerging technology which played a transformative role in higher education department which not only offering the opportunities but also act as a challenging factor for academicians. This study basically explores the dual characteristics of AI that at the same time AI has the capacity of reducing burden of the academicians but in parallel environment it also enhancing the burden for academicians in Pakistan. By utilizing this intelligent system into daily routine task of academicians, AI not only contributing in aligning daily tasks, optimizing resource management and also paving a way for decision making. At the same time its utilization raises a concern regarding the ethical accountability, transparency and academician’s accountability framework. For this purpose, researcher opted Technology Acceptance Model and Socio-Technical System Theory will be opted as a theoretical framework. Under the umbrella of Qualitative approach, focus group method will be applied to this study. Academicians of Punjab both from public & private sector will be selected, and the findings of this study will contribute in decision making guidelines or in policy making development for academician strategies that helps in bringing balance between the ethical consideration, efficiency and also fostering the integrity dimensions of academia.
Application of Biochar and Poultry Manure for Enhanced Wheat Growth and Yield in Calcareous Soils of Peshawar, Pakistan
Soil fertility decline and poor nutrient use efficiency are major constraints to wheat productivity in calcareous soils of Peshawar, Pakistan. This study evaluated the effects of biochar (BC) and poultry manure (PM) alone and in combination with mineral phosphorus on growth, yield and phosphorus use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A field experiment was conducted at the University Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, during the winter season of 2023-24 using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Twelve treatment combinations were tested using four phosphorus levels (0, 60, 90 and 120 kg P ha⁻¹), biochar at 10 t ha⁻¹ and poultry manure at 10 t ha⁻¹. The experimental soil was alkaline, calcareous, non-saline and low in organic matter and available phosphorus. Results showed that phosphorus application with biochar significantly improved wheat growth, yield attributes, nutrient uptake and phosphorus use efficiency. The treatment receiving 120 kg P ha⁻¹ + 10 t biochar ha⁻¹ produced the highest plant height (98.4 cm), spike length (12.8 cm), grains per spike (52.4), thousand-grain weight (46.2 g), biological yield (12,845 kg ha⁻¹) and grain yield (4,872 kg ha⁻¹). The same treatment also recorded the highest total nitrogen uptake (142.3 kg ha⁻¹), total phosphorus uptake (38.7 kg ha⁻¹) and phosphorus use efficiency (32.25). Biochar consistently outperformed poultry manure in improving wheat productivity when combined with mineral phosphorus. The findings indicate that integration of mineral phosphorus with biochar improves nutrient availability and crop performance under calcareous soil conditions. Application of 120 kg P ha⁻¹ with 10 t biochar ha⁻¹ is therefore recommended for improving wheat productivity and phosphorus use efficiency in the Peshawar region. Keywords: biochar; calcareous soil; phosphorus use efficiency; poultry manure; wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
JUDICIAL ACTIVISM AND CLIMATE GOVERNANCE IN PAKISTAN
This study critically analyzes the changing role of judicial activism in climate governance in Pakistan within the context of national constitutional law and international climate litigation. Pakistan, one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change, faces floods, glacial melting, high heat, and smog issues that threaten human and economic safety (Kreft et al., 2016; Mustafa, 2023). Despite laws like the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (1997) and the Climate Change Act (2017), institutional fragmentation, financial constraints, and political instability hinder governance (Rafay, 2021). Judicial activism is a remedy. Shehla Zia v. WAPDA (1994) and Asghar Leghari v. Federation (2015, 2018) established environmental rights under Articles 9 and 14, incorporating global principles like sustainable development, the precautionary principle, intergenerational equity, and the public trust doctrine. Public interest litigation and Suo motu jurisdiction have allowed higher courts to order executive compliance, create policy commissions, and promote environmental justice. According to empirical evidence, judicial bodies like the Smog Commission and Climate Change Commission have identified technical deficiencies. Enforcement, financial, and tribunal capacity issues threaten long-term sustainability (Cheema & Gilani, 2015). Comparative lessons from India, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the US illustrate that judicial activism has revolutionary potential and pitfalls. Singapore's governance approach allows for institutional accountability and integrated planning change (Peel & Osofsky, 2020; Kotzé, 2022; Tan, 2020). The study found that judicial activism has stimulated reform but cannot replace systemic governance. To ensure resilience, justice, and sustainability for current and future generations, Pakistan must move from judicial declarations to administrative compliance and integrate climate justice within strong institutional frameworks (Hunter, 2021; Boyd, 2024). Keywords: Judicial Activism, Climate Governance in Pakistan, Environmental Constitutionalism, Public Interest Litigation (PIL), Comparative Climate Jurisprudence, Intergenerational Equity, Institutional Reform, and Compliance.
Preemptive Warfare and International Law: A Critical Analysis of Us–Israel Military Actions against Iran
The increasing use of preemptive military force in contemporary international relations has intensified legal and academic debates concerning the scope of self-defense under international law. This study examines the legality of the United States and Israeli military actions against Iran by assessing their compliance with the legal framework governing the use of force. The primary objective is to determine whether these military operations can be justified under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and the established principles of customary international law. The study adopts a qualitative doctrinal legal research design based on the systematic examination of primary legal sources, including the United Nations Charter, relevant international treaties, judgments of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), United Nations Security Council resolutions, and official state statements. Secondary sources, such as scholarly books, peer-reviewed journal articles, legal commentaries, policy reports, and expert analyses, are also utilized to strengthen the legal interpretation and comparative analysis. The findings reveal that Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter establishes a general prohibition on the use of force, while Article 51 recognizes self-defense only under narrowly defined circumstances involving an actual or imminent armed attack. The analysis demonstrates that the legality of preemptive self-defense remains one of the most controversial issues in international law, whereas preventive warfare lacks broad legal acceptance and is generally regarded as inconsistent with the Charter framework. Furthermore, the study finds that the principles of necessity, proportionality, and imminence continue to serve as indispensable legal conditions for the lawful exercise of self-defense. Military operations undertaken without convincing evidence of an imminent threat or without authorization from the United Nations Security Council raise significant legal concerns and challenge the collective security system established by the Charter. The study concludes that preserving international peace, state sovereignty, and the rule of law requires a strict interpretation of Article 51, greater reliance on peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms, enhanced accountability for unlawful uses of force, and stronger commitment to the multilateral legal order. The findings contribute to the evolving scholarship on international law, the lawful use of force, and the legal regulation of preemptive military action in the twenty-first century.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dialogue Social Science Review (DSSR)
The Impact of Employee Engagement, Job Satisfaction, and Employee Competency on Employee Performance in the UK Health Administration Sector
The United Kingdom's healthcare system continues to adapt to shifting disease patterns, technological change, and demographic pressure, all while operating within a complex administrative and regulatory framework. Within this environment, the performance of healthcare administration staff has become a critical determinant of service quality. This study examines the relationships between employee engagement, job satisfaction, employee competency, and employee performance in the UK healthcare administration and regulatory sector, drawing on Expectancy Theory and the Job Characteristics Model. A quantitative, primary-data research design was adopted using an online, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire distributed to staff at BMI Healthcare, Bupa, Care UK, Spire Healthcare, and Ramsay Health Care UK. Of 150 randomly sampled employees, 105 usable responses were obtained. Data were analysed in Python using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, Pearson correlation, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression. The results show statistically significant, positive relationships between employee performance and each of employee engagement (r = 0.650), job satisfaction (r = 0.675), and employee competency (r = 0.541), with a regression model explaining a significant proportion of variance in performance (p < .001). The findings support all three hypotheses and indicate that engagement, satisfaction, and competency jointly and individually drive performance outcomes. Recommendations include promoting work–life balance, reducing shift-related stress, and investing in continuous training. The study's reliance on a single cross-sectional sample is acknowledged as a limitation, and longitudinal and cross-national replications are recommended for future research.
Influence of Brand Signature, Brand Awareness, Brand Logo, Brand Image, Brand Attitude, Brand Reputation and Brand Performance: A Study on Apparel Industry
The aim to conduct this study to assess the influence of brand signature, brand awareness, brand logo, brand image brand attitude, and brand reputation brand performance a study on apparel industry.The Attribution theory (Heider 1958) is reviewed in this paper as the hypothetical perspectives which show the improvement of the hypothesis. In this research, quantitative technique can be used. The results are tested with the help of PLS-SEM based on 300 survey questionnaires out of which 275 is useable. The results tell that brand signature, brand awareness, brand logo, brand image brand attitude, and brand reputation has a significant impact on brand performance.
The Impact of Global Gold Price Volatility on Exchange Rate Fluctuations and Inflation in Pakistan (20152024)
In this study, global gold price volatility and its impact on the exchange rate and consumer price inflation in Pakistan has been investigated for annual data over the period of 20152024. The findings reveal that all the three variables global gold prices, PKR/USD exchange rate, and consumer price index (CPI) are significantly related to each other and that the higher the global gold prices, the faster the depreciation in the PKR rate and the more the widening of current account deficit (CAD), the two indicators of economic stability. There is a clear long run relationship between gold prices and inflation, but a relatively modest short run impact on inflation due to the influence of many factors on prices at the same time. Higher gold prices are a warning sign for policy makers in terms of exchange rate pressures, and may indicate the need for proactive foreign exchange reserves management (State Bank of Pakistan, 2023; Khan et al., 2023).
