Research Journal of Human and Social Aspects
The Research Journal of Human and Social Aspects (RJHSA) is an open-access, double-blind, peer-reviewed international journal that includes empirical research, theoretical articles, case studies, systematic literature reviews, and meta-analyses. The journal is approved by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan for the year 2026-2027 from April 2026 to December 2027. The journal team is striving hard to get it indexed with the Directory of Open Access Journals and other relevant prestigious indexing agencies. By keeping in view the mission of the Publisher, the Centre for Children Literacy and Lifelong Learning, the RJHSA focuses on research topics i.e., Education and Lifelong Learning, Sociology and Social Policy, Psychological Sciences, Political Science and Governance, Human Rights and Social Justice, Cultural and Communication Studies, Gender and Identity, Economics, Business and Management Sciences, etc. For details, visit Aim & Scope Desk Review Time: 1 week (Average) Peer-review Process: 8 weeks (Average) Acceptance Rate: 58% Note: The Journal did not charge any submission or processing fees however, it charges a minimal publication fees to the authors. For detailed guidance, visit Author Guidelines and Publication Fees and Funding details
Centre for Children Literacy and Lifelong Learning
Investigating health information behavior of patients with chronic illness using social networking sites: A health belief model approach
This study aims to investigate the health information seeking and sharing behavior of patients with chronic illnesses and to assess the role of health belief model (HBM) and digital health literacy (DHL). A quantitative, cross-sectional study was undertaken comprising 450 respondents recruited from Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), Bahawalpur Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (BINO), and Shahida Islam Teaching Hospital (SITH), Pakistan. The data were collected using a questionnaire. The results revealed that the most commonly used SNSs for health information were YouTube and Facebook. In addition, the respondents presented a high level of perceived severity and perceived susceptibility, an increased perception of benefits, and a strong intention to seek and share health information via SNSs. Respondents scored moderately on perceived barriers and low on digital health literacy, which implies that they found it challenging to critically appraise online resources. The results have several implications for healthcare organizations, which can develop strategies to increase digital health literacy among patients. Besides, such institutions can benefit from using social media to communicate health information, ensuring that such posts are evidence-based. At the same time, medical libraries should be considered in developing such interventions to increase patients’ digital health literacy. Significance of such studies stems in its contribution in literature on digital health communication by providing insight examining the impact of DHL in seeking and sharing behavior of health information. The study also provides empirical evidence from Pakistan, where the potential impact of social networking sites on health information has been insufficiently explored.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hina Sardar, Dr. Muhammad Younus (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Impact of AI-enabled HR practices on innovative work behavior: Mediating role of workforce agility and moderating role of employee resilience
Technology, especially in its current combination of artificial intelligence and cyber tools, drones, cryptocurrencies, encrypted platforms and algorithmically-managed social media, has made repeated adaptations to terrorism, all of which have led to a terrorist practice that is vastly different in scale, speed and anonymity, disrupting traditional models of countering terrorism. This article explores the implications of technological advances for terrorist activities by examining the extent to which current governance regimes are flexible enough to address technology-enabled terrorism. A pragmatic mixed-methods design, which uses systematic document analysis, descriptive quantification of patterns of technology use, and qualitative comparative case analysis, analyses 14 documented incidents and campaigns of terror between 2016– 2025. The data sources used were United Nations documents, FATF publications, the Global Terrorism Database, Europol and INTERPOL reports, government security assessments, and peer-reviewed scholarship. While the use of AI is in its early stages, generative systems already influence how propaganda is made, how falsehoods, deceit, and translations are produced, and who the target is. Governance frameworks have been scaled up, including via the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the FATF virtual-asset standards, Europol and INTERPOL collaboration and coordination, as well as the regulation of online content and by means of initiatives for the governance of AI, but implementation has been partial and non-uniform across regions, and reactive. The article adds an integrated empirical-conceptual approach to understanding the technology of terror, treating it as a collection of individual tools.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rubab Zohrah, Muhammad Mateen Khurram (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Relationship between parenting styles and adolescent identity formation in District Sialkot
Parenting styles describe how parents bring up their child and interact with them. Diana Baumrind identified 3 parenting styles: Permissive, Authoritative, & Authoritarian parenting styles. Parenting styles are based on 2 mechanisms of parenting: “responsiveness & demandingness”. This study’s main objective was to determine the impact of several parenting styles on adolescents’ identity formation in District Sialkot. In this study, the correlational research design was used. 300 respondents (boys & girls) were selected from 14-19 years through convenience sampling from schools, colleges, and universities. Divya & Manikandan’s Perceived Parenting Style Scale and Adams, Bennion, & Huh's “Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status-II (EOM-EIS II)” were used. Descriptive Statistics, Pearson Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation and linear regression were used to check the relationship (strength and direction) among the variables. For data analysis, statistical software SPSS was used. The results showed that Authoritative, Authoritarian, and Permissive parenting have a positive and significant correlation with Identity Formation. Regression identified that the R value (.662a) shows the positive direction and strong magnitude of the relationship between 2 variables. The results revealed that authoritative parenting style is strongly associated with adolescents’ identity formation as compared to other parenting styles. The p-value is .000, which shows a statistically significant effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. Parenting Styles has a 43.8% effect on Identity Formation, which can be categorized as a high effect size.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zanib Munir, Prof. Dr. Yasir Nawaz Manj, Zeenia Ahmed, Laiba Naeem, Habiba Munir (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
