PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF LAW, ANALYSIS AND WISDOM
Pakistan Journal of Law, Analysis and Wisdom (PJLAW) is a HEC Recognized multidisciplinary journal that provides a platform for researchers, scholars, and practitioners to publish high-quality research in the areas of law, social sciences, humanities, and Islamic banking and finance.
Relationship Between Procrastination and Anxious Symptoms Among Graduate Students
The study aims to examine the relationship between procrastination and anxious symptoms among graduate students. A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed by using the convenience sampling techniques. Data were collected from 250 graduate students by using the Irrational Procrastination Scale (IPS) (Steel, 2010) and Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAS) (Spitzer et al., 2006). Procrastination showed a significant positive relationship with anxious symptoms, indicating that higher levels of procrastination were associated with greater anxiety. Additionally, procrastination was a significant positive predictor of anxious symptoms. These findings highlight the need for interventions targeting both procrastination and anxiety, suggesting the need of strategies such as time management training, stress reduction programs, and emotional regulation techniques may help to improve academic performance and psychological well-being in the targeted population.
Procrastination, Anxious Symptoms, Graduate Students, Time Management, Stress Reduction
Copyright (c) 2025 Noreena Kausar, Hamyle Javaid, Amna Ishaq https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Relationship between information seeking, health literacy, and Cyberchondria Severity: Exploring adolescent perception
The proliferation of online health information has led to a significant increase in cyberchondria, a phenomenon characterized by excessive online health searches, anxiety, and distress. Adolescents, being digital natives, are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of cyberchondria. This study aims to investigate the complex relationship between online health information seeking, health literacy, and cyberchondria severity among adolescents. A comprehensive analysis of the interplay between these variables will provide valuable insights into the factors contributing to cyberchondria and its consequences on adolescent mental health. The findings of this study will have implications for the development of evidence-based interventions to promote healthy online health information-seeking behaviors and reduce the risks associated with cyberchondria.
Cyberchondria, Health Literacy, E-Health Literacy, Online Health Information Seeking, Adolescent Health, Health Anxiety, Digital Health, Mental Health, Online Behavior, Health Communication.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sadam Hussain , Dr. M. Qamar Zaman Baber, Asif Arshad , Muhammad Khuram Shazad https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Nomophobia and Psychological Distress Among University Students
This study was aimed to explore the relationship between nomophobia and psychological distress among university students. Cross-sectional design was used in the study. Random sampling technique was used to select the sample size of 350 students from university aged 18-26 years. Measures of the study included The Nomophobia Scale (Yildirim & Correia, 2015) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). Results revealed that there is a significant positive correlation between nomophobia and psychological distress (0.44**), Moreover, regression analysis showed that nomophobia significantly predicted psychological distress. Further, significant mean differences were found in the mean scores of nomophobia and psychological distress across gender. Male students had mean score of M=93.46 as compared to the female students M=85.91 in nomophobia and similarly, higher mean scores of male students M=28.56 as compared to the mean score of female students (M=25.14) in psychological distress. These outcomes highlight the need for promotion of healthy use of smartphones and integrate both digital well-being and mental health interventions programs to decrease psychological distress among students.
Nomo Phobia, Psychological Distress, Depression, Stress, Anxiety Cross-Sectional.
Copyright (c) 2025 Noreena Kausar, Khadija Mujahid, Shaheen Imran https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Influence of Transformational Leadership Behavior of Heads on Teachers’ Pedagogical Practices
School leadership behavior plays a pivotal role in the teachers’ performance more specifically in classroom since literature and past researches exposed that his behavior is to be consider essential ingredient in influencing and motivating teachers to attain benchmarked performance. The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of transformational leadership behavior of head teachers on teachers’ pedagogical practices. The objectives of this study were to explore the transformational leadership behavior among head teachers of public secondary schools of tehsil Sargodha, to assess the relationship between transformational leadership behavior of head teachers with teachers’ pedagogical practices. In this study secondary school teachers were taken as population working in all government secondary schools of tehsil Sargodha. A sample of 232 secondary school teachers were taken and obtained their perception about the transformational leadership behavior and pedagogical practices through self-developed questionnaire. Questionnaire having mainly two parts one comprised the items about to know transformational leadership behavior of heads as perceived by secondary school teachers and other parts comprised items about their pedagogical practices. Research instrument was validated through experts’ opinions and pilot tested. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviations, frequencies percentages, and inferential statistics for instance, t-test and Pearson correlation. The behavior of head teachers was judged as per the views of secondary school teachers. On the basis of r value, inspirational motivation behavior, idealized influence behavior, and individualized consideration behavior of transformational leadership was found strongly influence on teachers’ pedagogical practices except in intellectual stimulation behavior. However, overall, a strong positive relationship between transformational leadership behavior and teachers’ pedagogical practices was exposed. It means in schools wherein secondary school teachers perceived that their head teachers exhibiting the transformational leadership behavior the pedagogical practices of teachers are good.
