International Journal of Politics & Social Sciences Review (IJPSSR)

An Analysis of the Information-Seeking Behavior of Teachers in Special Education Institutes in Lahore: Needs, Practices and Challenges

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this article is to elucidate and analyze the information-seeking behavior of educators in special education institutions in Lahore. It aims to investigate the characteristics of information-seeking behavior and the obstacles that special education teachers encounter in accessing pertinent information. This research was conducted in four phases. In the initial phase, a comprehensive review of relevant literature was undertaken to comprehend the theoretical and methodological aspects of the study. The survey method was selected for data collection in the second phase. A questionnaire was adapted and administered to all respondents from public sector special education institutions (schools and colleges) in Lahore. The response rate was 44.6%. The questionnaire comprised 83 questions designed to identify specific facts relevant to the research. The total population size was 480, and the sample size was 214, as determined by the Morgan and Krejcie (1970) table for sample determination. A simple random sampling technique utilizing the lottery method was employed. 480 questionnaires were distributed, and the teachers were instructed to complete them manually, with 214 questionnaires submitted. In the third phase, the collected data were tabulated and analyzed to derive conclusions. In the final phase, conclusions were drawn, accompanied by recommendations. It was determined that special education teachers rely on specific sources and employ particular techniques for teaching, and their information needs differ from those of general education teachers.

Gilgit-Baltistan: Constitutional Status Swung Between Hope and Dream

Asif Abbas, Shoaib Malik, Mushahid Hussain — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A huge variety of discussions and arguments over Gilgit–Baltistan‘s constitutional status have existed for a long time in political quarters but still no fruitful result has come out. The rest of the provinces, Gilgit Baltistan is not properly incorporated into Pakistan, even all of its major function is governed and administered by Islamabad. This makes the situation unclear and releases a gap in the power of constitutional status which remained an outstanding issue from day one to the present now. During the partition of the sub-continent of India in 1947, Gilgit Baltistan was part of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Maharaja of Kashmir made an instrument of accession with the state of India in October 1947 which is a false instrument of accession by Pakistan and having no proof of such accession being made. This decision caused a series of tensions between India and Pakistan by having a situation of dialogue. On this decision, both the two world majors narrated the entire part of Jammu and Kashmir to their part. The situation further got aggravated and triggered when the local people of Gilgit Baltistan decided to rebel against the Maharaja, forces and took control of the area and made it part of Pakistan. The people of Gilgit raised the flag of Pakistan and made an interim government under the supervision of Shah Raess Khan. On 16 November 1947, Sardar Alam arrived as a Pakistan political agent for Giglit. On 6 April 1948, the Giglit agency was made part of the northwest frontier province KPK, to oversee the affairs of the Giglit agency and include the states within it. Baltistan was also part of the Giglit agency and was under the control of political agents named as residents at that time.

Central Rimland: Chessboard for China-US Cold War

Abdul Muhaymin Farooq, Dr. Anwar Ali, Dr. Bilal Bin Liaqat, Dr. Ghulam Mustafa — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The aims of this research is to explain the US's interest to preserve its hegemony, as well to which length it may lead to achieve interest through strategic maneuvering in the Central Rimland region The Central Rimland region has emerged as flashpoint for the strategic and political maneuvering with the emergence of china as economic power in the East. This article discloses the dynamics of the Rimland introduced and used by the Halford Mackinder in his geopolitical theories highlighting the significance of the heartland and the Rimland encompass the Eastern Europe, Middle East and Central Asia. US containment policies towards Rimland to counter China’s rise illuminate the reminiscence and the complexities of the new Cold War. This article probes the developments and the implications of this maneuvering guided by US-China rivalry. It raises the question regarding reliable credibility of India and the intensity of instability in result of the US strategic maneuvering and United States’ Anti-China China Neighboring Allies. Further, this article aims to foster severe concerns regarding South Asian Third World or developing states about United States obnoxious conspiratorial face in order to meet its interests. This article begot through secondary data collection, drawing from a range of scholarly articles, books, policy documents, and reputable news sources as well editorials.