I am an Avenger! speech act analysis of Revenge Utterances in Naruto
This study examines the linguistic performance of revenge in long-form serial anime from a pragmatic perspective using Naruto (Episodes 1-220) as a case study. It focuses on revenge utterances as rule-governed illocutionary acts whose force is built, sustained, and redefined through dialogue, rather than the psychological theme or story-line of revenge. The study uses a Diachronic Speech Act Matrix synthesizing the taxonomy of Searle (1979), Austin's (1962) perlocutionary framework with telepragmatics to trace the speech acts under conditions of deferred felicity across serial temporality. Analysis of purposively sampled utterance blocks shows that revenge discourse in Naruto is a hybrid pragmatic genre, which includes a core part (speaker commitment to future punitive action), an assertive part (epistemic authorization of grievance) and an expressive part (affective intensification). The study shows that classical felicity conditions are not immediately assessable in the narrative serialisation, but are postponed, scalar, and regulated by systematic discursive repair strategies such as modality strengthening, propositional hedging and retroactive immunization. Perlocutionary effects are demonstrated to be non-consumable and double-directed. The results enrich classical speech act theory by developing theories of narrative felicity and staggered perlocutionary trajectories, and provide a replicable analytical tool for studying mediated discourse with performative closure deferred. The study contributes to the field of media pragmatics by rethinking avenger identity as a performative construction that is continuously built and maintained in the process of iterations of speech acts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Syed Sajid Mustafa Hussain Naqvi, Raja Zahid Yaseen, Hina Khan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Navigating the postpartum transition: Demographic risk factors and screening for postpartum depression in resource-constrained environments
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health concern, with disproportionately high prevalence rates in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Pakistan. Despite its severe impact on maternal and infant well-being, PPD remains heavily underdiagnosed in resource-constrained rural areas. This descriptive, correlational and cross sectional study aimed to screen postpartum women for PPD in District Bhakkar, Pakistan, and to systematically evaluate associated socio-demographic and obstetric risk factors. A sample of N = 200 postpartum mothers was evaluated using a structured demographic sheet and the Urdu version of the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS). Descriptive statistics revealed an overall mean PPD score of 10.15 (SD = 3.47), with 64.5% of participants exhibiting mild risk, 14.5% moderate risk, and 21.0% minimal risk. Independent sample t- test demonstrated significantly higher PPD symptom scores among older mothers, those residing in joint family systems, housewives, rural residents, mothers with arranged marriages, and those who underwent normal vaginal deliveries compared to C-sections (p = <.001). The higher occurrence of subclinical and moderate PPD risks underscores the vital need of integrating routine, culturally sensitive mental health screening into standard maternal healthcare procedures in underserved districts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dawra, Dr. Moazama Aanwar, Dr. Muhammad Luqman Khan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Exploring the relationship between aggression, impulsivity, and emotional regulation among young adults
The present study focused on the correlation between emotion regulation, impulsivity and aggression in young adults and the ability of emotion regulation to predict impulsive and aggressive behaviours. Some previous studies indicated that deficits in emotional regulation and increased impulsivity could be related to aggressive behaviors, but studies in various groups and cultures have yielded mixed results. The type of research design used was quantitative, cross sectional and correlational. A standardised self-report questionnaire was administered to 200 young people, including the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Results showed that there was no significant correlation between emotion regulation and the impulsivity (r = .049, p > .05) and aggression scale scores (r = –.081, p > .05). Moreover, the prediction of impulsivity or aggression was not significant for emotion regulation. On the other hand, impulsivity positively correlated significantly with aggression (r = .187, p < .01), and was a significant predictor of aggressive behaviour. This indicates that impulsivity is more important to aggression among young adults than just emotion regulation. The study adds to the literature by raising the awareness of the role of impulsive tendencies in aggressive behaviours, and suggests that interventions that aim to determine aggressive behaviours should focus on strengthening self-control, Behavioral regulation and decision-making. Future studies should examine other psychological, social and environmental factors which might affect aggressiveness and impulsiveness in different groups of people.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nibah Naeem, Nayyab Kiran Nisar, Dr. Ulfat Nisa (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A Systematic Review of Artificial Intelligence in Education: An Analysis of Trends, Benefits, and Challenges in Pakistan
AI’s application in the country’s educational sector is nascent and largely uncoordinated due to inadequate infrastructure, inconsistent and ill-defined policies, low levels of digital literacy, and AI’s application in education and ethics. To achieve this, the author employed the PRISMA framework to identify, assess, and analyze a variety of publications, including peer-reviewed publications, conference papers, reports, and policy papers published between 2015 and 2026. The data and information collected, analyzed, and interpreted in this study indicate that AI has played a significant and positive role in improving a range of educational services and processes. The author of this study argues that AI has the ability to significantly improve the overall quality and increase the accessibility of educational services in Pakistan. In order to realize the positive impacts of AI, the author argues that a range of policies must be developed and implemented by the State to improve its educational services. In particular, the author advocates for integrated and coordinated digital educational infrastructure, educational flexible and innovative curriculum and pedagogical frameworks, and educator professional development and training. This research elaborates the ramifications for policy and draws potential avenues for future research regarding the sustainable incorporation of AI into the educational framework of Pakistan.
