Pakistan Social Sciences Review

Re-Emergence of Taliban in Afghanistan: A study of Socio-economic Impacts on Pakistan

Khawaja Muhammad Kaleem — 2026-03-01

This article examines the socioeconomic effects of the Taliban's comeback in Afghanistan on Pakistan, specifically with regard to commerce, refugee flows, and economic stability. The Taliban quickly reclaimed control of Afghanistan after the US withdrew in 2021, drastically changing the regional environment. Pakistan, Afghanistan's closest neighbour, has been directly impacted by societal pressures, disruptions in cross-border trade, and refugee movements. The study employs a qualitative research technique and draws from academic literature, government papers, policy assessments, scholar interviews, and pertinent media sources. This study examines how developments in Afghanistan inevitably affect Pakistan's socioeconomic sphere, especially after the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. This is due to the long and porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as the shared language and cultural ties among border populations.

Factors Influencing Trust for Online Buying Behavior in Pakistan

Hamza Naeem Khan — 2026-03-03

This paper explores the effect of transaction security, data privacy, guaranteed return policy, and perceived web image on the development of online trust and the effect of the trust on online buying intention in Daraz.PK, one of the most popular e-commerce websites in Pakistan. Based on the previous study, this study fills a gap in the Pakistani context where the problem of trust and awareness is a constraint to the growth of online shopping. The correlational research design was applied in order to gather data on 500 respondents using a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. Reliability and regression analyses established that all the four factors have significant effect on online trust which has a strong positive influence on online buying intention. The results have emphasized the importance of trust-building factors in improving consumer confidence and increasing the use of e-commerce. It is recommended that businesses should concentrate on safe, privacy-aware and convenient online platforms to increase customer confidence and online shopping habits, which leads to economic development in Pakistan.

Transformational Leadership and Human Capital Development: The Mediating Role of Knowledge Sharing Behavior

Muhammad Alamgir — 2026-03-04

The current research examines the central role of the concept of transformational leadership in promoting the development of human capital within the higher learning institutions namely universities and colleges in South Punjab, Pakistan, by looking at the mediating role of knowledge sharing behavior. In a dynamic environment where educational and organizational capacity is yet to be matured, it is important to adopt efficient leadership styles to exploit potential of human resource. Based on the Social Exchange Theory and the Knowledge-Based View, the study assumes that inspirational motivation, personalized consideration, and intellectual stimulation by transformational leaders increase the willingness of employees to share both tacit and explicit knowledge, which will help sustain a learning process and grow their competencies needed to drive sustainability in human-capital development. The sample of 200 educational leaders of higher-education institutions and colleges in South Punjab working in the public sector was selected through the use of the structured questionnaire based on time-lagged survey design. Through the use of structural equation modelling (SEM), the research endeavored to examine the hypothesized connections between transformational leadership styles, knowledge-sharing behavior, and developmental results of human capital. The empirical evidence illustrates that knowledge-sharing behavior has been a very important mediator between transformational leadership and human-capital development. As a result, the research will contribute to the body of knowledge in the region by highlighting the role of creating knowledge ecosystems led by leadership as a conclusive approach in empowering the working population in the developing economies. The policy implications indicate that leadership development initiatives and organizational learning cultures can be hugely used to strengthen human capital that may lead to the improvement of the institutional effectiveness and socio-economic development of South Punjab.

The INL-Supported Curriculum Development Program of the Sindh Police: How Effectively Does It Meet the Needs of Police Officers?

