Pakistan Social Sciences Review

Improving Narrative Writing Skills through Reading-to-Writing Strategy Instruction: An Experimental Study

Sobia Tabassum, Muhammad Ajmal — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The current experimental study aims at exploring the usefulness of teaching reading-to-writing strategies in promoting narrative writing ability among middle school learners. The study was done in Shikarpur district and used 60 students randomly selected into experimental and control groups. Both groups got the regular writing instruction, whereas only the experimental group was instructed on the basis of a structured reading-to-writing method. The pretest and posttest design was used to measure the clarity, mechanics, and structure of narrative writing. Statistically significant positive change in the experimental group was obtained in comparison with the control group, and the effect was observed on all components measured. The results have indicated that reading strategies can be successfully incorporated in writing instruction in order to develop narrative writing skills of the students. This paper supports the pedagogical usefulness of reading-to-writing strategies in language classrooms, especially those that are under-resourced in education settings.

Integrating AI-Based Feedback Systems into Teacher Education: Opportunities and Challenges

Sitara Asghar, Quratulain Imran, Saveera Parveen Mithani — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The objective of this article is to investigate how to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in providing feedback into teacher education program. Using qualitative data of pre-service teachers in Education Department at Lahore Leads University which examines the impact of the use of such tools as Grammarly, Write & Improve, and ChatGPT on providing feedback with accuracy. The research shows that the importance of AI tools is that they can be time-saving, can detect the pattern of errors, and are more consistent. The investigation highlights few issues i.e excessive use of technology, situational misunderstandings, data security, and possible decay of feedback abilities of teachers. The results indicate that it can only be effective when integrated carefully, when there is digital literacy training and when pedagogical theories are well defined. The research will help to work out a policy and strategy of professional development in the use of AI in teacher education.

The Ripple Effects of the Russia-Ukraine War on South Asian Economies: Trade, Energy, and Inflation in a Geopolitical Crisis

Khadija Shahbaz, Dr. Muhamad Muzaffar — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The Russia-Ukraine war has unleashed a series of global economic disruptions and had profound consequences for the economies of the countries of South Asia. This qualitative analysis looks at the impact of the conflict on critical economic issues like trade, energy provision, inflation, and foreign investment on countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. According to news report and expert interview analysis to understand the multi-dimensional implications of the war on these economies, data were compiled based on the content analysis of secondary sources such as government reports, economic surveys, news reports and expert interviews. The report reveals that SAARC countries had to deal with an increasingly expensive energy, disrupted supply chains, inflation and changes in trade patterns resulting from sanctions and geopolitical realignments. Moreover, the war also compounded pre-existing vulnerabilities, including food security and exchange rate volatility, particularly in import-reliant countries. But other nations used the uprooting as an opportunity to diversify their energy supply and bolster trade relationships in the region. While the war generated acute economic challenges in the short-term, it also opened the space for strategic economic reforms and resilience. In its totality, the research highlights the convergence of global conflict and regional economic heat - and the importance of attuned policy in South Asia to absorbing global shocks.

Successes and Failure of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in Reducing Iran’s Nuclear Proliferation: An Analysis

Zain Ali, Dr. Bilal Bin Liaqat , Dr. Anwar Ali — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The main purpose of this study is to elucidate the role of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in reducing Iran’s Nuclear Program. The JCPOA was an agreement between the EU, Russia, China and P5+1, as well as Iran. This research discusses its successes and failures. The JCPOA allowed Iran and the United States to restore diplomatic connections and begin talks on ending their nuclear arms development. Even so, Iran violated the terms of the deal in 2018 and retaliated by growing its nuclear program, reducing IAEA inspectors’ authority and letting more uranium become enriched. The efforts of the US backed by the JCPOA have been slowed because of international tension and higher support for Iran to develop nuclear arms. This qualitative study elaborates the different actions taken to minimize the conflict. The study recommends that the U.S. and Iran resume their participation in the JCPOA, making new commitments to sustain the agreement’s stability into the future.

Newborn Gender, Mode of Delivery and Family System, as Determinants of Postpartum Depression among Pakistani Mothers

Maham Abdullah, Dr. Shirmeen Ijaz — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The objective of this research aimed to investigate culturally specific characteristics that may lead to postpartum depression among Pakistani mothers, including the preference for male children, the method of childbirth, and family structure. Maternal mental health has been studied widely because it is not only important for mothers’ healthy functioning but is also paramount for development of a healthy infant. Maternal mental health has been studied widely, but sociocultural and obstetric factors linked with postpartum depression are warranted independent study. A cross-sectional design, including 250 mothers in postpartum phase, with an age range of 18-25 were included. Mothers filled demographic form and Questionnaire of Postpartum Depression. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the results. According to T-test, mothers who gave birth to female child, had a caesarian section and lived in nuclear family were prone to developing postpartum depression. These results can help health care workers and mental health practitioners to identify mothers with risk factors earlier and provide targeted interventions.