Effect Of Front Leg Brace On Bowling Speed of Cricket Fast Bowlers
Cricket fast bowling is a dynamic, high-intensity activity in which bowlers repeatedly deliver the ball at maximum velocity. The front leg brace (FLB) in which the braced front leg functions as a biomechanical brake to channel run-up momentum into ball release speed has been theoretically linked to faster deliveries, yet empirical evidence among mixed-gender populations remains limited. This study investigated the effect of FLB on bowling speed among fast bowlers, and examined gender-based differences in FLB utilization and resultant ball release speed. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design was employed with a purposive sample of 50 fast bowlers (25 male, 25 female) recruited from cricket clubs in Lahore, Pakistan. Self-reported, 7-item Likert-scale questionnaires measuring FLB use and perceived bowling speed were administered (Cronbach's α = .811 and .817, respectively). Pearson correlation, linear regression, and independent-samples t-tests were performed using SPSS (v. 26.0). Results revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between FLB use and bowling speed (r = .728, p < .01). Linear regression confirmed FLB as a significant positive predictor of bowling speed (β = .728, R² = .530, F = 54.035, p < .05). Male fast bowlers demonstrated significantly higher FLB utilization (M = 24.80 vs. 15.52, t = 12.782, df = 48, p < .001) and significantly higher bowling speed scores (M = 24.80 vs. 16.08, t = 10.736, df = 48, p < .001) compared to female fast bowlers. The study concludes that the FLB technique positively and significantly affects bowling speed, and that notable gender differences exist in its application. These findings carry practical implications for coaching, talent identification, and strength-and-conditioning programs for fast bowlers.
This paper sheds light on the phenomena of Social taboos and determines their portrayal in dramas of Pakistan. The main objective of the study is to identify the ways in which Pakistani dramas discuss such taboo topics like transgender, honor killing , rape and child sexual abuse. In this research the content of the dramas were discussed . And, in order to see the impact of such dramas on the Pakistani Society , semi-structured interviews were conducted. The sample taken for this research was small and did not consider the socio- economic status , age or religion of the participants. And, also the experts in this field were taken as the sample .The findings of this study were that, the social taboo issues in Pakistani dramas have both the positive and negative impact on the people, they have helped break silence on the taboo issues in real life . Secondly this study found out that , these issues in dramas are not touched appropriately and mostly presented without being researched and are mostly discussed to get ratings. Other than that such dramas also help people fight their fears.
Regulating Privacy Rights in the Global Data Governance: A Comparative Analysis of the Legal Framework of the United States and Pakistan
Modern technological advancement has substantially transformed the traditional understanding of privacy rights and created unprecedented legal challenges concerning the protection of personal information, digital communications, and informational autonomy. This study examines the legal protection of privacy rights in the digital era through a comparative analysis of the United States and Pakistan. It employs a qualitative and comparative legal research methodology and analyzes constitutional provisions, statutory frameworks, judicial decisions, international human rights instruments, and relevant scholarly literature governing digital privacy in both jurisdictions. It explores the philosophical foundations of privacy protection, regulation of personal data and surveillance, judicial approaches to digital privacy rights, and institutional enforcement mechanisms. The findings reveal that the United States possesses a relatively developed but fragmented privacy regime characterized by sector-specific legislation and extensive judicial interpretation, whereas Pakistan's legal framework remains underdeveloped and fragmented despite constitutional recognition of privacy under Article 14 of the Constitution. The comparative analysis further demonstrates significant differences in philosophical foundations, regulatory structures, judicial activism, and enforcement mechanisms. The study concludes by proposing legal and institutional reforms for strengthening digital privacy protection in Pakistan while identifying valuable lessons that both jurisdictions may derive from each other's legal experiences in addressing contemporary challenges of digital privacy and surveillance. Ultimately, the study makes a theoretical contribution to the development of effective global data governance frameworks.
Attitudes of B.Ed Students Towards Learning: A Gender and Age-Based Comparative Study at University of Malakand
The attitudes towards learning have a significant impact on the students' motivation, engagement, and professional development, especially among prospective teachers. This study examined the level of attitudes towards learning among B.Ed. students. This study was conducted at the Department of Education, University of Malakand, Pakistan and involved B.Ed. students. In the department of Education University of Malakand, Pakistan, the study conducted with the B.Ed students and investigated the differences based on gender and semester. A quantitative descriptive-comparative study design was used. A self-developed and validated 28 item Attitude towards Learning Scale (ATLS) was used to gather data. A sample of 130 B.Ed students was used. Students were selected using stratified random sampling from 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th semester. Results revealed a moderate overall level of attitudes towards learning (M = 32.58, SD = 8.14). There was no significant difference between gender (p = 0.518). An interesting variation was found from semester to semester, F(3, 126) = 3.701, p = 0.014. The result of the post-hoc analysis showed that the attitude of the students in 2nd semester was significantly lower than that of students in 6th and 8th semester. The results indicate that the attitudes of students in learning get better when they study B.Ed program. In this research, the importance of early interventions to build positive learning attitudes in junior B.Ed was stressed. Students. Implications for teacher education programs in Pakistan are discussed.
Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Associated with Female Criminal Behavior among Women Offenders in Pakistan
Female criminal behavior is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon shaped by a range of socioeconomic and demographic factors. Despite growing international interest in understanding the determinants of female offending, empirical research within the Pakistani context remains considerably limited. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between education level, employment status, domestic violence history, prior criminal record, marital status, psychological distress, and criminal behavior among female offenders in Pakistan. A sample of 300 female participants was selected using a convenience sampling technique from various urban, peri-urban, and rural areas across Pakistan. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire comprising demographic items and standardized rating scales measuring psychological distress and criminal behavior tendencies. Statistical analyses including Pearson correlation and linear regression were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, Version 12.0). The findings revealed significant relationships between all six independent variables and criminal behavior score. Domestic violence history and prior criminal record emerged as the strongest predictors of female criminal behavior, with prior criminal record accounting for the greatest unique variance (β = .474, p < .001). The regression model explained 64.8% of the variance in criminal behavior (R² = .648, F = 89.920, p < .001). The study highlights the critical role of socioeconomic vulnerability, domestic abuse, and criminal history in shaping female criminal involvement in Pakistan and underscores the urgent need for gender-sensitive policies, rehabilitation programs, and community-based interventions targeting at-risk women. Keywords: Female Criminal Behavior, Domestic Violence, Education Level, Employment Status, Psychological Distress, Prior Criminal Record, Pakistan
Melodrama and the Postcolonial Archive: Aesthetics, Ideology, and the Documentary Voice in Pakistan
This article examines the role of melodrama as a structuring aesthetic in Pakistani documentary film and television, arguing that its presence constitutes not merely a stylistic inheritance but a postcolonial legacy whose origins lie in the conditions of film production under the British Raj. Drawing on documentary output from three institutional voices — state media organisations (Pakistan Television Corporation, Directorate of Films and Publications, Inter-Services Public Relations), commercial television channels, and independent women filmmakers — the article traces two distinct melodramatic traditions in Pakistani cinema: the female-oriented Urdu weepie modelled on Hollywood melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s, and the hyper-violent anti-feudal Punjabi cinema of the 1970s and 1980s. Both traditions, it is argued, have migrated into documentary in ways that serve specific ideological, commercial, and political purposes. The article brings together Peter Brooks’ rehabilitation of melodrama as a political form, Bill Nichols’ concept of epistephilia, and postcolonial theory to argue that Pakistani documentary deploys the pleasures of melodrama as a rhetorical vehicle for constructing particular versions of national history and identity. Far from being a concession to popular taste, melodrama in Pakistani documentary is a deliberate apparatus of persuasion.
The Formation of Babus and Sahibs in Colonial India: Colonial Subjects in Rudyard Kipling’s Kim.
British colonization is not only a process of geopolitical domination through skirmishes and wars on borders instead it is a whole process of social, cultural, fiscal and even theological domination which can be interpreted as distortion. The issue in this present dissection is to explore the formation or the distortion of individuality under colonial rule which was established by the British colonial masters whether it initiated a cultural distortion in the Subcontinent or Africa which further jeopardized its originality. Rudyard Kipling’s Kim has provided an apt subject to investigate this political strategy used by the colonial ramrods as it has reflected a dichotomization of the smithereens under the socio-political order of colonial India between the Sahibs, Babus and natives or locals. These social divisions reflect the establishment of various intellectual levels and classes. The point which is centripetal in this dissection is how this (aforementioned) segregation determines the formation of colonial subjects and their quest for domination over each other. The research methodology in order to explore the subject that has been focused under the postcolonial theoretical lenses in integration with the psychoanalytical speculations to analyze the stratagem which is utilized to initiate and establish a disparaging social and political structure that further solidifies the hold of colonizing intruders and gradually envenoms the colonized subjects. To conduct a speculative analysis of the colonial subjects Bhaba’s theoretical hypothesis has been selected because it endows a multidimensional approach to the study on psycho-social and political levels. The purpose to conducting this analysis is to provide a research approach in order to trace out the preliminary roots of colonial expansion that targeted the masses further enmeshing them into a perpetual distortion in regard to their cultural originality by dividing them into certain social groups.