Faizan Kirmani — 2026-03-04

The current research evaluates the extent to which the texts of the curriculum fulfill the professional needs of law enforcement personnel in matters of criminal investigation, procedural knowledge, and application of case law. The Curriculum Development Program, funded by the INL and carried out by the Sindh Police, was initiated with the objective of developing the capacity for investigation through the use of six specialized textbooks in response to the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s directive for the development of uniform handbooks for investigations. The qualitative survey was conducted with 100 randomly chosen police officers of Karachi Range, including Inspectors, Sub-Inspectors, and Station House Officers, from 100 police stations of the city. A questionnaire and discussion with police officers measured the perception of police regarding the usability, comprehensibility, and applicability of the six curriculum books. However, they found it wanting in aspects pertaining to the integration of judicial precedents. The Handbook of Criminal Investigation was found to be legally correct but impractical for implementation in the field. Basic Investigation was found practical but wanting in aspects pertaining to case laws. Advance Investigation was found to bridge the theory and procedure gaps but was found to be crime-specific in nature. Forensic Investigation was found to provide insight but was lacking in aspects pertaining to admissibility of evidence. Criminal Law was found to be introductory in nature but lacking in-depth case laws. Police Station Working Module was found to be practical in nature but lacking in legal substance. Changes to the curriculum should include the analysis of case law at all procedural levels, merging legal theory with practical applications in the field. Future print versions should include precedents from judicial decisions without making the product less user-friendly, include guidelines for the admissibility of forensic evidence, and improve analytical strength to increase conviction rates.

Arousal Attenuates Directed Forgetting of Affective and Neutral English Words in an Item-Method Recognition Paradigm

Suleman Ahmad — 2026-03-06

This study examined whether item-method directed forgetting (DF) for English words is better explained by affective categories or item-level valence, arousal, and dominance (VAD). Directed forgetting is a laboratory model of intentional memory control, but it remains unclear whether forgetting varies more by emotional category of words or their emotional dimensions. This distinction has received limited direct testing. A quantitative experimental design was used with 67 Pakistani adults recruited through convenience sampling; after prespecified exclusions, 60 were analyzed. Participants studied positive, neutral, negative, and threatening words followed by remember or forget cues, then completed a recognition test. Category effects were tested with binomial logistic regression, and dimensional effects with weighted models. A robust DF effect emerged. It was largest for neutral words and smallest for threatening words. Arousal significantly weakened the forget effect, whereas valence and dominance did not. Future work should prioritize arousal-sensitive models and culturally grounded verbal stimuli.

Self-identified and Clinically Diagnosed Mental Health Issues due to Gender-Based Marginalization: Lived Experiences of Women from Pakistani Diaspora in Canada

Taalia Khan — 2026-03-08

The present study examines self-identified and clinically diagnosed mental health issues due to gender-based marginalization through the lived experiences of women from Pakistani diaspora in Canada. Pakistani women face deep-rooted and culturally supported gender biasness within their households under strict patriarchal hierarchies. The situation persists regardless of their geographic location in Pakistani households. For investigation, phenomenological approach under the qualitative research methodology and eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with participants living in most densely populated Pakistani neighborhoods across the major urban centers of Canada. As per participant responses conducted through thematic analysis, eight categories emerged: constant guilt, sleeplessness, self-doubt, tension, anxiety and panic attacks, validation, media reinforcement, obsessive-compulsive disorder and body-shaming. The findings highlighted that the present study is at the intersection of gender, migration, and racialization. The results suggest that participants face vulnerabilities due to migration challenges, social constraints, cultural gendered expectations and deep-rooted familial hierarchical structures. The study emphasizes on the need for social reforms that collectively converge migration challenges, cultural understanding, education and empowerment.

Climate Change and Environmental Ethics in Islam: A Global Responsibility Analyzing Islamic Teachings on Stewardship (Khilāfah) and Sustainability

Naseeruddin Mahar — 2026-03-09

Climate change is an existential threat to the well-being of the ecosystem, people, and stability across the globe. In the context of scientific analysis and policy-making, religious systems are still underrepresented in the literature, even though they can be used to mobilize billions of followers to act in an ethical manner towards the environment. The teachings of Islam being among the major religions of the world provide some of the foundations of environmental stewardship (khilafah), equity, and moderation (mizan). These principles not only encourage responsible consumption of the natural resources, but also have moral requirements to the planet and all forms of life. This study explores the ecology of Islamic environmental ethics, which primarily focuses on the ways in which classical and modern Islamic teachings could be considered in the global sustainability models. This paper examines the main Islamic texts such as the Quran, Prophetic traditions (hadith), and jurisprudential interpretation.

