Journal of Development and Social Sciences

Empowering Schools, Engaging Communities: School Principals’ Experiences of Educational Decentralization in Punjab, Pakistan

Alina Rukhsar, Dr. Tayyeb Ali Khan — Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This study explores the effects of educational decentralization in Punjab, Pakistan, through the perspective of public-school principals in the Sheikhupura district. This study explores decentralization of education in Punjab, Pakistan, and its impact on school governance and education. Despite the reforms of 18 constitutional amendments, challenges like limitation of resources, weak accountability, and administrative isssues still there, which affect the school education system. The study explore these issues from the perspective of a public school principal in the district of Sheikhupura of Punjab, Pakistan. A qualitative approach has been used in which semi-structured interviews with 20 public school principals in the district of Sheikhpura were conducted. Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis using Principal Agent theory and Resource dependency Theory. The results show increased local decision-making and community engagement, but there were still problems with bureaucratic inadequacies, inadequate access to resources, limited financial autonomy, and an unclear authority system. Transparent accountability, equal resource distribution, a capacity-building program, and governance reforms are recommended to improve the outcomes of the decentralization.

Problems of Federalism and Provincial Autonomy in Pakistan during the Military Rule of General Ziaul Haq (1977-1988)

Fayyaz Ahmad Hussain, Dr. Abdul Basit Khan, Naila Younas — Sat, 02 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

The modern governments require wider legislative powers particularly with respect to the economic and fiscal fields in order to fulfil the objectives of socio-political welfare of its citizenry, therefore, centralization of state authority is normally adopted as a constituent ingredient of federal systems by the ruling elite. A centralized political authority is attained through knitting such organizational structures where the decision making capability and authority rest with only the top tier of management whereas decentralized organizational arrangements function while establishing such hierarchies which work through delegating decision-making capabilities to multiple teams across different territorial boundaries. Various Martial Law regimes in Pakistan preferred to excessively apply a highly centralized model of exercising state authority and the Zia regime of 1980s was not an exception in that regard. Based on these arguments, the current work examines the constitutional maneuverings and the consequent problems of federalism faced by the state of Pakistan during the Zia rule and analyses different measures taken by that regime which, in one way or the other, were related to that problem. It finds that the Provisional Constitutional Order of 1981, the Constitutional Amendment Formula of 1983 and the Revival of Constitution Order (RCO) of March 1985 undermined the federal nature of the 1973 constitution quite seriously and a complete absence of provincial autonomy had exacerbated the issues of national integration. The study recommends that the integrity and unity of Pakistan can be saved by applying federal solution to its various political and constitutional problems and ensuring the maximum provincial autonomy.

Corruption and Political Stability in Pakistan: An Analysis of Institutional Challenges and Governance Crisis

Misbah, Dr. Muhammad Muzaffar — Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

In Pakistan, corruption often defined as the misuse of public authority for private gain has grown to be a chronic and systemic problem that is ingrained in both political and administrative systems. This study explores the relationship between corruption and political stability in Pakistan, examines the ways how corruption affects political stability in Pakistan. Identifying the impact of corruption on democratic institutions and public trust in government and analyzes the current anticorruption measures such as judicial reforms, government policies, and civil society campaigns are to reducing corruption and promoting political stability. For this purpose, qualitative method was used. The research was conducted almost exclusively from secondary sources and primary sources. The results indicate that corruption brings about extensive and complex effects which disrupt political stability throughout Pakistan. The research shows that corruption serves as a major factor which decreases public confidence in political institutions. The study recommends an independence and effectiveness enhancement for accountability institutions, electoral reforms and transparency.