Celebrity Worship as a Predictor of Materialistic Values among Pakistani Youth: A Quantitative Study
Celebrity worship has become one of the more consequential media and psychological forces shaping young people's values and consumption in the digital age, yet its link with materialism has rarely been studied outside Western cultures. Drawing on Parasocial Interaction Theory (Horton & Wohl, 1956) and Cultivation Theory (Gerbner et al., 1986), this quantitative cross-sectional study examined the relationship between celebrity worship and materialistic values among Pakistani university students (N = 316) recruited through convenience sampling. Both measures performed excellently: the Celebrity Worship Scale (CWS; α = .975) and the Material Values Scale (MVS; α = .904). Celebrity worship and materialism were very strongly related, r = .746, p < .001, well above the r = .30-.50 typically reported in Western samples, and celebrity worship alone accounted for 55.6% of the variance in materialistic values (R² = .556, β = .746, p < .001). Strikingly, 47.5% of the sample scored in the Borderline-Pathological range of the CWS, pointing to a high prevalence of obsessive celebrity attachment within a clinically meaningful range. Men and women did not differ significantly on either celebrity worship or materialism. These results offer some of the first quantitative evidence from Pakistan directly linking celebrity worship (as distinct from general influencer exposure) to materialism, and carry clear implications for media-literacy education, mental-health support, and youth-focused digital media policy. Keywords: Celebrity Worship, Materialism, Pakistani youth, Parasocial interaction, social media, Quantitative research
War Without Declaration: Hybrid Warfare Strategies and the Transformation of Modern Conflict
The nature of contemporary conflict has undergone a fundamental transformation, as state and non-state actors increasingly resort to hybrid warfare strategies that deliberately blur the boundaries between war and peace. Traditional frameworks of interstate conflict, grounded in formal declarations and conventional military engagements, have proven inadequate in addressing the complex, multi-domain threats posed by hybrid warfare. This study examines the conceptual evolution of hybrid warfare and its operational manifestations in modern conflict environments, with particular emphasis on the integration of conventional military force, irregular tactics, cyber operations, information warfare, and economic coercion as instruments of strategic competition. Drawing on qualitative analysis and comparative case studies of Russia-Ukraine, Chinese gray zone operations in the South China Sea, and Iranian proxy network strategy in the Middle East, this research identifies the core characteristics of hybrid warfare strategies and evaluates their implications for international security norms, deterrence theory, and state responses. The findings reveal that hybrid warfare exploits institutional ambiguity, undermines collective defense mechanisms, and erodes the normative foundations of the international order by operating below the threshold of formal armed conflict. Furthermore, the study argues that existing multilateral frameworks and conventional deterrence models are structurally ill-equipped to counter the adaptive and asymmetric nature of hybrid threats. The paper concludes that effective responses to hybrid warfare require a comprehensive reconceptualization of security doctrine, enhanced inter-agency coordination, and the development of resilient governance frameworks capable of addressing threats that transcend traditional military and diplomatic boundaries.
Impact of Teacher's Educational Training and Teacher Language During Lecture on Personality Development of Students: An Evidence from Secondary Schools of South Punjab, Pakistan
This study explored how socio-cultural capital affects personality development in secondary school students in South Punjab, Pakistan. It was based on Pierre Bourdieu's theory of socio-cultural capital and aimed to understand the link between school-related socio-cultural factors and students' personality development. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional survey design was used. The study involved students in Grades 9 and 10 from public secondary schools in South Punjab. Using multistage stratified random sampling, 600 students from 30 public schools in both urban and rural areas were selected. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that showed acceptable reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.724). The analysis was done using SPSS, and included descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Gamma coefficients to examine connections between variables. The results showed strong positive relationships between Teacher Educational Training (TET), Teacher Language During Lecture (TLDL), and students' Personality Development (PD). Teacher language during lectures was the strongest predictor of personality development (χ² = 229.271, γ = 0.773), followed by teacher educational training (χ² = 140.931, γ = 0.626). Students who learned from well-trained teachers and experienced effective classroom communication showed greater confidence, emotional regulation, social skills, critical thinking, and self-discipline. The study concludes that socio-cultural capital in school environments is vital for shaping students' personality development. Improving teacher training and classroom communication can significantly support students' overall growth. The findings align with Sustainable Development Goal 4, highlighting the value of quality and equitable education in promoting positive outcomes for adolescents.
Socio- Political Issues of Pakistani Society and their Solution in the Light of Islamic Perspective
Pakistan’s multifaceted crises, political instability, weak democratic institutions, persistent poverty, gender inequality, sectarianism, and recurrent cycles of violent extremism, demand solutions that are both context-sensitive and normatively robust. Pakistan’s contemporary social and political challenges are acute and interlinked. Years of elite fragmentation, intermittent military interventions, contested national identity, and socio-economic exclusion have produced governance deficits that harm ordinary citizens and fuel instability. Attempts to address these problems through purely technocratic prescriptions have had limited success because they do not always engage the moral vocabularies and institutional legacies that shape Pakistani public life. This article argues that an Islamic ethical model, grounded in the Qurʾān’s moral imperatives, the prophetic exemplar (sunna), the classical legal-ethical corpus (fiqh and maqāṣid), and contemporary Islamic scholarship, offers a coherent framework for addressing Pakistan’s most pressing social and political problems. The Islamic ethical model proposed here is not an ideological script. It is a practical and moral framework built on five core principles: justice (ʿadl), consultation (shūrā), public welfare (maṣlaḥa), proportional accountability (ḥisāb), and distributive responsibility (zakāh/ṣadaqa as institutionalized social security). The paper surveys the historical and structural sources of Pakistan’s problems. It also includes the civil-military imbalance and identity tensions. Moreover, it synthesizes lessons from reform-minded Islamic thinkers and modern social science. It proposes institutional translations of Islamic ethics: strengthening rule of law with independent judiciaries and civilian oversight; embedding shūrā-style participatory governance across local and national institutions; reorienting fiscal policy toward progressive, zakāh-compatible redistributive mechanisms; reforming education to combine civic ethics with technical skills; and deploying restorative justice approaches to counter violent radicalization. Implementation requires legal and administrative reform. Civic education and cross-sector partnerships between religious scholars, civil society, and technocratic institutions is also the basic requirement. The conceptual argument is illustrated with policy examples and feasibility considerations.The article concludes that an authentically Islamic ethical approach, one that privileges human dignity, equitable institutions, and accountable governance, can provide morally persuasive and practically effective pathways for Pakistan’s renewal if translated into transparent, enforceable institutions and backed by a broad-based social consensus. Keywords Islamic ethics; Pakistan governance; maqāṣid al-sharīʿa; civic reform; distributive justice
This study aimed to develop and validate a culturally relevant and linguistically appropriate for assessing Need for Dominance for Pakistani populations. An initial pool of 39 items was generated and refined through expert review, with 26 items retained after removing those with low item total correlations. Principal Component Analysis with Oblimin rotation revealed a three-factor structure i.e., Dominance, Resilience, and Autonomy, which together explained 35.28% of the total variance. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .80), with subscale reliabilities of .81, .74, and .51, and showed convergent validity through moderate positive correlations with the Dominance subscale of the established Dominance and Prestige Scale. These results suggest that the scale is a reliable, valid, and culturally relevant tool for assessing dominance-related tendencies in research and applied settings, providing a useful resource for studying personality and social behavior among Urdu-speaking adults.
Human Rights: Epistemological Basis and Application
In contemporary discourse, human rights are often upheld as the central moral framework of modernity. This article critically examines that assumption, arguing that modern human rights derive from secular Enlightenment humanism rather than religious authority, thereby replacing traditional moral foundations. The study traces the development of these ideas from the Renaissance and Reformation through Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and the French Revolution, through the Industrial Revolution, and culminating in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). It emphasizes key philosophical premises: anthropocentric humanism and rationalism, individual free will, and utilitarian (teleological) ethics, alongside a thorough secularization of morality and a critique of religion. Moral validity is measured by social utility and practical outcomes rather than any divine mandate. The Article also analyzes socio-political consequences: the elevation of individualism and materialism, the erosion of family and community structures, and the spread of Western cultural norms through globalization, neo-colonial influence, and “soft power.” It questions the presumed universality of modern human rights, highlighting their cultural biases and ethical limitations. In conclusion, the study calls for a more nuanced understanding of human rights—one that recognizes their historical context and balances universal ideals with local values. Keywords: Renaissance, Reformation, Modernity, Humanism, Free-will, Enlightment, Rationalism, Globalization
Cognitive Flexibility and General Adaptation in University Students from Rural Background: Moderating Role of Self-Regulation
The present study explored the relationship between cognitive flexibility, self-regulation and general adaptation in university students from rural areas. Purposive Sampling Technique was used. A sample of 200 students were collected from the university. Data was collected through using self-report measures of cognitive flexibility (Martin & Rubin, 1995), self-regulation (Przybyl & Chudak, 2022), and general adaptation (Arslan, 2022). Findings revealed positive relationship between cognitive flexibility, self-regulation and general adaptation. Results indicated that cognitive flexibility predicts adaptation primarily among individuals with low self-regulatory capacity. While high self-regulation appears to compensate for lower cognitive flexibility, suggesting the strong buffering effect of self-regulation skills.