Adoption of AI for Talent Acquisition in the IT industry of Pakistan

Sh. M. Fakhre Alam Siddiqui, Hammad Zafar, Rimsha Siddiqui — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The adaptation and use of artificial intelligence has exponentially increased overtime and that is not limited to any single industry. Companies have incorporated AI to streamline and enhance their Talent Acquisition processes. The objective of the research was to examine the effect of perceived value on adoption of AI in talent Acquisition and to identify the function of moderating variable of HR Readiness in relation with intention to adopt AI. A structured 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was circulated amongst employees of IT department and the HR department in IT companies of Pakistan. A total of 70 responses were collected. The research paper used the Value-Based Adoption Model (VAM) as it concentrates on the intention of recent technology and how it talks about the concern of prospective adapters. To develop and evaluate the data, Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used on the SMART PLS software. In this research, purposive sampling technique was used as the study revolved around gathering data from the selected individuals based on the predetermined criteria. The findings of the study showed that perceived value has a significant positive relationship with Adoption of AI, and HR Readiness as a moderating variable also has a positive significant relation with Adoption of AI. It is determined that AI technology has the potential to completely change the systems and not just in the IT industry but in several others as well. Companies must make sure that they monitor the AI tools being used in the TA process to ensure unbiased decisions in the recruitment process.

US-China Trade War: Economic Implications on South Asia

Marwa Riaz, Ahmad Raza, Zaheer Ahmed, Dr. Imran Wakil — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The bilateral US-China trade conflict has profoundly altered the Trade features of the entire global economy and bring prospects and risks for the South Asian region. This article aims to examine the complex effects of the trade war on the concerned area: The first section provides a background of the trade war; when it started and the main conditions of the war, which are tariffs, trade deficit, restrict ions on technology, and countermeasures. It situates the South Asia’s economic relationship mapping of countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and others discussing their trading partners with US and China and presence as a supply chain node. Trade effects are discussed, emphasizing trade diversion, which promoted exports in textiles and electronics; other effects relate to potential growth of the FDI as a result of where companies turned away from China. However, problems such as supply chain disruptions, and reliance on Chinese imports were witnessed as some of the main bottlenecks. These are geopolitical shifts, assertiveness/engagement of South Asia in the Indian Ocean strategy/Indo-Pacific strategy and increments in regional commerce through SAFTA apart from issues affecting the region such as inflation, volatility of currencies, and competition between SAFTA members. It gives more specifics by the country such as technology and pharma industries in India, textiles in Bangladesh, and economic issues of Pakistan in terms of CPEC. It reinforces the need for regional integration all through SAARC and BIMSTEC, the policies to be formulated for infrastructure growth, and with world bodies like WTO. With strategic recommendations at its end, it focuses on removing structural constraints and realizing opportunities that would help South Asia become a competitive region in global trading system in the post-trade war scenario.

A Corpus Analysis of SSC English Textbook Phrases of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: A Lexicographical Study

Zarhat Ali, Umme Habiba, Usama Subhan — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The planned study aims to do a corpus analysis of words from the secondary School certificates (SSC) English textbooks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a Lexicographic approach. This study aims to provide insight into prevalent wording and usage patterns by evaluating the linguistic setting of these textbooks. The study will look into how phrase usage varies in a variety of textbook scenarios and subjects using a corpus-based methodology. Through a thorough analysis of the phrases covered in the SSC British educational program, this work aims to further lexicographic research. The study will make use of qualitative methods, such as term collection and evaluation from the corpus using specialized programs. The results have detected in light on the linguistic characteristics of the textbooks, which is beneficial to lexicographers, instructional designers, and instructors.

Communicative Dignity in Diplomatic Communication: A Peace Linguistics Corpus Analysis of Western and Eastern Press Releases on the Taliban Regime, 2021

Kaukab Saba, Dr. Wasima Shehzad, Dr. Naveed Khattak — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Communication is the foundation upon which diplomatic ties are established, developed, bolstered, weakened, or terminated (Pukallaus, 2021). The purpose of this study is to study and compare the communicative dignity in the diplomatic communication by Western and Eastern diplomats used for Taliban regime, 2021 under the lens of Peace Linguistics. The linguistic strategies presented by Gomes de Matos (2008) were explored in the corpus of press releases from The United States of America, The United Kingdom, Pakistan and China; the results showed that the language used by diplomats followed peace linguistics strategies. However, comparatively the Eastern corpus exhibited higher frequencies of positive lexical choices compared to the Western press releases. The communicative dignity in the Eastern corpus was also greater compared to the Western corpus, likely due to the Eastern countries being neighboring nations and more concerned about Afghanistan's stability. The previous studies in the field of Peace Linguistics have often borrowed frameworks from other disciplines for analysis however, the current study is exploratory in nature and introduces a peace linguistics analytical framework. The study is significant in highlighting the positive role of communicative dignity in diplomatic communication, ultimately contributing to harmonious diplomatic relationships and making this world a better place to live in.