Copyright (c) 2026 Shahana Rasheed Qureshi, Nazia Munawar, Nosheen Bashir, Saba Shakeel (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Changing Dynamics of Cross-Border Militancy
This study examines the political, strategic, sociological and border-governance aspects that affect the changing security environment and explores the new dynamics of cross-border militancy post-US withdrawal from Afghanistan along the Pakistan-Afghanistan (P/A) border. It also reviews the weaknesses and strengths of Pakistan's border security systems including surveillance, fencing, intelligence-based operations, counterterrorism programs etc. This study will be conducted with a qualitative case-study methodology and a qualitative research design with interpretivist approach at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border-security that started in August 2021. Thematic interpretation and qualitative content analysis are used to examine secondary data. In general, the study applies two theories: The Borderland Security Theory and Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT) to explain the interconnection of security environments of Afghanistan and Pakistan along with special challenges faced by socially intertwined border regions. The findings indicate that this resurgence of cross-border violence is not solely and directly responsible for the departure of the U.S. Rather, it was a catalyst that reshaped the securitization structures within the region and created a space for extremist groups to exploit. The Taliban resurgence and the resilience of the TTPs, coupled with the formation and consolidation of militant networks, security lapses, and the lack of cooperation and coordination on security matters between Pakistan and Afghanistan have all contributed to the threat.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nimra Akhtar, Dr. Adeel Irfan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Assessing Customer-Based Brand Equity of Gilgit-Baltistan as an Emerging Mountainous Tourist Destination
In this study customer-based destination brand equity (CBBE) model is examined in the context of Gilgit-Baltistan, a mountain tourism destination having a unique natural landscapes, adventure tourism opportunities and cultural heritage. Causal effects of destination brand awareness, destination brand image, destination brand quality, and destination brand loyalty on overall destination brand equity are explored, based on the brand equity framework of Konicnic and Gartner and Aaker and using structural equation modelling (SEM). Tourists visiting Gilgit-Baltistan were contact to collect data. The results indicate that destination image and loyalty play a significant role in the formation of destination brand equity, while destination awareness and quality show a relatively weaker but significant influence. Destination loyalty emerges as a strong predictor of overall destination brand equity. Since this study is geographically limited to Gilgit-Baltistan, the results are not fully generalizable to other tourism contexts and further research in different destination settings is recommended. In real life the findings offer important understandings for destination managers and policymakers in Gilgit-Baltistan to strengthen destination image, enhance service quality, and enhance visitor loyalty to enhance destination brand equity
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Ibrahim Hussain, Mr. Dostdar Hussain (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Ethnicity, Territory and Federalism: The Wali Khan–Samad Khan Rift and the Politics of Balochistan, 1957–1970
In Pakistan, the One Unit scheme was opposed by the National Awami Party (NAP) that brought together a wide range of regional and progressive political forces united by their opposition to centralized rule in the country. Abdul Wali Khan and Abdus Samad Khan Achakzai were two of the most prominent Pashtun leaders who held a political partnership despite being active in different localities. However, their cooperation was put to a test upon the abolishment of One Unit in 1970 when Balochistan re-emerged as a province, but with the Pashtun-majority areas of Balochistan having not been resolved. The present article explores the reasons behind the split between Wali Khan and Samad Khan and also places it in the context of ethnicity, territoriality and federalism in Pakistan. It relies heavily on the author's personal recollections, newspapers from the time, archival sources, political biographies, and secondary sources, and contends that this division is not a personal rivalry or ideological divide. Instead, it was a result of the clash of visions of Pashtun territorial representation and the NAP's efforts to reconcile Pashtun political demands with its balancing act with Baloch nationalist leadership. The case illustrates how resistance to centralization might bring together regional nationalist movements, but fail to resolve competing demands for boundaries, ethnic quotas, and regional organization.