Effect of Cooperative Learning Techniques on Students’ Performance at University Level

Dr. Sadia Jabeen, Dr. Tahseen Arshad, Dr. Mehwish Gull — Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

The present study aimed to examine the effect of cooperative learning techniques on students’ performance at university level. Study was experimental in nature. An A-B-A single subject research design was employed to conduct the experiment. Students who were taught educational assessment at undergraduate level were participants of the study. Students’ performance in the subject of educational assessment was observed by the researcher during three phases (baseline, treatment and withdrawal phase). Lesson plans were developed to implement cooperative learning techniques. An achievement test was developed by the researcher to compare students’ performance in the subject of educational assessment during baseline, intervention and withdrawal phase. Item analysis was conducted to test item difficulty of the test. Rubrics were developed to measure validity of the extended response items in the test. A repeated measures one-way ANOVA were applied to test the hypothesis of the study. Study findings revealed that a significant effect of cooperative learning techniques in the subject of educational assessment was examined during treatment and withdrawal phase. Students’ performance in the subject of educational assessment enhanced by implementing cooperative learning techniques in class. It is recommended to incorporate cooperative learning techniques to enhance students’ performance in the subject of educational assessment at undergraduate level.

Governing Artificial Intelligence in Emerging Democracies: Challenges of Regulation, Ethics and State Capacity

Mobeen Waqar, Rehmat Arif, Waqia Rahat — Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This paper looks upon how developing democracies may create AI governance frameworks that are both successful and context-sensitive while upholding social fairness, democratic accountability and human rights. In emerging democracies, especially in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia the quick uptake of AI has exceeded institutional and regulatory capabilities. The straight adoption of Western AI governance models is insufficient because to weak legal frameworks, a lack of technological knowledge and a variety of cultural and ethical traditions. A qualitative multimethod research strategy is used in the study. It uses process tracing techniques to compare Brazil, Kenya and India. To find recurrent governance issues, a systematic review of over 180 peer-reviewed sources was conducted. In order to assess the normative and policy aspects of AI governance, the study is further supported by deliberative democracy theory, international human rights legislation and the capabilities approach. The findings reveal three major weaknesses in AI governance across emerging democracies fragmented institutional coordination, insufficient technical expertise and weak legal enforcement mechanisms. The study also finds that dominant Western AI ethics frameworks fail to fully address the cultural, religious and postcolonial realities of developing societies highlighting, the importance of contextual approaches like Ubuntu and Islamic ethics. Furthermore, AI acts as a double-edged tool by improving public services and transparency while simultaneously enabling mass surveillance, biometric profiling and democratic backsliding. Instead of implementing unduly complicated regulatory models, emerging democracies should build adaptable, context sensitive AI governance frameworks that are in line with current institutional capacity. To guarantee that AI promotes democratic consolidation and human rights protection, more regional collaboration, robust democratic protections, active civil society engagement and unambiguous protections against politically motivated monitoring, are crucial.

Decent Work and Governance in Pakistan: Implications of SDG 8 for Graduate Employability

Amina Bibi, Sheeza Ihsan, Zainab Asif — Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This article examines the relationship between Sustainable Development Goal 8(SDG 8) and graduate employability, especially focusing on the role of the government to provide and develop employment opportunities, and labor market challenges faced by university graduates. The main objective of this article is to explore how the government system works effectively, the educational quality, and the policies that are designed to improve employment opportunities for graduates. Focusing on increasing problems like graduate unemployment, skill mismatch, and the limited contribution of educational institutions to achieving Sustainable Economic growth in increasing employment. The research uses analytical and qualitative methodology by studying multiple relevant articles, previous research articles based on SDG 8 and graduate employability, and international organizational reports. Secondary data sources were also used to examine the current situation of employment, governance framework, and the role of universities in preparing graduates for labor market demands. The studies reveal that inadequate policy plans, a lack of collaboration between educational institutions and industries, and insufficient skill development programs are playing a negative role in graduate employability, especially in Pakistan. Moreover, the study indicates that an effective governance system, skill development trainings, digital skills, and market-based educational reforms can highly increase employment chances or results, and support the achievements of Sustainable Development Goal 8 objectives. The conclusion of this article is that sustainable economic development and decent work opportunities needs to collaborative work between universities, industries, public and private institutions. Policy makers should make strong and effective policies for employment, enhance digital and soft skills training, promote small and new businesses, and improve institutional cooperation to establish career growth for graduates and prolonged sustainable development.