Investor Sentiments and Bitcoin Volatility: Empirical Evidence from Cryptocurrency Market

Mubashir Zaman, Dr. Surayya Jamal, Humma Abid, Farhan Ahmad — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The present study goals to examine the impact of investors’ sentiment, such as overconfidence, optimism, pessimism, and reasonable investor expectations, on Bitcoin currency. Therefore, daily Bitcoin trading data was taken from CoinMarketCap. The data period consists of January 2023 to December 2024. The unit root stationary, GARCH (1,1) model and ordinary least square (OLS) regression test were used. The unit root stationary (ADF) test results reveal that all variables are stationary at level. The GARCH (1,1) model suggests that the lagged trading volume has a considerable positive influence on the current Bitcoin trade volume. Further GARCH (1,1) results demonstrate that optimism has a positive significant impact on and pessimism has a negative significant influence on Bitcoin exchange volume. Whereas ordinary least square regression (OLS) models also show that optimism has a positive significant impact and pessimism has a negative impact on Bitcoin trade volume. The study has various suggestions for stakeholders, investors, policymakers, and researchers.

Green Human Resources Management and its Effects on Economic Sustainability: Evidence from Turkish Banking Industry

Sarfraz Ali Malak, Tayyaba Gul, Muhammad Saeed, Abdul Wajid — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The importance of a sustainable economy and environmentally friendly practices emerged few years ago. This investigation focuses on the Turkish banking sector, examining the impact of green human resource management (GHRM) on long-term economic sustainability (ES). Four independent variables, green recruitment and selection, green training, green pay & green involvement, and one dependent variable ES are proposed for this study. 50 sample size studied in Turkish banks. It suggests that all scales have good reliability via Cronbach Alpha (0.823-0.876), composite reliability, and item loadings. Four hypotheses were proposed for this study. Regression analysis suggested that green recruitment and selection, green training and green pay have positive effect on ES (P<0.05). At the same time, green involvement has no positive effect (β=-0.139) and no significant effect on ES (P>0.05) in Turkish banks. This research provides complete GHRM practices that will help to increase the sustainability of economic performance and help Human resource managers in large corporations.

Teaching Strategies of Secondary School Teachers according to their Thinking Style Profiles in District Sialkot

Dr. Abdul Qayyum, Dr. Sidra Rizwan — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The study aimed to analyze the preferred teaching strategies used by the secondary school teachers having different thinking style profiles. The study was conducted in District Sialkot of Pakistan. Altogether 4895 secondary school teachers of district Sialkot constituted the population of the study.550 teachers of both genders were conveniently taken as the sample of the study. Self-develop observation record was used to collect data from 18 teachers for the teaching strategies: Brain Storming, Asking questions, Attaining Concept, Will to Work, Making things familiar and vice versa, Group discussion, Text reading, Direct Lecturing, Learning by Inquiring, Assessment Procedure, Learning through Activities, Teaching by using Models, Homework, using Real Objects, Rewarding were used by the teachers in the classroom at secondary level, conveniently taken from all the four Tehsils of District Sialkot. Frequency distribution was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the Attaining Concept, Brain Storming, Group Discussion, Learning by Inquiring, Use of Real Objects, Learning through Activities and Rewarding, were teaching strategies preferred by the teachers having creative inclination, Direct Lecturing, homework, Assessment Procedure, and Text Reading were teaching strategies preferred by the teachers having less creative inclination and degree of freedom.

Pakhtun Culture and Policing: An Understanding of Pakhtunwali and Stereotypic Image of Police and their Far-reaching Consequences in District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Ibrahim, Mohammad Hussain, Shahid Khan, Khurshaid, Israr Ahmad, Rizwan Ul Haq — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Police service delivery is a cumbersome task which is often influenced by centuries old customs and traditions of Pakhtun culture. This study addresses the Pakhtun culture and stereotypical construct regarding police and their long lasting consequences in district Swat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. In this study, public perception, local understanding and folk wisdom about the desperate nature of police services have been explored. This study is qualitative in nature where data have been collected from community members belonging to different professions with the help of purposive sampling. The collected data have been analyzed with the help of narrative analysis. The study reflects the negative image of police among the local inhabitants of the Swat. Similarly, the cultural practices also intervene in their services. Police in the region are working under the influence of police rules and local culture, where, police feels themselves in the quagmire of century’s old customs and traditions. In most of the cases police services are getting influenced by local culture and folk wisdom respectively. It is, therefore, recommended in this study to arrange different sessions and to promote the ethos of community policing in the region. Along with, different programs and schemes shall be lunched in respective community to develop positive image of police in order to ensure effective policing.