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Haq (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Alignment, Hedging, and Autonomy: South Asians’ Strategic Choice Without Choosing Sides
In the contemporary global geopolitics, South Asia occupies a position which is though pivotal but understudied. The region faces increasing pressures to reconfigure foreign policy alignments, as it confronts trans-regional instability emanating from the Middle East, Iran and Afghanistan, persistent Indo-Pak hostility, and growing U.S.–China strategic rivalry. This article studies the likely strategic alignments of South Asian states— Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Maldives—using an “integrated analytical framework”, combining national policy preferences and historical trajectory analysis. The study states that instead of merging into rigid alliance blocs, South Asian states are adopting hedging strategies shaped by domestic political constraints, economic vulnerabilities and asymmetric power relations. The findings suggest that South Asian alignment behavior is best understood through the concept of constrained strategic autonomy rather than classical balancing or bandwagoning.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Muhammad Karim (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Teacher motivation and classroom management practices in rural Public schools: A qualitative case study
This study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions about motivation and how their motivation affects classroom management practices, and which challenges affect their classroom management practices and motivation. A qualitative multiple case study research design was used for this study. 10 female primary public school teachers were selected as sample through purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Three main themes extracted from the data were: (1) Teachers’ motivation in rural primary schools, (2) Classroom management practices, and (3) Challenges and adaptation in classroom management. Findings show that there is a strong link between teachers’ motivation and classroom management. According to the participant’s belief in Allah, understanding of their moral responsibility, students’ achievements and their connection with religion are the factors that enhance their motivation. On the other hand, shortage of resources, overcrowded classrooms, no parental involvement and non-supportive institutional behaviours lower their motivation level. Effective classroom management strategies are lesson planning, student-centred and activity-based teaching, positive student-teacher relationships, collaborative learning and nonaggressive disciplinary approaches. The study concluded that motivated teachers can create a positive learning environment despite all the challenges. It recommends strengthening supportive school leadership, improving learning facilities and providing necessities, provide contextual base professional development training, ensuring parental involvement and starting community engagement programs to improve classroom management and teacher motivation to attain academic achievements in the rural public schools.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mehwish Pervaiz, Dur e Shahwar, Dr. Muhammad Jamil (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Leadership in hierarchy: The role of head teachers in shaping organizational power distance
The present study aimed at examining the effect of head teachers' leadership practices on the power distance in the organization of public secondary schools of Punjab, Pakistan. The high power distance and downward communication in public schools reflect a centralized bureaucratic structure. A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data with 1214 respondents (309 head teachers and 905 SSTs) from three districts (Rawalpindi, Sahiwal and Bahawalpur). The instruments used for data collection were standardized instruments, namely the Instructional Leadership Questionnaire (ILQ) and the Power Distance Scale (PDS). Descriptive data, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis. Results indicated that there was a moderate, statistically significant negative relationship (r = -.48, p < .01) between instructional leadership practices and organizational power distance. Regression analysis showed that leadership practices significantly predicted and contributed to 23% of the variance in organizational power distance (R2 = .23, p < .001). The independent samples ttest revealed no significant difference in teachers' perceptions with regard to gender (t = 1.42, p = .155), while one-way ANOVA results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference in teachers' perceptions in terms of geographical districts (F = 5.14, p = .006) and professional experience brackets (F = 6.28, p = .002). The results indicate that organizational power distance is neither a fixed cultural trait, but a dynamic construct that can be actively reduced by the use of collaborative, participative and context-sensitive leadership behaviors.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Amanullah, Hafiz Muhammad Arshad, Khalid Saleem (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Post 18th Constitutional Amendment Politics of Ethno-Nationalism And Provincialism in Pakistan
This paper mainly focuses on the rising politics of ethno-nationalism and provincialism in Pakistan even after the 18th Constitutional Amendment. The 18th Constitutional Amendment was incorporated into the Constitution of Pakistan-1973 in 2010. The main objective of the 18th Constitutional Amendment was to provide a constitutional response to the grievances of the comprising ethnic identities in the state. It restructured federalism with provincial autonomy that redefined center-provinces relations in Pakistan. The said amendment yet reinvigorated the politics of ethno-nationalism and provincialism in the state. This paper aims to investigate the question of provincial autonomy and ethno-nationalist politics in the post 18th Constitutional Amendment era. The difference between theory and practice with respect to the federal political system under the 18th Constitutional Amendment has given birth to sense of deprivation among ethnic identities of the country. Utilizing primary and secondary sources, the paper focuses on the persistence of socio-economic and political grievances of ethnic identities and provinces in the country. This research study while employing qualitative analytical approach examines the politics of ethno-nationalism and provincialism through the lenses of theory of federalism in the post 18th Constitutional federal set-up in Pakistan.