Transformational Leadership, Pedagogical Practices, Leadership Behavior, Head Teacher
Copyright (c) 2025 Kiran Iqbal, Ghulam Zainab Sherazi, Zunaira Fatima, Mamoona Fatima https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Exploring Students’ Perceptions and Communication Challenges in English: A Qualitative Comparison between Face-to-Face and Online Learning Environments
This study looks into how different students perceive challenges regarding English communication in online and offline learning contexts. This issue was explored qualitatively and sheds light on M.Phil. students from the University of Sargodha who asserted that face-to-face classes bolster confidence and fluency and foster spontaneous interaction because of immediate feedback and nonverbal communication. On the other hand, the flexibility and resource accessibility that online learning provided was overshadowed by the reduced interaction, technical problems, and communication-related anxiety that restricted the oral proficiency development in speech. Evidence suggests that face-to-face environments are better at promoting talking. In contrast, online environments, with adequate support structures, are better at teaching writing and organized participation. In relation to this, the blended teaching and integrated teaching frameworks should be implemented to enhance the online teaching infrastructure and online teaching frameworks for better communicative English.
English Skills, Students’ Attitudes, In Person Classes, Virtual Classes, Blended Classes, Interaction Hurdles, Combined Classes
Copyright (c) 2025 Rimsha Shehzadi, Dr Iram, Dr Uzair-ul-Hassan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Criminalizing Disinformation in Pakistan: A Constitutional Analysis of Section 26-A of PECA and Freedom of Expression
This paper analyses the constitutional implications of criminalization of disinformation under Section 26-A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 in the Pakistan. The main issue is about the conflict between state regularization of harmful online falsehoods as offence and the constitutional right of freedom of expression under Article 19. The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether Section 26-A complies with constitutional standards that has been provided as restrictions on speech, including legality, reasonableness, and proportionality. This study adopts a doctrinal research methodology. It examines the constitutional text, the language and structure of Section 26-A, keeping in due regards to the relevant principles which have been developed in the case law of superior courts of Pakistan. The analysis also looks into the academic literature on the subject of disinformation in order to clarify the conceptual and legal context of this provision. The findings of this study show that Section 26-A lacks definitional clarity, it applies broadly, and relies on speculative assessments of harmful content. The provision also authorises severe criminal sanctions without sufficient legal procedural safeguards. These features create an alarming effect on the aspect of lawful speech: specially on the journalism and lawful political discourse. This paper contributes to constitutional and cyber law scholarship through identification of the limits of criminal regularization of disinformation and through progressing a rights-consistent approach to regulate the online contents and expression in Pakistan.
Disinformation, Freedom of Expression, Section 26-A PECA, Constitutional Law, Digital Speech, Democracy
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Ans Abbas, Muhammad Rustam Abbas Tullah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Can ADR Provide Restorative Solution in the Age of Dissemination of Fake News & Social Media-Driven Conflicts in Pakistan?
The unbridled spread of misinformation and fake news on social media platforms has often triggered public unrest, religious & ethnic tensions, and personal defamation cases in Pakistan. These social media driven conflicts have often led to violent conflicts or prolonged litigation. The orthodox legal system is not potent to deal with digitally induced disputes and has struggled to provide timely, accessible and efficient resolution. The purpose of this article is to explore the growing significance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specially mediation as a proactive and restorative solution in the age of misinformation and social media-driven conflicts in Pakistan. The paper proposes a comprehensive frame-work to integrate ADR into Pakistan’s legal infrastructure while drawing comparisons from different states. It underscores that there is a need for mediator’s training in digital conflicts and state-backed policy for law enforcement to develop a culture of dialogue and to resolve the conflicts at root level when they erupt from dissemination of fake news on social media.