A Multimodal Analysis of Human-Generated and Machine-Generated Advertisements in Pakistan

Mubeen Akbar, Dr. Badriah Khaleel — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This research aims to investigate the multimodal analysis of both Pakistani human-generated and machine-generated advertisements through visual and textual analysis. Advertisements have been defined by many scholars as how they play a huge role in shaping identity and helping people communicate their ideas. Several studies have been conducted comparing human-created ads and AI-created ads separately. However, the study used a qualitative yet comparative research design to explore the matter comprehensively. This research study chose 40 advertisements in total, comprising 20 human-generated advertisements taken from Social Media Platforms and 20 machine-generated advertisements taken from ChatGPT4 and DeepSeek. The study incorporated both English and Urdu-language-based advertisements. Furthermore, the study used Python and its libraries to analyze the linguistic and visual expressions in the advertisements. Conclusively, the findings showed that human-generated advertisements took control over machine-generated advertisements in terms of emotional resonance, cultural and social relevance. In total, the research suggested that AI had still had zero capacity to replace cultural insight and emotional connection ability.

Intertextual Echoes: A Comparative Study of Ali's The Last Metaphor and Beckett's Waiting for Godot

Shumaila Ahmad, Tabassum Iqbal, Anzala Noor — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study aims to investigate the intertextual relationship between Ali's play The Last Metaphor and Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, employing Kristeva's Theory of Intertextuality as the theoretical framework. Intertextuality refers to the interconnectedness among literary texts, wherein readers can discern echoes of established literary traditions. Using Qualitative Textual Analysis, the study gathers and analyzes data to identify the elements of intertextuality. The findings reveal that the two plays share structural and thematic parallels. The Last Metaphor exhibits a considerable influence from Waiting for Godot, particularly in its setting, characterization, and narrative structure. Both plays explore the human condition and engage with existential concerns, such as meaninglessness, waiting, and the search for identity, albeit within distinct cultural contexts. The findings also highlight that Beckett's dramatic vision significantly resonates within Ali's play, illustrating powerful intertextual connections. Further studies are essential to unveil the underlying thematic and structural interconnectedness among literary texts.

Physical Appearance Comparison and Life Satisfaction among Young Adults

Daniya Abdul Maroof, Ayesha Tabassum Shaikh, Dr. Erum Kausar — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between Physical Appearance Comparison and Life Satisfaction among Young Adults. Comparison is often called a ‘thief of joy’, and appearance-related comparison has shown aversive effects. The quality of life becomes significantly influenced by the perception of one’s appearance. This research used a quantitative, correlational survey design with 503 participants aged 18 to 40 years. The key instruments included: Informed Consent Form, Demographic Form, Physical Appearance Comparison Scale 3 (Schaefer & Thompson, 2018; α = 0.85), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985; α = 0.82). It was hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between Physical Appearance Comparison and Life Satisfaction among young adults. The results indicated a significant inverse relationship between the two variables, supporting the hypothesis. The research implies that awareness of these variables highlights the need for positive, multi-level interventions to reduce appearance comparisons and promote life satisfaction.

Nexus Between Literature and Media Studies: The Study Of Becoming-Woman through Multimodal Analysis of Olivia Newman’s Where the Crawdads Sing

Afshan Akhtar, Dr. Farah Hashmi — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study investigates the concept of "becoming-woman" and the struggles of Kya in Olivia Newman's 2022 adaptation of Where The Crawdads Sing, specifically focusing on gender dynamics in film media. It delimits its scope to the multimodal portrayal of female agency. Grounded in Deleuzian Feminism, this research draws on Ian Buchanan and Claire Colebrook’s Deleuze and Feminist Theory (2005) and integrates George Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory (1970). The study addresses how films contribute to societal perceptions about women’s empowerment and identity formation. Media exposure plays a crucial role in shaping prolonged audience understandings. Employing a qualitative approach, the study utilizes Brian Paltridge’s Multimodal Discourse Analysis to analyze visual and verbal elements. Kya’s character is examined as a site of resistance and transformation. Findings reveal that electronic media disseminates crucial discourses on female agency and transformation, influencing perceptions. Kya’s journey represents challenges to societal norms.Future filmmakers should portray diverse female journeys to foster critical awareness. Viewers should critically engage with such narratives to challenge gender biases.

Impact of Spiritual Intelligence on Academic Achievement among University Students of AJK: Mediating Role of Mindfulness

Misbah Afzal, Zoonish Aziz, Zohra Altaf — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study explored the relationship between spiritual intelligence and academic achievement among university students in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, with a specific focus on the mediating role of mindfulness. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 200 students (equally divided by gender), aged 18 to 30, across various universities in the region through convenient sampling. Standardized tools were used to assess spiritual intelligence, mindfulness, and academic achievement. The results revealed significant positive correlations among the three variables, indicating that students with higher spiritual intelligence are more likely to perform better academically, and that mindfulness plays a mediating role in this relationship. These findings underscore the importance of nurturing both psychological and spiritual dimensions in students to support their academic performance. It is recommended that educational institutions incorporate mindfulness and spiritual development practices into their programs to enhance student well-being and foster academic success.