Mapping the Household Energy Transition: Determinants, Measurement Approaches and Policy Lessons

Nasir Bashir, Prof. Dr. Faisal Mehmood Mirza — Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

Energy transition is vital for developing countries, as their households rely on inefficient and dirty fuels, creating negative impacts on the environment. Urbanization, income growth, and demographic change are reshaping consumption patterns. Therefore, this study analyzes existing literature to examine the key drivers and patterns associated with household energy transition. Quantitative review approach is used to synthesize the literature on household energy transition. Under this approach, we reviewed cross-sectional and panel studies employing the methodologies of the multivariate probit model, multinomial logit model, Lewbel 2SLS, and MDCEV methods. The findings highlight that the transition process is influenced by a multidimensional set of factors, including household characteristics, market access, socioeconomic conditions, behavioral aspects, environmental concerns, and government policies. Household income, education, and policy incentives are among the significant factors associated with cleaner fuel adoption. Policy should expand access to clean energy, improve affordability through targeted subsidies, and strengthen rural infrastructure.

Beyond the Urge: Evaluating the Impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Impulsivity among Adults with Substance Use Disorder

Menahil Ashfaq, Dr. Sajid Iqbal Alyana — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

The present study explored the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in decreasing the level of impulsivity among adults with SUD. The quasi-experimental between-groups design was used. The sample comprised 40 substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosed adults aged 18-64 years from substance rehabilitation centers in Pakistan. There was no significant difference between the participants in the experimental and control groups, who were equally split between those who received ACT intervention and those who received standard rehabilitation care. The Urdu version of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) was used to measure impulsivity. The intervention group was given six sessions of ACT in three weeks. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent sample t-test in SPSS-25. Pre-test results showed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups (t = .25, p = .80), indicating that the groups were equivalent at pre-test. Results of the post-tests, however, showed that there was a significant decrease in participants' impulsivity scores for ACT (M = 69.20, SD = 6.90) and control (M = 80.50, SD = 8.00): t = -3.45, p = .001. The results indicate that ACT could be an effective intervention for enhancing self-control and decreasing impulsive behaviors in adults with SUD. It suggests that ACT-based interventions have the potential to be implemented in rehabilitation settings in Pakistan.

From Law to Practice: Evaluating Gender Equality Policies in Pakistan and their Contribution to SDG 5

Amina Shahid, Qiza Shahid, Esha Ihsan — Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

The paper discusses the effectiveness of the implementation of gender equality policies and laws in practice. It examines the discrepancy in legal obligations and utilization as well as social, cultural and institutional challenges to gender equality in Pakistan. Promoting gender equality is a key human rights concern, and crucial to social and economic development. In this article, a qualitative, policy evaluation approach has been used for examining the key gender equality laws and policies, evaluating their effectiveness in practice with Pakistan and study their direct or indirect contribution to SDG 5 targets. The findings show that the gender equality policy and legislation of Pakistan is progressive and consistent with SDG 5, however its implementation at the ground level is weak, fragmented in institutional implementation and hampered by patriarchal norms thereby reducing its effectiveness at stopping women's rights and empowerment at the ground level. The government of Pakistan should introduce s laws and policies to promote women's rights and decrease gender discrimination in education, employment, and political participation.

Morphological Innovation in Pakistani English: The Emergence of Hybrid Forms

Hajab Fatima, Raza-E-Mustafa, Aimen Zafar — Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This research investigates morphological innovation in Pakistani English in the area of hybrid forms through the mixing of English with Pakistani indigenous languages such as Urdu, Punjabi, Saraiki. Pakistani English has come to be established as a variety of World Englishes that has developed unique characteristics on account of its sociocultural, historical and multilingual nature. In this study researcher would investigate how speakers coin new hybridized lexis and morphology through borrowing, compounding, affixation, blend, code-mixing etc. Such innovative hybridized morphology and lexis can be witnessed in spoken and social media language, advertising, in educational fields and in popular media, meeting to the communicative and identitarian needs of speakers. Through the use of qualitative descriptive method, the current research attempts to identify the hybrid morphological forms, in use in newspapers, oral discourse, and chat rooms, and identify regularities, and strategies behind such creations. To conclude that hybridization is not merely a language process, rather it also manifests as local culture, social marker and the creative ingenuity of English users in Pakistan. Indigenous languages also affect English morphology to the development of the emergent variety of English which is quite distinct from standard British and American English. Hybrid formation has helped to identify processes related to variation and morphological change within multilingual contexts.