Alternative Dispute Resolution, Mediation, Fake news, Social Media Conflicts, Online Dispute Resolution
Copyright (c) 2025 Tanees Fatima, Dr. Engr. Sanaullah Aman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
An Analysis of the Impact of State Practice Limiting Freedom of Speech in Pakistan: A Study in the Light of United Nations Human Rights Committee`s Finding
The paper in hand will explore the rights to freedom of speech and expression which is the lifeblood of democracy, which is guaranteed by many international treaties and constitutions, as well as international conventions and treaties enshrine freedom of speech and expression as one of the fundamental human rights, before being guaranteed and codified into the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. However, despite being protected by the constitution this freedom is not absolute and needs to be limited in certain cases to maintain public order, national security and the glory of Islam. The lack of clarity in restrictions facilitates arbitrary censorship and often results in excessive restrictions, and the excess in use of executive authority and the absence of judicial independence compromising the principle of proportionality and undermining the protection of fundamental rights, along with the best recommendations of UN Human Rights Findings in the shape of general comments. The basic purpose of this research article is to explore all those modern tools of freedom of speech and expression and to rationalize limitations thereof with reference to the Article 19 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 as the world is going to enter into a new era of development.
Freedom of Speech, Fundamental Rights, Constitutional Right, Human Rights, United Nations, Integrity of Pakistan, Limitations
Copyright (c) 2025 Abdul Qayyum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Relationship between Independence of Judiciary and Protection of Human Rights
The independence of the judiciary constitutes the backbone of any democratic society and serves as a prerequisite for the protection and promotion of human rights. The safeguarding of fundamental rights is contingent upon the state’s commitment to ensuring judicial autonomy; without such guarantees, the judiciary risks being susceptible to undue influence from extraneous factors, thereby undermining its capacity to protect human rights effectively (Cheema, 2016; Khan, 2018). An independent judiciary performs a vital role in fostering a just and equitable society by upholding the rule of law, resolving disputes impartially, and ensuring accountability of both the legislature and executive. In this context, judicial independence and the protection of human rights are inseparable, representing two sides of the same coin. The judiciary’s autonomy is not merely a formal constitutional principle but the foundation upon which equitable governance rests, guaranteeing that residents’ rights are recognized, respected, and defended in accordance with both national and international legal standards.
Human Right, Independence of Judiciary, Democracy, Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Copyright (c) 2025 Mehtab Abbasi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Victims’ Rights and Criminal Justice Reform: A Critical Assessment of Victim-Centered Approaches
The position of the victims in the criminal justice systems was marginal, and they were mostly limited to the status of the witnesses during the whole twentieth century, when the state-offender relations reigned supreme. However, since the 1970s, an important paradigmatic change has been taking place which has been contributed by the rights-of-the-victims movement, the changing human rights discourses and the increasing awareness of the shortcomings of offender-based models of justice. This paper critically analyses the birth and convergence of victim-centered justice, its historical development, normative context, and the broadening of it in the context of domestic and international criminal justice systems. The paper examines the acceptance of the rights of the victims to protection, participation, information, dignity and reparations in a formal manner, outlining the important legal and procedural milestones, such as the powerful structure of the International Criminal Court. It also addresses the thorny relationship between the increased victim involvement and the structural and doctrinal guarantees of the fundamental due process in the context of the provision of the procedural agency to the victim under the adversarial systems. Restorative justice is explored as an alternative victim-based system that focuses on repairing harm, responsibility, and an inclusive conversation as it works together with the formal criminal justice systems. Using interdisciplinary literature, the article evaluates in a critical manner the assumptions of the theory, structural constraints, and ambiguities of victim-centered justice in an empirical manner. It raises the dangers of homogenizing the needs of victims, re-creating the power imbalances in institutions, and modifying the participation into a purely symbolic recognition instead of substantive impact. The article provides a conclusion that as much as victim-centered justice can be a dramatic normative development, its success requires the context-specific, enforceable, and empirical-founded systems that have the potential to really empower victims without compromising the rights of the accused and the actuality of criminal justice.