A Study of the Relationship Between Teachers’ Motivation and Students’ Learning at Secondary Level in Rawalpindi city
Teaching motivation is an important aspect of the teaching-learning process, particularly at the school level, where students pass through important stages of academic and personal growth. A highly motivated teacher not only delivers good teaching but also encourages active participation among students and improves overall learning results. Teachers’ motivation is an important area yet not sufficiently explored in the context of Pakistan particularly regarding student academic success. The objectives of this study were to identify the role of teachers’ motivation in students’ learning and to find out relationship between teacher’s motivation and learning. A quantitative research design was adopted for this study. The population consisted of 100 private secondary schools in Rawalpindi. A sample of 80 schools was selected using Gay’s sampling table, while data were collected from 14 randomly selected private secondary schools through a structured questionnaire. Random sampling technique was used for data collection, and the data were analyzed using SPSS. The findings of the study contribute to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the factors influencing teacher motivation and its impact on students’ academic progress. Based on the results, conclusions were drawn and relevant recommendations were provided to improve teacher motivation and enhance student learning outcomes.
The Impact of Digitalization on the Quality of Education in Pakistan: Benefits, Challenges, and Future Prospects
This study examines the impact of digitalization on the quality of education, focusing on its benefits, challenges, and future prospects in Pakistan. A descriptive research design was employed, and the study is based on secondary data collected from reports, policy documents, and publications of international organizations such as UNESCO, the World Bank, OECD, UNICEF, and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission. The findings indicate that digitalization has significantly improved access to education in Pakistan by enabling online learning platforms, digital classrooms, and educational broadcasting services such as Teleschool. It has enhanced teaching and learning processes through interactive tools, multimedia resources, and blended learning approaches, particularly benefiting urban and private institutions. Digital platforms such as Virtual University have also supported flexible and self-paced learning, while improving students’ digital literacy and employability skills. However, the study also identifies major challenges, including the digital divide between urban and rural areas, inadequate infrastructure, limited internet connectivity, lack of teacher training, and issues related to student engagement and cybersecurity. These challenges hinder the equitable distribution of educational benefits and reduce the overall effectiveness of digital learning systems. The study concludes that despite these limitations, digitalization holds strong potential for improving the quality of education in Pakistan. Future prospects include the expansion of blended learning models, AI-based personalized education, enhanced teacher training, and improved digital infrastructure. With appropriate policy support and investment, digitalization can contribute to a more inclusive, efficient, and high-quality education system in Pakistan. Keywords: Digitalization, Quality of Education, Benefits, Challenges, Future Prospects.
Excessive Gaming, Substance Use, and Psychosocial Dysfunction: A Psychological Case Study of a Young Adult with Internet Gaming Disorder
Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is an emerging behavioral addiction associated with significant psychosocial, academic, and functional impairment, often co-occurring with substance use disorders. This case study presents a 21-year-old male with excessive gaming behavior, cannabis and nicotine use, emotional dysregulation, and severe impairment in academic and social functioning. A comprehensive psychological assessment was conducted using clinical interviews, Mental Status Examination (MSE), MMSE, and projective TAT, HTP, WAISE, RISB and psychometric tools. Findings revealed emotional insecurity, impulsivity, low frustration tolerance, and maladaptive coping patterns, while cognitive functioning remained in the low-average to average range. The case highlights the role of early exposure to digital devices, peer influence, family dynamics, and emotional vulnerability in the development and maintenance of addictive behaviors. A multimodal treatment approach including psychoeducation, CBT, DBT skills, behavioral modification, and motivational enhancement was implemented for screen addiction and substance use disorder. Structured environmental control, craving management, and stabilization strategies were used to reduce compulsive behaviors and support abstinence. Family intervention, social rehabilitation, and relapse prevention strategies were integrated to ensure sustained recovery and long-term functional improvement. Keywords: Internet Gaming Disorder, Substance Use, Behavioral Addiction, Cannabis Use Disorder, CBT, Psychological Assessment
The U.S.–China Contention and the Global Order: Technological Competition, Geopolitical Influence, and Institutional Challenges
The U.S.–China rivalry has become a defining feature of contemporary global politics, extending beyond trade and military competition to the technological, institutional, and normative foundations of the international order. This article examines how competition over artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and semiconductor supply chains is reshaping global power asymmetries, digital sovereignty, and the legitimacy of major governance institutions. Grounded in realism and power transition theory, the study argues that technological rivalry has become a organizationral instrument of strategic competition between an established power seeking to preserve its leadership and a rising power seeking greater influence within the global system. Methodologically, the article employs qualitative document analysis of scholarly literature, policy documents, institutional reports, and trade-related materials. The findings show that U.S.–China contention is fragmenting digital governance, securitizing supply chains, weakening multilateral cooperation, and intensifying contestation within institutions such as the UN, WTO, and IMF. It further demonstrates that competing approaches to trade, human rights, and development finance are narrowing the policy space of smaller and developing states. The article concludes that managing this rivalry requires institutional reform, technological dialogue, and cooperative frameworks in non-zero-sum areas. Keywords: U.S.–China rivalry; technological competition; digital sovereignty; global governance; semiconductor supply chains
China’s Growing Global Influence: A Shift from Geopolitical Reach to World Order
In the 21st century, China’s global growing influence is evident in global politics, economy, and governance structures, marking a significant shift. After the Cold War, the unipolar world faces challenges from the new distribution of power, growing geopolitical rivalry, changes in multilateral institutions, and axiological debates. In this changing environment, China has not only enhanced economic vitality and strategic capabilities but also achieved global initiatives. The purpose of the study is to analyze how China extends its influence through political, economic, and geopolitical strategies and seeks to reshape international relations, values, and institutional structures. The research is based on two central questions: how China is extending its global influence through its political, economic, and geopolitical activities; and to what extent China influences international principles, values, and global governance, and how it reshapes them through Chinese cooperation and civilization-based initiatives. This study employs a thematic qualitative research approach and utilizes secondary sources. A mixed theoretical framework is utilized: Structural realism examines China's strategic influence, Liberalism examines China's economic mechanisms, and constructivism examines how China is shaping a shift in values and norms through its own civilization. Initial findings portray that China’s global governance policy is not limited to power maximization, but is based on economic connectivity, institutional cooperation, representation of the Global South, and new global discourses. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) are the basic pillars of China’s grand strategy. This research aims to understand China’s rise through power in the global order, through cooperation, and in shaping values.
Women's Rights in the Light of the Prophetic Seerah: A Comparative Analysis of Western Feminism and the Islamic Perspective
Women's rights remain one of the most debated subjects in contemporary academic, social, and political discourse. The modern concept of women's rights has been significantly influenced by Western feminist movements, which emerged in response to various forms of social, political, and economic discrimination experienced by women in Western societies. At the same time, Islamic teachings, particularly those embodied in the Prophetic Seerah, present a comprehensive framework of rights and responsibilities for women that predates modern feminist movements by more than fourteen centuries. This study aims to examine women's rights in the light of the Prophetic Seerah and to compare the Islamic perspective with the principles and objectives of Western feminism. Employing a qualitative, descriptive, and comparative research methodology, the study analyzes primary Islamic sources, including the Qur'an, Hadith, and Seerah literature, alongside contemporary scholarly works on feminist theory and gender studies. The findings indicate that while both Western feminism and Islam seek to enhance the status and dignity of women, they differ significantly in their philosophical foundations, understanding of equality, concept of freedom, and approach to family and social responsibilities. The Prophetic model emphasizes justice, human dignity, moral accountability, and the complementary nature of gender roles, whereas many contemporary feminist approaches prioritize individual autonomy and structural equality. The study concludes that the Prophetic Seerah offers a balanced and holistic framework for women's rights that integrates spiritual, social, economic, and legal dimensions while maintaining social harmony and family stability. The research contributes to ongoing discussions on gender justice by highlighting the relevance of the Prophetic model in addressing contemporary challenges related to women's rights.
Authoritarian Parenting, Emotional Invalidation, and Self-Doubt in Pakistani Collectivist Families: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study
Fear-based parenting practices, including emotional invalidation, guilt induction, and authoritarian control, are normalized within collectivist family structures across South Asia, yet the pathways linking such practices to self-doubt and emotional dysregulation in Pakistani young adults remain underexamined. This paper presents a explanatory sequential mixed-methods exemplar modeling how 250 young adults (aged 18–30) in Pakistan might be assessed using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The illustrative results depict authoritarian parenting as significantly correlated with emotional dysregulation (r = .52), trait anxiety (r = .47), and self-doubt (r = .49), all p < .001; a hypothetical regression model in which authoritarian parenting predicts self-doubt (β = .44, R² = .38); and a mediation model in which emotional invalidation substantially mediates this relationship (indirect β = .31). A corresponding hypothetical qualitative phase (n = 20 interviews) generates four themes: obedience through fear, emotional silence as survival strategy, guilt as emotional control, and internalized self-criticism. The integrated illustrative findings model how the cultural scaffolding of fear-based discipline in Pakistani households might be examined and reported, with implications for culturally sensitive clinical and educational practice discussed as a demonstration of genre rather than as evidence-based recommendations.