Copyright (c) 2026 Hamidul Haq, Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Naazer (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Generative AI and Augmented Business Analytics for Managerial Decision-Making: A Scopus-Based Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis, 2019-2026
The business landscape is changing with the introduction of generative AI and augmented analytics, which transform business intelligence from descriptive reporting to a more conversational experience, from automatic insight generation to the ability to explain decisions or use AI to guide managerial judgment. In this study, fragmentation is tackled by conducting a bibliometric and thematic analysis of 92 documents retrieved between 2019 and 2026 from the Scopus database. The analysis includes performance analysis, citation analysis, country and source mapping, keyword co-occurrence, bibliographic coupling and thematic mapping using Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny, and Excel. The results indicate a young field that is growing quickly with 77.2% of documents published in 2025-2026, and an annual growth rate of 63.32%. The corpus is dominated by conference papers, which reflects the early dissemination of knowledge, and the core conceptual vocabulary includes business intelligence, large language models, artificial intelligence, generative AI, natural language processing and augmented analytics. The thematic structure indicates that the field is characterized by a focus on decision making, language models and business intelligence, and the need for trust, explainability, effectiveness of validation, data governance and human-AI collaboration is not fully integrated. The study makes a significant contribution by shifting the focus from GenAI as a mere technical extension of BI to a new decision-intelligence capability. It also proposes a conceptual framework linking generative AI, augmented analytics, business analytics capability, managerial decision quality, governance mechanisms and business performance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Khurram Shahzad Khan, Dr. Maseehullah, Mr. Sajid Yaqoob, Ms. Hina Jamil (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The Great Decoupling: A Case Study of US Foreign Policy Toward China and the Paradox of Strategic Realignment (2020–2025)
This research studies the strategic realignment in the U.S. and China from 2020 to 2025, pointing on the contradiction of the Great Decoupling between two of the most powerful states in the world. Through worldwide trade links, source chains, and assets runs, the United States and China remain to be intensely linked despite their progressively acute monetary decoupling, technical competition, and armed hostility. Both states and the greater worldwide power system expect severe problems as a consequence of this paradox, which syndicates geopolitical competition with monetary interdependence. The research employs a qualitative case study methodology, applying primary and secondary sources to assess how both powers' policies and strategies have altered in response to struggles in them. Significant suppositions demonstrate that the trade clash in the United States and China, technological disengagement in fields like 5G and artificial intelligence (AI), and the growing armed rivalry of the Indo-Pacific region have backed to the growing strains. There are still diplomatic ways advancing predominantly in fields like climate variation and worldwide health. The research discovers the tactical inconsistency where the two states, as they are rival in their domains which are significant to their world power, must cooperate in subjects of mutual interest. The outcomes designate that the worldwide monetary is still improbable to become fully decoupled because of the interconnection in the two monitories, but the existing tactical competition in the U.S. and China is redefining the upcoming of global power, as well as the method of global trade.
Copyright (c) 2026 Khizra Naeem, Tallat Yasmin, Shehar Bano (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Pakistan's Foreign Policy Towards Iran and Saudi Arabia Strategic Balancing and Geopolitical Challenges, 2015-2025
Foreign policy of Pakistan with regard to Iran and Saudi Arabia has had to consider the complex geopolitical situation in which the foreign policy of Pakistan is highly linked with security, economic and financial issues, ideological and great-power pressures. This research analyzes how these geopolitical trends affect Pakistan's foreign policy approach and strategic equilibrium in relation to Iran and Saudi Arabia. On this score, as the findings are given in the report, the foreign policy of the country can be interpreted as strategic hedging rather than non-alignment. In Pakistan’s case, strategic hedging becomes clear when one notes that Islamabad has retained its economic and military relations with Saudi Arabia and maintains its border security with Iran. The research employs a qualitative, explanatory and analytical case study approach utilizing primary data sources and secondary data sources. The study concludes that Pakistan has managed to keep away any major diplomatic confrontation with either Saudi Arabia or Iran, although there is still the issue of its economic dependency, its vulnerability to sanctions, frontier insecurity, and changes in its regional alliances. This research paper recommends that future policy should ensure that Pakistan develops an explicit national interest paradigm, decrease dependence on unilateral bailouts, improve multilateral diplomacy, and carefully take advantage of Chinese diplomacy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Shehar Bano, Tallat Yasmin, Khizra Naeem (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Opium and Tea: Imperial Exchanges and the Strategic Positioning of British India Relations with China
The influence of Britain upon the Chinese and Indian economies is discussed through the analysis of the interaction between trade, diplomacy, and inner dynamics during this time period. The article focuses on the interaction between Britain, China and British India from the middle of nineteenth century to the middle of twentieth century. The main features of Sino-British relations were determined by the development of the British Empire, the problems in China and their influence on the neighbouring countries. The main role of Britain played the British East India Company, especially the activity of the company in trading, particularly in opium trade, which affected greatly the Chinese economy. The main historical events, which were used for research, were mentioned at the key points: The Opium Wars and the subsequent agreements, which favored the British interests in this region. Besides, the research deals with the role of British India in the trans-Himalayan trade, which connected India and China with Tibet, Nepal and other neighbours.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sumaira Noreen, Qurratulain Rehan, Mahnoor Khan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The Expansion of BRICS and its Implications for Western-led Economic System