A Statistical Investigation of Public–Private Collaboration within the NHS, UK

Nadia Naqvi, Dr. Adeel Abbas Zaidi — Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This study was designed to assess the role of the private sector in improving the performance of the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK), in terms of operational efficiency, quality of care, healthcare equity, and technological innovation. NHS services have increasingly embraced partnerships between the public and the private sector to meet the increasing demands of healthcare and limited resources. Although this is widely used, there are still questions about how it affects quality of service, access to service and long-term healthcare outcomes. The research design was quantitative with a cross-sectional study design, with structured survey data collected from 3000 healthcare professionals from across NHS Trusts. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the relationships between private sector participation and the healthcare performance indicators. The results suggest that the performance of health services is strongly related to the presence of private sector participation and highlight positive impacts and areas for policy consideration. The study advocates for equitable public-private governance frameworks, ongoing performance monitoring and evidence-based policies to ensure efficiency, quality, innovation and equitable healthcare delivery.

Healing the Caregivers: Therapeutic Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Psychological Morbidity in Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities

Intisam Zia, Dr. Uzma Jillani — Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This study looks at the efficacy of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program in reducing psychological stress for parents of children with all developmental disabilities. A one–group pre test – post test quasi experimental design was used. Participants in the MBSR intervention program for 8 weeks were the 35 parents (25-45 years) who were in the sample. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to measure psychological distress before and after intervention. Paired sample t-tests were used to analyze data. The findings showed that the intervention was effective in lowering depression, anxiety, and stress. Depression scores significantly lowered, t(34) = 6.36, p < .001, anxiety scores reduced, t(34) = 6.13, p < .001, and stress scores also decreased, t(34) = 5.68, p < .001. The values of skewness and kurtosis were within normal limits, while Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was from .88 to .99, which was also excellent. The general results indicated that MBSR could be beneficial to parents' psychological distress in children with DD. The findings highlight the importance of embedding mindfulness training in caregiver support programs in other, less-studied, and culturally diverse settings.

Bullying, Anger, Forgiveness and Psychological Well-being in Early Adolescents

Rabail Mustansar, Dr. Bushra Naz — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

The present research project aims to assess the association between bullying, anger, forgiveness and psychological well-being of early adolescents. Bullying is a widespread problem among early adolescents and is associated with adverse psychological outcomes, whereas forgiveness has emerged as a potential protective factor that may help adolescents cope with bullying experiences and maintain positive psychological functioning. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was used to collect the data from 400 participants (212 girls and 188 boys) using non-probability purposive sampling strategy. Revised Olweus Bully-victim Questionnaire (OBVQ; Olweus, 2006), Anger Expression Scale for Children (Steele et al., 2009), Enright Forgiveness Inventory for Children (Enright, 1993) and WHO-wellbeing index (World Health Organization, 1998) were administered to collect the responses. The results revealed significant positive relationship between forgiveness and psychological well-being. Anger and bullying were found to be a significant negative relationship with psychological well-being. Results of regression Analysis depicted forgiveness as the positive predictor of psychological well-being whereas anger and bullying as the negative predictor of psychological well-being and explained 8% of variance altogether. Group differences also showed that gender has a significant impact on study variables. School based interventions should incoperate forgivness and social-emotional learning programs to reduce the harmful effects of bullying and promote well-being. Enhancing adolescents’ capacity for forgivness may strengthen resilience and foster healthier peer relationships and psychological adjustment.