IMPACT OF CHILD MENTAL HEALTH ON QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN SINDH, PAKISTAN: GENDER-BASED EVIDENCE
This study examines how children’s mental health affects their educational quality in Sindh, Pakistan. Data comes from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2018-19. The sample comprises 8,497 children aged 7-14 years (4482 boys and 4015 girls). Foundational skills in mathematics and English measure educational quality. The study uses the Ordered Logit model to estimate outcomes for the overall sample and separately for boys and girls. Results show that mental health factors, including social anxiety disorder, anxiety, and depression, significantly reduce educational quality for the overall sample and for boys. In contrast, the mental health variable is insignificant in the girls’ model, suggesting a stronger coping mechanism. Control variables include early childhood education, primary education, middle education, involvement in household chores, residence area, and child labor. These findings underscore the need for gender-sensitive mental health interventions in schools, combined with expanded early learning programs and support for children managing household responsibilities. Furthermore, incorporating psychological support into education policy can improve both learning outcomes and child well-being, with particular attention to boys’ vulnerability to mental health challenges. Keywords: Child Mental Health; Quality of Education; Anxiety; Depression; Social Anxiety Disorder; Pakistan.
The Impact of Parenting Practices on Child Development: A Critical Assessment of Current Studies
Parenting styles strongly affect many aspects of child development, including emotional, cognitive, and social outcomes. This review examines current studies to investigate the relationship between parenting variables and their impact on children's development. It explains key data on the effects of authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and negligent parenting on children's self-esteem, academic performance, and emotional regulation. The review uses neurodevelopmental and longitudinal methods. This work highlights the importance of culture, social status, and gender in shaping these effects. Still, there are gaps in understanding the long-term results of different parenting, especially across cultures and in marginalized groups. Future research should use big data, longitudinal designs, and technology to close these gaps. This study gives practical insights for parents, educators, and policymakers. It stresses the need for policies that support child development in a changing socioeconomic environment.
The Role of Female Labour Supply in the Economic Assimilation of Migrant Women and Families in Pakistan: Evidence from Rural–Urban Migration
This study investigates the role of female labour supply in the economic assimilation of migrant women and families in Pakistan, with a specific focus on rural–urban migration dynamics. Using a comprehensive panel econometric framework, the analysis applies multiple estimation techniques, including Fixed Effects (FE), Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS), Dynamic OLS (DOLS), Panel ARDL–PMG, Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG), and Augmented Mean Group (AMG), to ensure robust and consistent long-run empirical results.The findings reveal that female labour supply plays a central and statistically significant role in enhancing economic assimilation. The results indicate that a 1% increase in female labour participation improves household economic assimilation by approximately 0.42–0.50 units in the long run, confirming that women’s economic engagement is a key structural determinant of migrant household integration in urban economies. Rural–urban migration is also found to positively contribute to household welfare by enabling income diversification and facilitating structural transformation from low-productivity rural livelihoods to more dynamic urban employment opportunities.Moreover, the study identifies institutional quality as a critical enabling and moderating factor. Stronger governance systems enhance the positive effects of female labour supply by reducing labour market barriers, discrimination, and inefficiencies, thereby promoting more inclusive economic outcomes. Panel cointegration results further confirm the existence of a stable long-run equilibrium relationship among female labour supply, migration, and economic assimilation, indicating persistent structural interdependence among these variables over time.Overall, the study extends the New Economics of Labour Migration by incorporating gendered labour dynamics into the assimilation process and contributes to gender and institutional economics by demonstrating that women’s labour participation and governance quality jointly drive inclusive economic integration. The findings highlight that sustainable economic assimilation in Pakistan requires integrated policy frameworks that promote female labour market participation, facilitate migrant integration, and strengthen institutional governance. Keywords: Female labour supply, economic assimilation, rural–urban migration, institutional quality, panel data, Pakistan, gender economics.
In contemporary discourse, human rights are often upheld as the central moral framework of modernity. This article critically examines that assumption, arguing that modern human rights derive from secular Enlightenment humanism rather than religious authority, thereby replacing traditional moral foundations. The study traces the development of these ideas from the Renaissance and Reformation through Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau and the French Revolution, through the Industrial Revolution, and culminating in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). It emphasizes key philosophical premises: anthropocentric humanism and rationalism, individual free will, and utilitarian (teleological) ethics, alongside a thorough secularization of morality and a critique of religion. Moral validity is measured by social utility and practical outcomes rather than any divine mandate. The Article also analyzes socio-political consequences: the elevation of individualism and materialism, the erosion of family and community structures, and the spread of Western cultural norms through globalization, neo-colonial influence, and “soft power.” It questions the presumed universality of modern human rights, highlighting their cultural biases and ethical limitations. In conclusion, the study calls for a more nuanced understanding of human rights—one that recognizes their historical context and balances universal ideals with local values. Keywords: Renaissance, Reformation, Modernity, Humanism, Free-will, Enlightment, Rationalism, Globalization.
Greenwashing vs. Genuine Sustainability: A Systematic Review of Digital Advertising and Consumer Perception
There is an ongoing debate on sustainability communication in the digital environment due to greenwashing and issues of legitimacy in environmental communications. In this regard, this paper aims to investigate the perception of audience of sustainability against greenwashing through social media platforms. It analyzes recent research related to sustainability communications from 2016 to 2025 and evaluates the effect of social media platforms, influencer marketing, visual communication, digital literacy, and social norms on sustainability communications. It highlights the significant role of influencer credibility, visual elements, engagement metrics, and algorithmic amplification in the audience perceptions, thereby making it hard to determine what is real sustainability communication and what is merely an environmental PR stunt. At the same time, there are substantial research gaps especially in terms of audience-based detection mechanisms in less developed nations. Keywords: Greenwashing, Sustainability Communication, Social Media, Influencer Marketing, Audience Perception.
A Case Study of Stimulant Withdrawal Disorder: A Biopsychosocial Assessment and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Approach
Stimulant Withdrawal Disorder is characterized by the development of clinically significant behavioral, cognitive, and physiological symptoms following the reduction or cessation of prolonged stimulant use. Individuals commonly experience depressed mood, fatigue, sleep disturbances, psychomotor changes, intense cravings, and emotional dysregulation, leading to substantial impairment in personal, occupational, and social functioning. The present case study describes a 30-year-old unmarried Pakistani male who presented with severe cravings for heroin and injectable antidepressant/antihistamine drugs, stealing behavior, low mood, self-dislike, restlessness, somatic withdrawal symptoms, and impaired psychosocial functioning. Comprehensive psychological assessment included a clinical interview, Mental Status Examination (MSE), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Daily Craving Chart, Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), Stages of Change Model, and projective assessment. Findings revealed significant substance dependence, maladaptive coping strategies, poor impulse control, family dysfunction, peer influence, and unresolved emotional conflicts contributing to the maintenance of addictive behaviors. The client fulfilled DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria for Stimulant Withdrawal Disorder. A multidisciplinary intervention consisting of psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, cognitive-behavioral techniques, relaxation training, functional analysis, assertiveness training, problem-solving therapy, and relapse prevention resulted in considerable reduction in cravings, improved emotional regulation, enhanced insight, and increased motivation for sustained recovery. Keywords: Stimulant Withdrawal Disorder, Substance Use Disorder, Drug Addiction, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Relapse Prevention, Case Study
Social And Class Oppression Of Women In Pakistan: A Marxist Feminist Interpretation Of Daniyal Mueenuddin's Selected Short Stories
This research paper attempts to analyze the short story collection In other rooms, other wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin from a Marxist-feminist perspective. The study adopts a qualitative research design using Fredrick Engels’ (2021) viewpoint as a theoretical lens. Marxist Feminism offers a potent framework for analyzing the stories; it emphasizes how capitalism exploits both the labor of women and the patriarchal norms that shape their roles in society. It focuses on how women suffer exploitation and oppression in a new emerging capitalist society of Pakistan. The female protagonists of the short stories suffer victimization at the hands of the capitalist mindset; their financial support for their family goes ignored and unappreciated in a patriarchal setup that appreciates only male chauvinism. In this context, Marxist feminism seems apt and helpful in understanding women's oppression in capitalist society. The lower or working-class women have endured suffering, not solely due to the oppression of feudal lords but also as a result of the hardships imposed by women from the upper class. This study is an in-depth analysis of all key characters in the light of theory of Marxist Feminism chiefly based on Engels’ views about gender discrimination in capitalist society. The study concludes that women in the capitalist societies suffer physically, mentally and financially. Furthermore, it highlights the problems faced by the female characters and implies that despite their conscious struggle to attain social and economic stability, the tragic end can be attributed to a complex interplay of structural inequalities, economic exploitation, and patriarchal norms that reflect societal realities.
A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of GTM and AI-Oriented CLT in Second Language Acquisition: A case study of the students of Kohsar University Murree
Grammar Translation Method is one of the oldest and most practiced pedagogical methodology in learning a foreign language whereas, Communicative Language Teaching is a more recent approach especially when it is embedded with Artificial Intelligence to make second language learners more proficient. This study examines the comparative effectiveness of the Grammar Translation Method (GTM) and AI-oriented Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in second language acquisition (SLA). While GTM emphasizes grammatical accuracy and translation, AI oriented CLT integrates technology to promote communicative competence. The study employs a mixed-method approach involving a rural university student from a variety of different departments to reveal that AI-oriented CLT significantly improves speaking, listening, and overall communicative competence, whereas GTM remains effective for grammar and reading skills. The study highlights the need for a blended approach integrating both methods. This study adopted the quasi-experimental pre-test /post-test control group design for exploring the effectiveness of GTM and AI-Oriented CLT in Second Language Acquisition. This study reveals results of a research based on AI and CLT conducted on rural area based second language learners.