The rise of BRICS has more ramifications for the western economic system that has been dominated by the World Bank and IMF since WW2. BRICS is growing and introducing new partners from various parts of the world and transforming the world towards multipolarity. BRICS is functioning as an alternative to the western economic system, and it is a challenge to the hegemony of the US Dollar. The more the members of the club increase, the more the power distribution is tilted in the global economy. Its effective role is, however, undermined by very significant political, economic, and structural difficulties both internally and externally. The World System theory explains the developing countries represented in BRICS, were afforded little say in international political and economic matters. The research is based on qualitative analysis by using secondary data. The BRICS expansion through its growing population and the economic output makes it stronger to challenge the western economic system. However, it has significant internal and external challenges like lack of central authority and different levels of economic development of its member states, that reduces its effectiveness. The research signifies the role of BRICS to contest the hegemonic power of western institutions, but it does not completely deny or change the western economic system, but it is reshaping the system to be more inclusive.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ms. Mubashra Bibi, Ms. Hadia Parveen, Dr. Tayba Anwar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Impact of Social Media on Voting Behavior in Pakistan: A Case Study of 2024 Elections
The fast pace of development of social media has altered the way political communication in Pakistan has been undertaken especially in the 2024 General Elections. This paper will examine the role of social media on voter behaviors of university students in the three aspects of political awareness, engagement, and voting. The mixed-methods approach will be used to collect data from 160 students using an online questionnaire with close- and open-ended questions by using SPSS. Additionally, qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 respondents. This paper will apply the Uses and Gratification theory, which describes how people use social media platforms for their own motives. Results will clarify that social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, WhatsApp, and YouTube has a major influence on the political awareness, political discourse, and voting behavior of students. Nevertheless, issues of misinformation, propaganda, and unbalanced access to digital devices each became apparent. The paper provides a two-fold benefit of social media as an instrument of political empowerment and a possible source of manipulation to inform policymakers, educators, and political actors on how to promote digital literacy and healthy online practices and reinforce democratic representation in Pakistan.
Copyright (c) 2026 Farwa Khalid, Dr. Adeel Irfan, Ifra Khalid (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Passenger and Operational Perceptions of Terminal Congestion, Waste Management, and Bird Strike Risk at a Capacity Constrained Hub Airport
This paper presents findings from a cross sectional survey of passengers (N = 93) and two semi structured interviews with the Deputy Airport Manager (Operations) at JIA, conducted in December 2024, to explore the perceptions of the three pressures at JIA. Descriptive responses show a general lack of satisfaction with airport congestion, a strong positive response to infrastructure modernity, a majority believe there is a connection between waste accumulation in the area and the risk of birds striking an aircraft, and a more mixed opinion of the airport's environmental performance and comfort of the waiting areas. Staff reporting confirms that all wildlife is being patrolled reactively and that waste is being separated from the rest of the garbage but that there is no systematic work done to modify habitats or to communicate to the public the risks and potential hazards. The 20-item survey instrument had good overall internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.88), however, the survey was convenience sampled with no sampling frame and 12 of the 17 responses were not completed, and the qualitative text is based on only two interviews. No claims are made. The paper is a documented, cited report of a data scarce case at a time of current capital investment, and a replicable protocol for a more rigorous study that this case still needs.
Copyright (c) 2026 Malaika Imran, Asim Iqbal, Syed Abdullah bin Shariq, Abdul Samad (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
School Leadership Factors and Green School Effectiveness in Model Schools of Islamabad: A Correlational Study
The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the school leadership factors and the impact of the green school in the model secondary schools in Islamabad. It specifically aims to identify the relationship between leadership competencies, financial resources, and teachers' collaboration, and their relationship to the effective implementation of green school practices. A quantitative correlational research design was used. The teachers and school heads from the Model Secondary Schools under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Islamabad, participated in the study. 200 respondents were randomly selected. Structured questionnaires were used as a data collection tool. Items were adapted from the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) developed by Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2004) for the measurement of skills related to leadership, and 45 items were adapted from recent research on green schools and sustainable educational practices. IBM SPSS Statistics Version 27 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used to answer the research objectives. The findings indicated a positive relationship between leadership skills, financial resources, and teacher cooperation and the effectiveness of the green school. Of these, leadership skills showed the highest relationship, teacher cooperation had a moderate positive relationship, and financial resources had a moderate positive relationship. The results indicate that good leadership, adequate funding, and good teamwork between teachers facilitate the successful implementation of environmental work in schools. The study offers valuable information for Model Schools leaders, teachers, and education policymakers to enhance environmental sustainability and green school practices.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Farah Gul, Dr. Asghar Abbas, Dr. Tanzeela Urooj (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Children's Interpretations of Digital Islamic Narratives and Parents' Perceptions of Their Religious and Educational Credibility: A Qualitative Audience Reception Study