Comparative Study of Classroom Management Practices at Public and Private Universities

Hafsa Shujat, Farah Abdul Qadir, Samreen Zehra — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The purpose of this study was to focus on the comparison of classroom management practices at public and private universities in Islamabad. The literature has been documented that teachers who properly organize and manage the classroom would support students' learning. The variables of classroom management practices include lesson planning, teaching methodology, communication practices, physical resources, managing student behavior, and time management. In this study, the researcher considered three variables; communication practices, physical resources, and behavior management practices. The objectives of this study were to a) compare the communication practices of teachers in public and private universities, b) compare the physical resources managed by the teachers in public and private universities, c) compare the behavior management practices of teachers in public and private universities, and d) investigate the difference among classroom management practices in public and private universities. The research design of the study was descriptive in nature. The population of the study includes 222 BS students and 19 teachers in the Faculty of Social Sciences in public and private universities of Islamabad. Universal sampling technique has been used to select the samples. A self-developed questionnaire on a five-point Likert scale and observation checklist has been used to analyze the perception of students on teachers' communication practices, physical resources, and behavior management practices. The data has been collected through personal visits and observation at the universities. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics such as Mean, frequency and percentage to compare the classroom management practices at public and private universities in Islamabad. This study found that there were similarities and difference between classroom management practices at public and private universities in Islamabad.

Digital Transformation in Traditional Retail: A Case Study of Urbane Artisan, Pakistan

Askar Hassan — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the digital transformation journey of Urbane Artisan, a traditional retail store in Lahore, Pakistan, renowned for its hand-stitched leather shoes and other handcrafted items. Facing challenges such as declining foot traffic and increasing competition from online marketplaces, Urbane Artisan embarked on a comprehensive digital transformation in January 2024. The transformation included launching an online storefront, adopting targeted social media marketing strategies, and integrating secure digital payment systems. Over the course of the year, these initiatives led to a 35% increase in overall sales, a 240% rise in website visits, and a 150% boost in social media followers. Furthermore, customer satisfaction improved dramatically—from 68% to 85%—with about 40% of online orders coming from new customers who had never visited the physical store. Data for this study were collected from business records, digital analytics, customer surveys, and semi-structured interviews with management, staff, and long-term patrons. The analysis demonstrates that digital tools can significantly expand a traditional retailer’s market reach and enhance customer engagement while preserving its heritage. The study concludes with practical recommendations for small traditional retailers in Pakistan and similar emerging markets, emphasizing a balanced approach that merges modern digital practices with a brand’s established identity. These insights offer a practical roadmap for retailers seeking to thrive in today’s dynamic digital landscape.

Ecological Discourse Analysis (2012) of the Notion of War in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

Dr. Aneela Gill, Nasim Gul, Muhammad Ishtiaq — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The present research study explores A Farewell to Arms (1929) by Ernest Hemingway employing the framework of Borsdorf’s (2012) framework of Ecological Discourse Analysis (EDA). The study focuses to investigate how human and environmental ecologies interact during wartime, i.e. in the context of war. Through its exploration of the novel’s portrayal of the emotional and physical impact of conflict on characters and the corresponding degradation of natural landscapes, the study demonstrates the long-term ecological consequences of war on both people and environments. The narrative of A Farewell to Arms (1929) connects suffering sustained by both humans and ecosystems into one symbol that represents the enduring damage inflicted upon people and nature. Drawing from ecocritical theories, the paper shows how war disrupts and upsets the human lives and existence alongside damaging the natural environment and world, by revealing the extreme traumatic realities and the irreversible damage inflicted upon both. Using Ecological Discourse Analysis (2012) framework, the author studies how the novel, A Farewell to Arms (1929) communicates powerful insights about war-related suffering in humans alongside environmental devastation calling for a more holistic understanding of conflict that encompasses both human and ecological suffering. These findings enhance environmental humanities by demonstrating why literary analysis should investigate ecological trauma while illuminating the environmental effects of human aggression and possible pathways to ecological recovery.