Human-Centered Leadership and People Management in Education: A Critical Review of Bush and Middlewood’s Book Leading and Managing People in Education
This research paper critically review a book written by Tony Bush and David Middlewood,titled Leading and Managing people in Education. This book discusses educational leadership and people management by highlighting people as most valued resource in educational institutions (Bush and Middlewood, 2005). This research paper critically look at important themes in this book which involves people-centered leadership, organizational culture, staff motivation, collaboration, mentoring, performance evaluation and organizational learning. The strengths and limitations of the author’s argument in educational context is also evaluated in this paper. This book review used a qualitative critical analysis approach by thematically interpreting book’s concepts, arguments and practical implications. The results reveal that by incorporating theoretical aspects in practical leadership process this book has also very important contribution to education leadership literature. The authors effectively criticize performance-driven educational paradigms. They promote human-centered leadership strategies that put employee development, wellbeing and career advancement first. The book is further strengthen by emphasizing more on international and contextual leadership perspective. But this review also finds some limits. The book has less focused on technology driven leadership, digital communication, crisis management, mental health challenges and leadership issues in under developed educational settings. And many examples that were given from western education system does not represent developing countries. Generally this book has important contribution and is ground for educational leadership and management. It highlights human capabilities, culture of organization and supportable people management also continues to propose vision for educational leaders, researchers and practitioners in educational environment.
Perceived Paternal Rejection, Psychological Manipulation, And Mental Health Problems in Married Men
The present study aimed to find out the relationship of psychological manipulation as a mediator between perceived paternal rejection and mental health problems among married men. The sample was consisted of 153 married men aged between 25-40 years (M = 32.29, SD = 4.38). The study was formulated on cross sectional research design. The measures used in the study were My Memories of Up-Bringing - Adult Version (EMBU-A) (Gerlsma et al., 1991), Victim of Psychological Manipulation Scale (VPMS) (Khalid & Karamat, 2023), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) (Lovibond, 1995). Correlation and mediation analysis were done to explore the results. According to the results perceived parenting (father’s rejection), and psychological manipulation were positively correlated with mental health problems. Results also showed the mediating role of the psychological manipulation between perceived parenting (father’s rejection) and mental health problems. The findings of the study can play significant role in the mental health interventions targeted at married men, emphasizing the need for programs that focus on positive parenting, conflict resolution, and emotional well-being. Keywords: perceived parenting, psychological manipulation, mental health problems, married men.
The US-China Trade War and Its implication for Pakistan
This paper aims to study the impact of the US-China trade war on Pakistan by analyzing the bilateral trade data from 2012 to 2025. The findings indicate that despite the reduction in the US-China trade imbalance during the initial phase of the trade war, diversification of trade supply chains and trade rerouting enabled the trade flows to rebalance, thus avoiding a long-term rebalancing. However, Pakistan experienced benefits from trade diversion, in particular, increased exports to the US in the period 2018-2022, largely of textiles. Due to structural constraints like limited industrial capacity, lack of export diversification, and energy issues, Pakistan was not able to fully capitalize on new opportunities. At the same time, Pakistan's dependence on China for its trade grew and the volume of imports rose, including intermediate goods, machines and goods linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), continuing to contribute to the country's burgeoning trade deficit. The study recommends that Pakistan should undertake a balanced economic policy with both the US and China, increase its competitiveness, attract export-oriented foreign direct investment, and diversify its export portfolio.
Assessing the Impact of Women's Socio-Economic Empowerment on Household Food Security in District Faisalabad
Women's socio-economic empowerment is central to household food security, particularly in a region such as District Faisalabad, Pakistan. Empowered women are more likely to participate in household decision-making regarding nutrition and food allocation. This enhanced decision-making capacity ultimately improves the food security status of their families. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between Women's Socio-Economic Empowerment (WSEE) and Household Food Security (HFS) in District Faisalabad. Despite the indispensable role women play in food production and preparation, persistent gender inequality continues to undermine their contribution to household nutritional wellbeing. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 286 married women aged 18–50 years were selected from Chak 132 and Chak 92 (143 respondents from each) as study participants. The study examined the significant dimensions of WSEE across the four pillars of HFS: availability, access, utilization, and stability. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires with predefined empowerment indicators. The study argued that food security improves with greater levels of women's empowerment, with particular focus on dietary diversity and nutritional fulfillment. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The study found that 54.9% of women were classified as under-empowered and 68.2% of households were food insecure in District Faisalabad. WSEE was strongly associated with improved HFS through enhanced dietary diversity and more effective resource utilization. However, a high household size reduced the odds of food security by 25% per additional member (OR = 0.75), demonstrating that empowerment alone is insufficient. Accordingly, policymakers are urged to implement integrated interventions that simultaneously advance SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), coupling women's empowerment with social protection measures, family planning services, and livelihood support for high-dependency households to achieve sustained nutritional security.
Unveiling Subtle Characterization: A Corpus-Stylistic Study of Minor Figures in Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities
This study presents a detailed corpus-stylistic analysis of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities, with a focus on how ostensibly minor characters are linguistically foregrounded through stylistic choices. Drawing on Systemic Functional Linguistics as our guiding framework, we use corpus methods (via the CLiC platform) to compare the target text against reference corpora (other Dickens novels and 19th-century literature)[1]. Keywords and concordance analysis reveal that names like Jarvis Lorry, Miss Pross, and Dr. Manette occur as statistically salient despite their supporting roles[2]. We then conduct a qualitative interpretation of selected concordance lines to uncover how Dickens’s lexico-grammatical patterns (lexical bundles, metaphors, tone) characterize these figures. Our findings show that Dickens strategically uses diction and figurative language (e.g. biblical allusions, politeness strategies) to signal these characters’ thematic importance. For example, Lorry’s speech is often formal and reassuring, highlighting rationality and loyalty, while Madame Defarge’s language is terse and symbolic of revolutionary fervor. The study integrates insights from cognitive stylistics and narrative analysis to interpret these patterns. This combined quantitative–qualitative approach demonstrates that corpus stylistics can uncover novel interpretive insights: traits of marginal characters that traditional literary analysis might overlook. The results suggest that Dickens embeds hidden threads (e.g. faith, duty, sacrifice) in the style of minor figures, thus enriching the novel’s texture. By linking linguistic evidence to literary function, this paper advances stylistic methodology and expands our understanding of characterization in Dickensian prose.
No Law for the Drowning: Asylum and Refugee Rights for Climate-Affected Persons
Climate change is displacing people at a scale and speed that international law was never designed to handle. The 1951 Refugee Convention, built on the logic of political persecution, has no category for a family driven from their home by rising seas, a farmer whose land has turned to dust, or an entire community whose island will not exist in twenty years. These people are real. Their suffering is measurable. But in the eyes of international law, they are largely invisible. This paper examines who climate-affected persons are, why their daily lives are so difficult, how the current refugee and asylum framework fails them, what the United Nations has done to respond, and what genuine reform must look like. It argues that the absence of a binding, purpose-built legal instrument for climate displacement is not an oversight. It is a choice, and it is a choice that can and must be reversed.
BETWEEN THE CHENAB AND THE THAMES: REREADING PUNJABI FOLKLORE THROUGH SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY
Aim of the Study: This paper presents a comparative study of Ustad Allah Bux's paintings (1895–1978), a leading figure in Punjabi visual art, and William Shakespeare's tragedies. It argues that both artistic traditions engage in a deep deconstruction of themes like love, loyalty, and social sacrifice. Using Derridean deconstruction, Aristotelian concepts of hamartia and anagnorisis, and Roland Barthes' semiotics, the study analyzes three key Punjabi folktales: Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal, and Mirza Sahiban, as depicted by Allah Bux. Methodology: This paper conducted a qualitative inquiry on exploratory and descriptive research, utilizing intrinsic expressionism and secondary data, including interviews. Findings: These are then compared to their Shakespearean counterparts: Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and King Lear. The findings suggest that Allah Bux’s humanist realism and his use of landscape as a tragic character contribute a unique South Asian perspective to the global conversation on comparative tragedy. Conclusion: Through detailed visual analysis focused on composition, color, and symbolic objects, such as the unbaked clay pot (kacha ghora), the turbulent Chenab River, and poses of devotion, the paper shows that Allah Bux's paintings go beyond simple illustration to become philosophical reflections on universal tragedy. Furthermore, it argues that Punjabi folklore is not just a regional cultural artifact but a vibrant visual language of human resilience that aligns with universal archetypes found in Shakespeare's plays. Keywords: : Ustad Allah Bux, Punjabi folklore, Shakespearean tragedy, visual semiotics, deconstruction, Heer Ranjha, Sohni Mahiwal, Mirza Sahiban, comparative literature, hamartia
Assessment Techniques and the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Undergraduate Examinations at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
Examinations shape what students learn to value as much as any lecture does, yet whether undergraduate assessment in Pakistani universities actually cultivates higher-order thinking remains empirically under-examined. This study analysed the alignment of BS-level assessment techniques at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) with the cognitive levels of the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy (RBT), using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. A systematic document analysis coded 600 individual question items drawn from 60 examination papers across four departments; a structured survey captured the perceptions of 150 BS students and 30 faculty members; and semi-structured interviews with faculty explored the practical barriers to RBT-aligned assessment design. Document analysis showed that lower-order cognitive levels (Remembering and Understanding) accounted for 68% of all examination items, while higher-order levels (Analyzing, Evaluating, and Creating) accounted for only 15%, with departmental alignment to higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) ranging from a low of 12% in Chemistry to a moderate 28% in Computer Science. Only 20% of faculty reported being very familiar with RBT, and 66.7% reported only rarely or never intentionally aligning assessment items to specific cognitive levels. Faculty identified large class sizes (73%), a rigid, centrally controlled examination system (67%), lack of RBT-specific training (67%), and heavy teaching workloads (60%) as the principal barriers to higher-order assessment design. These findings indicate that the gap between assessment practice and cognitive taxonomy is not primarily a matter of individual instructor effort but a structural one, rooted in institutional workload, policy rigidity, and insufficient faculty development. Implications for assessment policy, faculty training, and institutional reform are discussed.