The present study is a descriptive qualitative research that examines the meaning making process of children comprehended from the digital Islamic narratives as well as parents' judgment of the religious and educational value of the meaningful parents. The study was based on Audience Reception Theory which involves semi-structured interviews with six children and five parents, using purposive sampling. Data from interviews were analyzed thematically according to the thematic analysis method proposed by Braun and Clarke, with the assistance of NVivo software. The results reveal that children are not passive recipients of digital Islamic stories, but rather are actively involved and derive moral lessons from the storytelling, animation, and visual elements. The parents, in turn, feel these stories can be helpful for teaching Islamic values and for development of moral values and principles, provided they are accurate and in line with the Qur'an and Sunna. The findings of this study are valuable in outlining the significant role of digital media in the religious education of children, as well as explaining the importance of parental guidance and the presence of reliable Islamic media.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rukh-e-Zahra Bukhari, Sidra Bukhari, Ain ul Batool, Aiman Liaqat (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Benevolence, Belonging and the Global Citizen: A Hermeneutic Study of Teacher Education in Post-colonial Pakista
This study examines the experience of pre-service teachers in the Punjab region of Pakistan with regard to global citizenship education (GCE) in their pre-service teacher education programs. There are many examples of the one-way transportation of global citizenship curricula designed in the Global North to post-colonial settings that lack intentional consideration of the respective local processes of meaning-making. This research sought to answer the question of how belonging, benevolence, and pre-service teachers’ positioning themselves as global citizens make sense in a national education system affected by colonial legacy. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used, and 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted with pre-service teachers from three teacher education institutions in Punjab. The interviews were transcribed with AI-assisted transcription software and analysed in NVivo 15 with AI-supported coding in an iterative interpretive writing process based on van Manen’s approach. Four themes were generated: understanding teaching as a legacy of obligations, ambivalence about global belonging, benevolence as a disposition, and the classroom as a site of quiet resistance. The results show that there is no abstract ideal of global citizenship for pre-service teachers; rather, it involves a sense of tension between being rooted in the local and imported notions of global responsibility. This study contributes to the scholarship on post-colonial teacher education by showing how the element of benevolence that is typically taken for granted within teacher education can also become a “colonial legacy” as an unexamined element in shaping teacher identity in certain ways. The implications for teacher education policy and curriculum design in Pakistan and other post-colonial contexts are discussed.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Tahira Batool Bokhari, Dr. Naima Qureshi, Razia Boota, Dr Yaar Muhammad (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Productive Dispositions of Non-formal Basic Education School Teachers Regarding Teaching Mathematics in Punjab, Pakistan
Productive dispositions are an essential dimension of teacher competence because they influence instructional practices. Although mathematics teachers’ competence has traditionally been examined through knowledge & understanding and performance& skills, limited attention has been given to teachers' productive dispositions, particularly within non-formal education settings. This study investigates the productive dispositions demonstrated by non-formal basic education (NFBE) teachers regarding teaching mathematics in Punjab, Pakistan. A descriptive research design was employed using structured interviews with 30 NFBE teachers using the proportionate cluster sampling technique. The interview protocol was developed around five dimensions of professional disposition: enthusiasm, self-confidence, perseverance, reflective and contextualized mathematics teaching practice, and willingness to share. Data were analysed through deductive thematic analysis by organizing participants' responses into predefined themes and codes. Results of the structured interview show that non-formal teachers generally demonstrated productive dispositions that contribute to teaching of mathematics in the context of non-formal education, despite teaching in resource-constrained environments
Copyright (c) 2026 Hira Amir, Dr. Intzar Hussain Butt, Dr. Ghazal Khalid Siddiqui, Dr. Asma Khan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Artificial Intelligence Adoption and Organisational Performance: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Management Capability
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an important organisational capability that supports decision-making, service innovation, process redesign, and operational efficiency across industries. Despite increasing organisational investment in AI technologies, evidence on how AI translates into superior organisational performance remains inconclusive. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and the Knowledge-Based View (KBV), this study proposes that Knowledge Management Capability (KMC) explains how AI adoption contributes to organisational performance. It suggests that implementing AI has a positive effect on network performance, particularly by strengthening KMC, namely knowledge acquisition, sharing, storage, and use. The study develops and validates a mediation model to investigate the relationships among AI adoption, KMC, and organisational performance across operational, financial, and innovation dimensions. For managers and/or professionals in digitally transforming organisations, a positivist, deductive, and quantitative cross-sectional survey design is specified. AI adoption positively influences organisational performance; AI adoption positively influences KMC; KMC positively influences organisational performance, which AI-Performance partially mediates due to AI; and KMC does not have any causality. This study contributes to the literature by integrating RBV and KBV to explain the mechanism through which AI adoption improves organisational performance. It further demonstrates that knowledge management capability functions as a critical organisational capability linking AI-enabled resources with operational, financial, and innovation outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Afshan Bibi, Muhammad Atif Ur Rahman, Manoj Kumar Gupta (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Digital Identity, Youth Vulnerability and Online Extremism in Pakistan: A Qualitative Study