Effectiveness of Digital Technology in Educational Institutions: Review for a Sustainable Model

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Digital technology has become a powerful tool in many areas like medicine, business, finance, communication, engineering, entertainment, and education. Today, schools and universities use digital tools extensively for teaching, testing, giving feedback, administration, supervision, and research. However, experts are increasingly worried about relying too much on digital technology in education. They question whether it will completely replace traditional teaching methods, be abandoned due to issues like lack of technical skills, energy shortages, financial limitations, cybersecurity threats, or damage to infrastructure from wars or natural disasters, or if combining digital and traditional methods is the best solution. Studies show mixed opinions: some support digital technology, others prefer traditional methods, and some suggest a blend of both. This study examines the heavy use of digital technology in schools, explores potential risks of depending solely on it, and proposes a sustainable model that combines digital and traditional tools for balanced, lifelong learning. The research is descriptive, using surveys of teaching faculty from selected educational institutions. Focus group discussions were also held with digital technology experts, educators, and leaders of prominent educational institutions. The collected data were analyzed statistically. The findings indicate that while digital technology offers many benefits, relying entirely on it carries risks to its sustainability. Therefore, it is recommended to develop a model that integrates both modern digital technology and traditional educational resources. A blended approach is suggested as the most suitable / sustainable for both developed and developing countries, especially for underprivileged communities. Future research should explore additional areas related to this issue.

Legal and Islamic Approach Towards Prisoners' Conjugal Rights in Pakistan

Saniya Mehfooz, Sadia Arshad, Asif Azam Jathol — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The aim of the research is to examine the Islamic and legal approach towards prisoners’ conjugal rights in the Pakistani Jails. Though imprisoned individuals are deprived of their liberty but remain entitled to well-defined human rights recognized internationally, regionally and within national legal statutes. The study also explores the basic principles of Shari'ah law, as well as constitutional, statutory, and judicial perspectives on prisoners' conjugal rights and attempts to answer that either Islam recognized the conjugal rights or not? The objective of the research is achieved through qualitative means of research by analysing constitutional provisions, jail rules, international standards, various articles and human right reports etc. Study draws the conclusion that acknowledging conjugal rights of prisoners is essential not only to protect of their basic human rights and the enhancement of rehabilitation efforts but conjugal visits within prisons helps preserve family ties, reduce homosexuality, and protect prisoners from sexually transmitted diseases.

FATA Merger into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Advancing Gender Equality and Socio-Economic Parity

Haider Abbas — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in 2018 represents a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s efforts to integrate one of its most historically marginalized regions into the national socio-political and economic framework. This transition holds significant implications for gender mainstreaming and socio-economic equality, particularly as FATA had long been governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), which perpetuated legal, social, and economic exclusions, especially for women. The merger offers the promise of extending KP's legal protections, such as laws on gender equality, alongside access to education, healthcare, and political participation for women. However, persistent security challenges, particularly from militant groups like the TTP, complicate the implementation of these reforms. The TTP’s resistance to integration has not only undermined governance structures but also exacerbated the vulnerability of women to violence and socio-economic marginalization. This paper adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a review of existing literature, analysis of policy documents, and interviews with local stakeholders to assess the impact of the merger on gender equality and socio-economic development. The literature suggests that while the merger provides a framework for addressing disparities, the entrenched cultural norms, ongoing insecurity, and slow implementation of legal and infrastructural reforms present significant barriers. This study highlights the need for targeted policies, robust governance, and a focus on women's empowerment to fully realize the transformative potential of the merger for FATA’s women and its overall socio-economic development.

Impact of Perceived Parenting Styles on Adolescent’s Self Esteem and Social Skills

Hina Jabbar, Qurat Ul Ain, Rimsha Irshad — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Parenting has significant impact in fostering self-esteem and social skills among children. The purpose of this study is to observes the impact of perceived parenting styles on adolescents’ self-esteem and social skills among a sample of 500 adolescents (250 male, 250 female) aged 11 to 22, drawn from various schools, colleges, and universities using a convenience sampling method. The Parental Authority Questionnaire, Social Competency Inventory, Social Interaction Checklist, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were employed for data collection. Results revealed no significant differences across demographic variables such as gender, age, family status and birth order. Pro-social orientation correlated positively with all variables. Social initiative was significantly associated with authoritative parenting styles, while social activity linked to self-esteem and the perceived benefits of social skills. Authoritative and authoritarian styles positively impacted self-esteem, whereas self-esteem showed no significant relationships with demographic factors. Notably, authoritative parenting styles exhibited significant differences related to adolescent age. Overall, the study underlines the critical role of parenting styles in shaping social competencies among adolescents.