A Fragmented Self: Psychological Dissociation and Trauma in Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea through Pierre Janet’s Dissociation Theory
This study examines the psychological disintegration of Antoinette Cosway in Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea (1966), with the specific objective of identifying the interior psychological mechanism by which colonial dispossession, patriarchal violence, and unresolved childhood trauma converge to produce identity fragmentation, a dimension left comparatively unexplored by existing postcolonial and feminist scholarship. Data were collected exclusively from the primary literary text, Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea (André Deutsch, 1966 first edition). For close readings, four passages of the novel were chosen that reveal the process of dissociative rupture through the language and narrative structure of the text: Antoinette's description of her love for her mother, Annette; her reaction to the burning of the Coulibri Estate; her addressing Rochester with questions concerning her own self; and her repeated fire dream ending with Thornfield. The choice of the passages was guided by the formal markers of dissociative process in the text, such as Antoinette's fragmented perception, thoughts and memories, her confusion between different aspects of life, etc. The theoretical background is provided by Pierre Janet's Dissociation Theory that is represented by L'Automatisme Psychologique (1889) and developed by modern trauma theorists such as van der Kolk (2014), Brewin (2019), Spiegel et al. (2013), Lyssenko et al. (2018). The analysis demonstrates that the dissociation in Antoinette involves four steps in which the trauma becomes progressively worse: childhood traumas in terms of relationships and environment create the idées fixes; the liminal position in terms of culture of being a Creole woman means that the external confirmation of the identity does not take place; the naming by Rochester "Bertha" marks the end of dissociation between the past self and the new self; finally, the collapse at Thornfield marks the complete inability to synthesize and integrate the self, achieved through shifting to the third person by Rhys. In this regard, this study brings to the literature on Wide Sargasso Sea a psychologically sound framework of analysis. The use of the Janetian approach is not meant to replace postcolonial and feminist theories of criticism of the book; rather, the idea here is that colonial and patriarchal oppression become the exact triggers of the dissociative process. Keywords: Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea, Pierre Janet, dissociation, trauma, fragmented identity, postcolonial literature. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21160131
Language Hybridization and Shift: The Rise of Urjabish and the Decline of Punjabi in Urban Pakistan
This study investigates the sociolinguistic emergence and communicative functions of Urjabish—a novel analytical construct proposed to describe the systematic trilingual hybrid variety that blends Urdu's grammatical scaffolding, Punjabi's colloquial expressivity, and English's lexical prestige in urban Pakistani discourse. Positioned at the intersection of globalization, media ecology, and socioeconomic stratification, Urjabish has evolved into an emergent urban lingua franca that encodes modernity, educational capital, and cosmopolitan belonging among young speakers in metropolitan Lahore. Employing a triangulated research design that integrates a structured survey (N = 250), semi-structured interviews (n = 20), and systematic content analysis of 70 digital and broadcast media texts, this study examines the linguistic architecture, domain distribution, and attitudinal dimensions of Urjabish while assessing the concomitant marginalization of Punjabi across communicative domains. Grounded in Kachru's (1986) framework of language hybridization in postcolonial contexts, Fishman's (1991) Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (GIDS), and Bhabha's (1994) theory of postcolonial hybridity and the Third Space, the findings reveal that Urjabish functions simultaneously as an instrument of social mobility and a vector of intergenerational language shift that is accelerating Punjabi's withdrawal from urban communicative ecologies. Correlation analysis demonstrates significant inverse relationships between Urjabish frequency and Punjabi domain use (r = −.61, p < .01), while qualitative data illuminate the identity negotiations that render Punjabi culturally valorized yet socially disadvantageous. These findings contribute to debates on linguistic endangerment, postcolonial identity formation, and language policy in multilingual South Asian societies. Keywords: Urjabish; Language Hybridization; Punjabi Endangerment; Linguistic Identity; Urbanization. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21076096
The Absence that RRESENTS: Critical Analysis of Shakespearean Woman
This study examines, with critical insight, the gender portrayal in the plays of William Shakespeare. These plays were written under the Elizabethan patriarchal regime, in which women were legally, socially and culturally constrained; yet Shakespeare's female characters frequently possess a degree of genius, agency and emotional complexity. This study relies on the qualitative research approach that draws from the interpretive analysis of language, dialogue, and dramatic structure, particularly the construction, challenge, and/or subversion of gender roles. The research focuses on the means used by Shakespeare to achieve female empowerment through cross-dressing, wit, negotiation of social expectations and conscious enactment of femininity as well as the harshest penalties met out to women in male dominated societies. The researchers analysed the sample of six plays (including comedies and tragedies) and observed that the comedic characters use disguise as a means of asserting autonomy and influence; while the characters of the tragedies expose the perils of patriarchy. The findings indicate that Shakespearean woman is an offspring of patriarchal era where female victimization, though sometimes invisible, is pervasive in political hierarchies. The only source for salvation is combating with the male patriarchy by achieving their own stature, though in disguise. Hnece, Shakespeare’s attitude towards women is complicated but progressive by adjusting the patriarchal noms of Elizabethan era and proposing for adoption of an innovative technique/strategy for survival. This research highlights the continued importance of Shakespeare's works in modern debates on gender, providing a glimpse into how literature can capture, challenge, and influence the cultural norms. Keywords: Shakespeare, gender roles, Elizabethan era, comedies, tragedies
Narrating the ‘Other’: Unreliability, Stereotyping, and Islamophobia in John Updike’s Terrorist (2006)
The paper explores Updike’s novel Terrorist (2006) through the perspective of Phelan’s model of Unreliability (2005) to investigate the unreliability of the narrator. The article examines previous researches done on Terrorist (2006) from multiple perspectives and highlights the gaps. Moreover, it aims to investigate the unreliability of the narrator through three axes of communication, known as axis of facts and events, axis of perception and comprehension, and axis of ethics and values. With the help of these axes, the paper reveals the narrator’s misreporting, misinterpreting, and misevaluating with the intent to prove his unreliable account of the characters, scenarios, actions and events. Furthermore, the article is qualitative in nature and employs Catherine Belsey’s method of textual analysis (1980) to explore different types of unreliability embedded in the given text. The research article identifies inconsistencies in the narrator’s point of view and suggests that his narration is unreliable. It also finds the narration biased and racist, leading to Islamophobia and stereotyping of Muslims. For future recommendations, the present article encourages a semiotic analysis of Terrorist (2006) as well as a comparative perspective on social and cultural conditions of contemporary American society. With the help of such analysis, the underlying social and cultural perspectives in the novel can be examined, and their influence on the narrator can also be investigated. Keywords: Misreporting, misevaluating, misinterpreting, stereotypes, unreliability, literature
This study investigates the impact of parental upward and downward mobility on girls' secondary education and subsequent women’s empowerment in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K), utilizing an intergenerational lens. Through a qualitative, exploratory research design, the study explores how socio-economic shifts within families influence educational aspirations, career trajectories, and empowerment outcomes for girls. A purposive sample of 30 female students and 10 parents from two Governments Higher Secondary Schools (GHSS), one urban and one rural was selected. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with students and their parents, focusing on parental mobility, girls' educational outcomes, aspirations, and empowerment. Thematic analysis was employed to examine the data, identifying key themes related to mobility, geographical disparities in education, factors contributing to intergenerational mobility, and socio-economic status. The findings indicate that upward mobility significantly enhances girls' educational opportunities and empowerment, while downward mobility often limits access to quality education and socio-economic advancement. This research highlights the critical role of parental socio-economic status in shaping educational outcomes and the broader socio-cultural empowerment of women, emphasizing the need for targeted educational policies that address these disparities in Muzaffarabad, AJ&K. Keywords: Mobility, Empowerment, Intergenerational, Aspirations, Disparities, Socio-cultural, Upward Mobility, Downward Mobility.
Code-Switching as a Linguistic Resource in University Students’ Academic Interaction
This study suggests that code-switching is an important linguistic practice, especially in the academic interaction of university students. In multilingual contexts like Pakistan, students frequently switch between English, Urdu, and other languages during classroom discussions and other forms of academic communication. Instead of considering this practice as a weakness, the study suggests how code-switching helps students in communicating ideas more clearly, understanding concepts better, and participating more confidently in classroom activities. The research used a mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative and qualitative data. Information was collected from 20 multilingual university students through questionnaires, WhatsApp voice recordings, written responses, and classroom observations. The findings suggest that most participants regularly use code-switching during academic interaction. Many students reported that switching languages helps them in explaining difficult concepts, emphasizing important ideas, improving comprehension, and communicating with greater confidence. The study also suggested a strong link between code-switching and the cultural and linguistic identities of students. Participants thought that using more than one language allowed them to express themselves in a more natural and meaningful way. However, some students felt that excessive use of code-switching could occasionally reduce focus and atmosphere of academic interaction. Overall, the findings indicate that code-switching is not only source of common communicative habit but also as a useful learning strategy in multilingual classrooms. The results align with earlier sociolinguistic research which shows that language choice is affected by social context, communicative goals, and identity. The study helps in the understanding of multilingual education and argues that code-switching should be considered as a supportive educational practice rather than treated as a language deficiency.