This study investigates the relationship between Digital identity, vulnerability of youth and online extremism in Pakistan where the psychological, social, economic and technological factors are discussed that make young people more vulnerable to extremist messages in digital space. The qualitative research design was used, secondary data collection from peer-reviewed literature, policy reports, government publications and international organization documents. Thematic analysis was used to determine the central themes of online radicalization and assess the counter-extremism measures currently in place. The results show that a combination of identity crisis, social exclusion, financial insecurities, political grievance, low social bond, and algorithm-based digital ecosystem amplify the vulnerability of Pakistani youth towards extremist ideologies. The analysis also suggests that online radicalization is not a purely technological phenomenon, but is the product of the interplay between the individual vulnerability(s) and the wider structural situation. The study highlights the need to adopt a multi-dimensional approach to digital literacy, critical thinking, inclusive education, community engagement, mental health care provision, youth empowerment and policy co-ordination for effective prevention. The research takes a different approach by focusing on Pakistan's specific demographic and digital context and provides actionable recommendations for policy, teaching, civil society and technology players to help prevent violent extremism. The results highlight the importance of working preventatively and in a research-informed way, to build youth resilience and foster safe, inclusive and democratic digital environments.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ata Muhammad, Aziz Nasir, Muhammad Umar Niaz, Kinza Tariq (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Examining the Impact of ChatGPT-Assisted Academic Writing on the Writing Performance and Critical Thinking Skills of Undergraduate Students in Pakistan
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged in higher education, and its potential for education and teaching, particularly in academic writing and critical thinking, remains a subject of controversy. This Quasi-experimental study, using a mixed-methods approach, investigated the efficacy of utilising ChatGPT for academic writing on students' academic writing performance and whether the guided use of ChatGPT had a positive impact on students' critical thinking. An experimental group received assignments involving brainstorming, outlining, reading suggestions, revising, and source checking using ChatGPT for 10 weeks, while the control group received the same writing tasks using conventional writing instruction. The hypothetical sample consisted of 120 undergraduates from three universities in Pakistan, with equal numbers of females and males, students from three academic years, and from different disciplines. Data were gathered using the writing outcome instrument, critical thinking assessment, semi-structured interviews with students, student reflections, and open-ended responses to the student surveys. Higher post-test achievement was observed in the experimental group across organisation, coherence, grammar, and argumentation. As students were asked to question and verify ChatGPT outputs and revise them rather than copy, gains in critical thinking were greatest in these areas of analysis and reflection. Qualitative themes identified were an increase in confidence, more coherent writing, learning facilitated by AI, reliance issues and the need for instructors' guidance. The study suggests that embedding ChatGPT within explicit AI literacy, academic integrity, and critical evaluation practices can support the development of writing in Pakistani universities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Tahira Jabeen, Dr. Samreen Mehmood, Dr. Mehwish Habib (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Climate-Induced Migration and Its Relationship with Radicalization, Conflict, and Regional Security Challenges: A Mixed-Methods Empirical Analysis
Climate change affects human mobility by increasing the frequency of floods, droughts, sea-level rise, and heat stress, and by desertification, disrupting livelihoods, but the security implications remain empirically contested. This article reviews how climate migration affects radicalisation, conflict, and regional security challenges, as well as the governance mechanisms that can minimise these risks. The study is a convergent mixed-methods design, and the secondary quantitative indicators include IDMC, UNHCR, IOM, ACLED, Global Terrorism Database, Global Terrorism Index, Fragile States Index, World Bank and IPCC assessments, while the qualitative case evidence is from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Somalia, Sudan and Syria. Thematic coding, cross-case comparison, and pattern matching for qualitative analysis, and descriptive statistics, correlations, exploratory multiple regression, mediation, and moderation models for quantitative analysis are employed. The results reveal that there is no straightforward relationship between climate-induced migration and violence. The connection with violence is positive but low, and there are indications of 'radicalisation risk' where there is overlap with both displacement and socioeconomic marginalisation, the presence of armed groups and problematic access to land, water, jobs and services. Socioeconomic marginalisation is a factor in the dynamics between migration and conflict. At the same time, governance deficiencies also increase the likelihood that regional security stress will exacerbate migration and governance issues, including service delivery, border tensions, land issues, and conflict resolution. The study presents an empirically integrated framework that connects the fields of environmental security, human security, migration theory, and relative deprivation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Fahad Khan, Taimoor Zeb Khan, Rabia Salim (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
Emerging Technologies and the Transformation of Terrorism: Challenges for International Security and Global Governance
Copyright (c) 2026 Rabia Salim, Meena Gul, Fahad Khan (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0