The Influence of Technology Orientation on Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Dynamic Capabilities in a Dynamic Pharmaceutical Environment

Shehla Zaman — 2026-03-10

This study investigates how technology orientation influences firm performance through the mediating role of dynamic capabilities within Pakistan’s dynamic pharmaceutical environment. Although the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities View highlight the importance of strategic resources, limited empirical work integrates technology orientation with capability development. Rapid technological shifts in pharmaceuticals make this linkage critical. A quantitative approach was used, drawing data from 180 pharmaceutical firms. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) evaluated direct, indirect, and moderating relationships among technology orientation, dynamic capabilities, firm performance, and environmental dynamism. Technology orientation significantly improves firm performance both directly and by strengthening sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring capabilities. Dynamic capabilities also show a strong positive impact on performance. Environmental dynamism, however, does not significantly moderate the dynamic capabilities–performance relationship. Pharmaceutical firms should invest in both technological advancement and capability-building systems. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs and cross-industry or cross-national comparisons.

From Silence to Testimony: Narrating Trauma and Memory of the 1971 War in Anam’s A Golden Age and Khan’s Noor

Muhammad Shahid — 2026-03-14

The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 is one of the most traumatic events in the history of South Asia, which has deep psychological and emotional scars both for the people of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Literary narratives play a vital role in the reconstruction of memory and trauma and shaping collective memory. This article examines the comparative representation of memory and trauma in A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam and Noor by Sorayya Khan, focusing on how these novels recount the psychological and social trauma of the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. The study analyses the narratives through the theories of trauma by Judith Herman and Jeffrey Prager by underpinning the elements of trauma in the texts, by digging out the memory, silence, and guilt of the characters in both the novels. The article argues that through personal memory, individual trauma can bring about the collective trauma and collective consciousness. By comparing Pakistani and Bangladeshi literary representation, the article highlights the similarities and peculiarities of the two national narratives of the same event.

Factors Pushing Pakistan into a Federalist State: Mapping the Pre and Post-Partition History

Fayyaz Ahmad Hussain — 2026-03-15

The British was the only power that maintained effective control and unity over the entire subcontinent, but instead of establishing a single national government at all-India level, the British government preferred to rule over various provinces of India in isolation to each other owing to the socio-political, economic, linguistic, religious and cultural diversification present in length and breadth of this vast territorial region hence Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru believed that the unity infused by the British was only an administrative unity to maintain effective control over the territory and the region lacked true political unity. Mr. Jinnah too believed that India was never a country or a nation but a subcontinent of different nationalities hence diverse affiliations must be acknowledged and handled by all sides as a reality. Alongside, among the five provinces which constituted Pakistan in 1947, only Bengal was a Regulation Province and the rest were Non Regulation Provinces whereas Balochistan was not even a province but comprised of different types of territories, including a Chief Commissioner's Province. Other than having a common colonial ruler, these provinces did not have any common identity, except religion, and lacked an experience of living together which could be helpful in the process of nation building in the sovereign independent state of Pakistan. In the absence of such qualifications for nation building, it seemed desirable that the federal solution could be the best to create these with a passage of time hence the state moved forward accordingly, nevertheless, the separation of East Pakistan in 1971, and the resentment and unrest in the smaller provinces of the present day Pakistan, is viewed from the perspective of the problem of federalism. Based on this background, the instant study revisits the circumstances which were inherited by the state of Pakistan in 1947 and which necessitated that Pakistan ought to opt the federal form of government. It concludes that the failure to apply a well-designed and effective federal mechanism in the multiethnic state of Pakistan was responsible for many of the political upheavals and the ever-persistent problem of national integration in Pakistan.