A Linguistic Analysis of Translation Errors Made by ESL Engineering Students at the University of Larkano, Sindh
The current study examined the translation errors that occurred in the translation of the sentences by ESL engineering students of the University of Larkano. The primary aims of the study were to find out the most frequent errors in translation by students, to categorize these errors linguistically and to recommend a translation approach for developing students' translation competence. The research method in this study was qualitative research design and the Error Analysis Framework was used by Corder. Data was collected by a translation task where 15 Urdu sentences were given to students and asked them to translate them into English. Collected translations were thoroughly studied to determine the grammatical, lexical, syntactic and semantic errors. The findings indicated that students frequently made errors in verb forms, subject-verb agreement, word choice, sentence structure and word meaning. The findings also showed high degree of mother-tongue influence and Urdu-to-English word for word translation. The researcher found that training in grammar and vocabulary, practice in writing sentences, translation based on background reading, and teacher feedback can help ESL engineering students improve their translation accuracy. Keywords: Translation errors, ESL students, Engineering students, Error analysis, Urdu-English translation.
Explainable AI-Based Mental Health Risk Detection using Social Media Text with Hybrid NLP and Machine Learning Models
The proliferation of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, has created an urgent need for scalable, early-detection screening tools. Social media platforms provide a vast, continuous stream of user-generated content that serves as a "digital phenotype" reflecting the mental well-being of global populations. While deep learning models, particularly transformer-based architectures, have achieved state-of-the-art accuracy in psychiatric risk classification, their inherent complexity often results in a "black-box" nature that hinders clinical adoption and professional trust. This research develops a comprehensive, explainable artificial intelligence framework for the automated detection of mental health risks in social media text. By utilizing a hybrid architecture that integrates advanced Natural Language Processing with interpretable machine learning classifiers—specifically Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, and Logistic Regression—this study addresses the critical trade-off between predictive performance and transparency. The proposed methodology leverages transformer-based contextual embeddings alongside traditional statistical features to identify granular linguistic markers of psychological distress. To ensure clinical validity, post-hoc interpretability modules, specifically SHAP and LIME, are integrated to identify specific indicators such as self-focused language, hopelessness, and sleep disturbances. Experimental results on benchmark datasets demonstrate that the hybrid framework achieves accuracies up to 99% while providing the feature-level transparency required for ethical psychiatric screening. This study contributes a verifiable diagnostic pipeline that supports data-driven clinical decision-making and fosters the responsible application of AI in the domain of mental healthcare. Introduction The global mental health landscape is characterized by a widening gap between the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the availability of professional care. Conditions such as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety affect hundreds of millions of individuals, leading to a substantial decrease in quality of life and imposing a massive socio-economic burden on global communities. Traditional psychiatric diagnostic methods primarily rely on periodic, face-to-face clinical interviews and retrospective self-reporting questionnaires. While these methods are rigorous, they are susceptible to recall bias and often fail to capture the transient, episodic nature of psychological distress. Furthermore, factors such as social stigma and the shortage of mental health practitioners often delay diagnosis until conditions become acute. The emergence of social media as a primary channel for personal expression has created a unique opportunity for real-time, non-intrusive mental health monitoring. Individuals frequently utilize platforms like Reddit and Twitter to articulate their thoughts, disclose emotional struggles, and seek peer support. This user-generated content constitutes a rich repository of digital signals that reflect an individual's psychological state. By applying advanced computational techniques, specifically Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning, it is possible to analyze these digital footprints at scale. Automated screening tools can identify early warning signs of distress, facilitating proactive interventions that are critical for preventing severe psychiatric outcomes, such as self-harm or suicidal ideation. Despite the high predictive performance of modern AI, particularly deep learning models, their lack of transparency remains a primary obstacle to clinical integration. In healthcare, a risk assessment or diagnosis must be justifiable to both the practitioner and the patient. Black-box models that offer no explanation for their outputs fail to meet the ethical and accountability standards required in medical practice. Clinicians require "understandable" AI that can justify its predictions through specific behavioral or linguistic evidence aligned with established psychiatric criteria. This research paper proposes a hybrid framework that bridges the gap between high-performance predictive analytics and clinical interpretability. By combining the semantic richness of transformer-based NLP features with the inherent transparency of traditional machine learning classifiers, we develop a system that not only predicts risk but also highlights the linguistic evidence behind each prediction. This transparency is achieved through the integration of SHAP and LIME, which map model outputs to specific features like negative valence, self-focused language, and fatigue-related markers. The following sections detail the literature review, methodology, and experimental results of this interpretable mental health detection system.
Networked Transnationalism: Mapping Identity in the Digital Diaspora
This paper analyzes the transnational identity transformation in the current age of hyper connectivity, where people can interact with anyone across the borders and with the development of digital technologies across the globe. This study goes beyond the classical formulation that believed that physical mobility explains transnationalism, this study pushes back and argues that identity archetype was constructed in a mediated digital environment. Focusing on theoretical insights from Arjun Appadurai, Steven Vertovec, Manuel Castells, and Homi K. Bhabha, the paper envisions contemporary identities as mediation between continuity and fragmentation. While hyperconnectivity generates several selves that depend on context shaped by algorithm and platform logics, at the same time it maintains persistent cultural, linguistics and high emotional ties to one's homeland. By discourse analysis of the diasporic digital practices, the concept of fragmented continuity is being introduced to show the coherent identities despite their dispersed and mediated nature. The contribution of this paper to scholarship on the digital complex by illustrating how identity in the 21stcentury is not disintegrated but reshaped by networked connectivity. Keywords- Fragmentation, continuity, identity, performance, algorithm, mediation, nostalgia
THE INTERNAL CONFLICT OF CHARACTERS IN THE SHORT STORIES OF QURRATUL AIN HAIDER
Quratul Ain Haider is a great writer of Urdu fiction whose stories depict human psychology, civilizational crisis, identity issues and internal conflict in a very artistic manner. Her characters are not only victims of external circumstances, but also experience intense anxiety, restlessness and intellectual conflict within themselves. Internal conflict in Quratul Ain Haider's stories mostly arises as a result of cultural change, migration, loneliness, love, identity and the clash between past and present. She deeply felt the mental crisis that the changing social and cultural conditions faced by man after the partition of India and presented it through her characters.Her characters often appear to be suspended between two civilizations, two eras or two ideologies. On one side are Eastern values and traditions and on the other side is the modern Western way of thinking. This contradiction creates anxiety and intellectual chaos within her characters. Many of her characters seem to be suffering from the fear of losing their identity. The characters of women in the stories are also an important manifestation of internal conflict. His women appear to be entangled between love, freedom, social restrictions and personal desires. Despite being apparently strong and educated, they suffer from loneliness and insecurity from within. In “Aag Ka Darya” and other fictional works, the continuity of time, history and civilization has further deepened the psychological complexity of the characters. His characters are engaged in a continuous mental conflict between the memories of the past and the realities of the present. Quratul Ain Haider has presented the inner state of the characters very effectively through the use of stream of consciousness, symbolic style, internal dialogue and psychological analysis. This is why his stories are not just stories of events but become an in-depth study of the complex world of the human soul and mind. In short, the internal conflict of the characters in Quratul Ain Haider's stories is a symbol of the cultural, psychological and intellectual crisis of modern man, which he has made a part of Urdu literature in a very sensitive and artistic way. Key Words: Quratul Ain Haider, psychology, civilizational crisis, identity issues, internal conflict, “Aag Ka Darya”, cultural change, migration, loneliness, love, identity, the clash between past and present.
Archaeological Report Unpublished Findings from the 2003 UNESCO Project Excavations at the Upper Terrace of Shalamar Gardens, Lahore
Archaeological investigations were conducted at the upper terrace of Shalamar Gardens, Lahore, as part of the 2003 UNESCO conservation project, to determine whether the present charbagh layout dividing the terrace into four quadrants represents the garden’s original Mughal-period design, or whether a secondary subdivision into sixteen quadrants was introduced at a later stage. Three exploratory trenches (A, B, and C) were excavated at carefully selected bisecting points across the southwestern and southeastern lawns. The investigations exposed a well-organised network of narrow irrigation drains constructed in country brick set in kankar lime mortar, reflecting the original Mughal hydraulic engineering. Critically, no evidence of water channels, walkways, or structural features consistent with a sixteen-quadrant subdivision was encountered in any of the three trenches. These findings are consistent with earlier investigations conducted by the Department of Archaeology and Museums and confirm that the upper terrace of Shalamar Gardens was laid out in the charbagh pattern of four quadrants during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan, and was never formally subdivided into sixteen plots. Keywords: Shalamar Gardens; Lahore; Mughal garden architecture; charbagh; archaeological excavation; UNESCO; hydraulic system; irrigation drains; Shah Jahan