Examining the Link between Economic Growth and Financial Indicators: Evidence from Pakistan (1980–2024)

Moazzam Ali, Asia Batool, Sumiyya Shaheen — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study examines the relationship between Pakistan’s GDP growth and selected financial indicators for the period from 1980 to 2024. The selected financial indicators are gross capital formation, market capitalization, financial development, foreign direct investment, remittances, foreign trade, government expenditure and debt service. With a larger data set for 45 years, this research addresses a vital gap in understanding the interplay of financial indicators in a developing economy. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model along with a bounds test for cointegration is used to analyze the long-run and short-run relationship among the variables. The results indicated a significance relationship among GDP growth rate and remittances, foreign direct investment and government consumption expenditures. The critical contribution of this study lies in providing evidence-based insights for policymakers to examine Pakistan’s economic issues with an emphasis on contributing novel perspectives on sustainable growth strategies. The recommendations emphasize enhancing investment and foreign inflows, optimizing remittance utilization, and refining government spending policies which can contribute to sustainable economic development. This study recommends the development of friendly regulations to encourage the inflows of foreign direct investments and remittances for enhancing economic growth.

Teachers Professional Development and its Effect on their Innovative Teaching Strategies

Dr. Nazir Ahmad, Dr. Rozina Sewani, Dr. Nasrullah Channa — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study examines the impact of professional development (PD) on enhancing teachers' competencies and fostering innovative teaching practices in secondary schools in Karachi, Pakistan. PD is crucial in improving student engagement and academic performance in rapidly evolving educational landscape. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used, involving semi-structured interviews with 8 secondary teachers to explore their experiences with PD programs. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data. The results revealed that PD programs significantly improved teachers' pedagogical knowledge, classroom management, and use of formative assessments. Teachers adopted student-centered teaching, active learning, and collaborative strategies, which positively influenced student engagement and learning outcomes. PD programs that were personalized to teachers' needs, incorporated active learning, and provided ongoing support led to greater effectiveness. It is recommended that PD programs focus on technology integration, active learning, and teamwork. School leadership should prioritize a culture of continuous professional development for teacher growth and innovation.

The Sustainable Performance of Plastic Organizations: The Role of CSR, TQM and Digitalization

Rana Umer Farooq, Dr. Bilal Majid, Dr. Nadia Nasir — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study contributes to economic profit, environmental care and social equality of any organization. This research addresses the key contributors to attain that sustainable performance. The global plastics industry is an essential element of industrialisation in contemporary economies but its adverse impact is a challenge in developing countries like Pakistan. By quantitative cross-sectional approach, responses were obtained from 225 participants (senior managers and sustainability officers), all working in the plastic industry of Pakistan. The findings show that CSR and TQM practices contribute to sustainable performance, improvement of economic, environmental, and social aspects. While, digitalisation magnifies the benefits of CSR and TQM. This paper fills a gap in the part of regional literature and is actionable and is intended to guide plastic industries in Pakistan to convert towards sustainable ways through digital transformation and by the adoption of these sustainable practices, organizations can get competitive advantage.

Tourism Policy and Economic Development in Gilgit-Baltistan: A Critical Evaluation

Najaf Ali, Takaaki Nihei, Zaheer Ahmed — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0500

This study critically evaluates the role of tourism policy in fostering economic development in Gilgit-Baltistan a strategically significant yet economically marginalized region in northern Pakistan. Despite its immense potential rooted in breathtaking natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and geopolitical importance, Gilgit Baltistan has struggled to convert tourism into a sustained driver of economic growth. The research evaluates the effectiveness, inclusiveness, and implementation of existing tourism policies, examining their alignment with broader development objectives, including employment generation, infrastructure improvement, and regional economic integration. The methodology uses a mixed-methods approach, analyzing secondary quantitative data on tourism and economic indicators alongside a qualitative review of policy documents and academic literature. Findings reveal a fragmented and underdeveloped policy landscape, constrained institutional capacity, and weak coordination between public and private stakeholders, all of which impede the sector's progress. Furthermore, the absence of a comprehensive, region-specific tourism development strategy limits efforts to attract investment and adopt sustainable practices. The study concludes with policy recommendations designed to develop a coherent, inclusive, and economically viable tourism framework tailored to the unique context of Gilgit-Baltistan. Strengthening policy design and implementation can bridge the gap between potential and performance, enabling tourism to catalyze inclusive and sustainable regional development.