Organizational Culture as a Moderator of Transformational Leadership Effectiveness in Public-Sector Universities

Ali Nisar — 2026-03-20

This paper examines the role of organizational culture in shaping the effectiveness of transformational leadership within public universities. Drawing upon transformational leadership theory and organizational culture literature, the study investigates whether organizational culture moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and two important faculty attitudes: job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Data was collected through a survey of 314 faculty members working in public sector universities in Islamabad and data was analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that TL has significant positive effects on both JS and OCo among faculty members. Furthermore, OC is a significant moderator between TL and JS, suggesting that leadership behaviors are more effective in institutions characterized by supportive and collaborative cultures. However, the moderating effect of OC on the relationship between TL and OCo was not statistically significant. These findings highlight the importance of organizational context in understanding leadership effectiveness in higher education institutions. The study provides practical insights for university administrators seeking to strengthen faculty engagement by aligning leadership practices with supportive institutional cultures.

A Study to Investigate Students’ Attitude towards Research at University Level

Sadia Jabeen — 2026-03-22

Present study aimed to investigate students’ attitude towards research at university level. An attitude takes into account thoughts, feelings, and actions, as well as how they interact. A quantitative approach was employed to conduct present study. Researcher employed a survey research design to conduct the study. Population was comprised of all university students of Lahore city. Sample of the study was comprised of 200 male and female university students of one public and one private university on convenient basis. An instrument of the study was adapted by the researcher. Reliability of the scale was .804. Data were analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics to investigate students’ attitude towards research at university level. Findings of the study concluded that male and female students have a positive attitude towards research at university level. However, female students’ attitude towards research is tend to be more significance as compared to the male students at university level. Female students showed more interest in research at university level. Male and female students’ have significant difference regarding their attitude towards research based on their gender and degree program. However, an insignificant result was found among university students’ attitude towards research based on their age. Present study recommends to develop attitudes of university students towards research by practicing in class through giving short research projects and techniques.

The Mediating Role of Academician Interaction in the Relationship between Psychosocial Learning Environment, Social Media Use, and Student Engagement in Higher Education

Anfaal Shafiq — 2026-03-26

This study intends to investigate the mediating role of academic interactions in psychosocial learning environments, social media use, and student engagement. Multifaceted constructs like psychosocial learning environment, student engagement, and academic interactions that influence learning have also been lately manifested. However, the concept of academic interactions and social media use within the psychosocial learning environment and student engagement in Pakistan's higher education context is obscure. Utilizing the correlational design, 385 graduate students were randomly selected to examine the relationship between the psychosocial learning environment, social media use, and student engagement among university students from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The findings indicated a negative relationship between the psychosocial learning environment and student engagement and a positive association between social media use and student engagement among university students. The study offered a valuable vision for educators and policymakers to implement strategies that boost the quality of interfaces between students and educators.

Deciphering Iconographic Symbolism and Spatial Significance: An Evaluation of the Hazuri Bagh Baradari (1818–1819), Lahore's Sikh Architectural Heritage

Qudsia Asif — 2026-03-28

A country’s heritage not only gives it identity but builds a connection between its past and future generations. First, the study investigates the motivation behind the construction of Baradari in the core of Hazuri Bagh, a significant but arguable location of Lahore. Secondly, it highlights the ornamental details by attempting to understand the iconographic symbolism used within this historical monument. Ranjit Singh’s invasion resulted in establishing a Sikh estate in Punjab after the fall of Mughal Empire. The Baradari situated in Hazuri Bagh is an important architectural landmark belonging to that historical period of Subcontinent. The research adopts a qualitative research method based on literature review. It demonstrates that the placement of Baradari within Hazuri Bagh was not coincidental but strategic. It was carefully positioned between two distinguished Mughal monuments, Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort, to establish Sikh sovereignty. Further, the analysis of iconographic elements reflects the hybrid nature of Sikh architecture, as they are not only aesthetically pleasing but represents cross-cultural interactions. Hence, Baradari’s location and iconography symbolize Ranjit Singh’s authority and cultural continuity respectively. More research is required to analyse and compare the Sikh architecture in Lahore with other cities of South Asia.