Empowering Women through Digital Literacy: A Study of Islamabad Women's Colleges

Kainat Shakeel, Dr. Saima Hanif, Syed Arif Ali Shah — Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This research investigates the extent to which female students are aware of digital literacy and the role that college libraries in promoting digital literacy. This research is limited to the female students. Digital literacy skills have become increasingly important in employment, and rapid technological advancements are reshaping the job market. The study examines the landscape of digital literacy among the women of Federal Government colleges in Islamabad, highlighting the impact of career preparedness. This quantitative study assesses the digital literacy levels of 224 BS students across various subjects and finds that proficiency is low. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 24.0) was used for data analysis, and appropriate statistical tests were employed. Results indicate that while students are aware of the importance of digital literacy for their future, they struggle to fully realize its potential. The findings highlight the need for interventions to increase digital literacy, enabling students to navigate the growing job market more efficiently. Training programs, workshops, and access to emerging digital tools are needed. By integrating digital literacy-related curricula, colleges should prepare all students for the complexity of today's workplace and embrace their general career readiness.

Education Vs Experience: Analyzing Hiring Preferences in Luxury Hotels of Lahore

Dr. Muhammad Kamran, Javeria Saeed, Hamna Saeed — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

The present study was conducted to explore the hiring preference about formal education and professional experience in the Five-star hotels of Lahore. The aim of the study is to know the opinion of the human resource managers and the departmental heads about the relative importance of the academic qualification and the industry experience for the recruitment decisions of operational and managerial posts. This study has been conducted at selected luxury hotels in the area and a structured questionnaire was used to collect the data for the study of the specific role of the hiring criteria, perception of hospitality education and challenges of workforce selection. The results indicate that there are differences in hotel recruitment preferences among five star hotels, and they operate on the basis of the level of the job and the functional needs. Front-line or operational jobs are typically the ones that are more experience-driven. Formal education is more likely to matter for supervisory and managerial jobs that require strategic and leadership skills. The study also highlights the disconnect between the results of hospitality education and the expectations of the industry which leads to employability issues for newly graduated candidates.

Privatization of the Public Enterprises: Assessing its Impact on Economic Development and Socioeconomic Outcomes

Hina Ali, Zinaz Aisha — Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This research aims to quantitatively assess the relationship between the privatization of public enterprises and financial progress using time-series data spanning from 1990 to 2025. The study focuses on both short-term and long-term impacts of privatization on economic development. By incorporating key economic variables such as Gross Domestic Product, privatization, gross capital formation, labor force participation rate, total reserves, foreign direct investment, and inflation, the analysis seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of these dynamics. Utilizing a unit root test to ascertain the stationarity of the variables and an Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag model to analyze the relationships between the dependent and independent variables, this study uncovers critical insights. The findings indicate a long-term negative association between privatization and Gross Domestic Product, while highlighting the significant role of monetary growth in shaping economic outcomes. Conversely, gross capital formation and Foreign Direct Investment exhibit positive correlations with Gross Domestic Product, whereas labor force participation, total reserves, and inflation are negatively related to economic growth. Through this nuanced examination, the research sheds light on the complexities of privatization and its varying impacts on different facets of economic development, offering valuable implications for policymakers and stakeholders in shaping future economic strategies.

The Politics of IMF Programs in Pakistan: Sovereignty vs Economic Survival

Atiqa Iqbal, Bisma Seerat — Mon, 25 May 2026 00:00:00 +0500

This study provides a critical analysis of the political and economic effects of the IMF programs on Pakistan, specifically focusing on the trade-off between economic sustainability and national sovereignty. This study will attempt to analyze the effect of different IMF programs on economic management and decision-making autonomy in Pakistan using different mechanisms such as fiscal discipline, tax reform, subsidies, and structural adjustment programs. This study relies on both qualitative and analytical techniques which use primary and secondary sources such as official reports by the IMF and others. From the findings, it can be seen that although IMF programs help in providing economic stability and saving Pakistan from financial bankruptcy, it continues its structural dependence and restricts economic independence. Other findings of this research include socio-economic repercussions of conditionalities placed by the IMF, which includes rise in inflation rate, decrease in welfare payments, and economic burden on the citizens of the country. Political economy and dependency approaches are used in the research to identify that structural dependence of Pakistan on loans provided by the IMF is an indication of the underlying structural issues of the governance and economy of Pakistan. According to the research, institutional reforms, lower foreign debts, and equilibrium between financial stability and sovereignty are required to ensure sustainable economic stability in Pakistan.