Gender Victim-Centered Justice; Victims’ Rights; Criminal Justice Reform; Restorative Justice; Due Process; Victim Participation; Procedural Justice; International Criminal Court
Copyright (c) 2025 Saba Noor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Fighting Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan: The Role of Public Policy in Addressing Contemporary Challenges
Gender-based violence (GBV) has become one of the most widespread human rights issues in Pakistan that cuts across classes, ethnicity, and geographical frontiers. Even as various progressive legislations have been passed that include the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2016), the Anti-Honor Killing Law (2016) and the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act (2011), institutional and cultural challenges still pose serious obstacles towards implementation. This paper critically looks at the public policy response to GBV in Pakistan, and specifically the women’s economic rights and inheritance (wirasat). It uses national data, governmental reports and judicial progress like the ruling of the Federal Shariat Court (2025) to indicate areas of continued enforcement failures and structural vulnerabilities. The study posits that institutional reform, allocation of resources, and cultural change are needed to keep women safe and this has to be matched by legal advancement. The conclusion of the paper is that GBV in Pakistan requires a multidimensional policy intervention that fuses legislation, judicial activism and social consciousness based on constitutional justice as well as Islamic concept of justice.
Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Public Policy, Pakistan, Women’s Rights, Inheritance (Wirasat), Law Enforcement, Gender Justice, Human Rights
Copyright (c) 2026 Haroon Khalid, Navarah Fatima https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Women Domestic Labourer in the Punjab: Exploitation, Stigma and Resilience
This study explores the layered experiences of exploitation, social stigma, and resilience among women domestic workers in Punjab, Pakistan. Despite their critical contributions to household economies, these women remain among the most marginalized and undervalued segments of the labour force. Drawing upon qualitative data from 29 in-depth interviews, this study highlights the pervasive issues faced by these women, including delayed and withheld wages, emotional and verbal abuse, sexual harassment, religion and age-based discrimination, and lack of healthcare access. Although legal instruments such as the Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 exist, enforcement remains weak, with little awareness or institutional accountability. The narratives presented in this study revealed the emotional labour and endurance of women who continue to work under oppressive conditions to support their families. By integrating primary data with scholarly literature, this study calls for comprehensive social, legal, and economic reforms to uplift and empower domestic workers and reshape societal perceptions toward domestic labour.
Gender Discrimination, Economic Vulnerability, Workplace Harassment, Labour Exploitation
Copyright (c) 2026 Fatima Khalid, Dr. Maliha Gull Tarar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The British Irrigation System: A Case Study of Lyallpur
An irrigation system is a basic requirement for cultivation of land. The roots of proper irrigation of a land piece through proper water channels from large water flows can be traced back in the ancient Egyptian civilization. In sub-continent the British initiated a plan of irrigation in order to cultivate a huge land mass comprised of province of Punjab after they took it from the Sikhs in 1849.They not only planned an advanced and state of the art canal system bur also established canal colonies. These colonies served different purposes including the settlement of new cities. Among nine canal colonies the Chenab colony was the largest in respect of covered area. A new city with the name of Lyallpur was established in 1905 to serve different purposes. Mainly to maintain the irrigating canal system and get major benefits from it. District Lyallpur become a main industrial city and textile hub of the region later on as the canal system increased both the agricultural produce which served as the raw material for the industry, and population which increased the manpower to work in fields and industry both. This paper will focus on the main objectives of British while establishing the canal colonies specially the city of Faisalabad and later developments.
Colonial Punjab, British Innovations, Development of Irrigation System, Canal Colonies, Lyallpur
Copyright (c) 2025 Shamsa Kanwal, Mansoor Ahmed, Mohammad Dilshad Mohabbat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Personalized Media Bubble: How Artificial Intelligence Shapes Audience Vision
AI or Artificial Intelligence has fundamentally determined how we perceive social media, and interact within the global digital media realm. Algorithmic systems are now basically runs by AI nearly every aspect of the daily media experience, everything from social media to news recommendations. This study investigates on how AI-based personalization impacts on audience engagement, emotional response, credibility and objectivity perception to which this theory is being called Filter Bubble Theory. The research sees on how AI can now understand and generate content and also at the same time AI is controlling the users’ desires while controlling their access to different perspective, thus forming ideological spectacles and political conflict. This research also explores the severe consequences of AI developed content, including fake media (deepfakes) with respect to trust in audiences; authenticity; media literacy and behavior related aspects and the mental state. Through using multiple analysis method of surveys, interviews and platform data, the research seeks to outline the relationship between AI personalization and political segregation in Pakistan’s digital public eyes. The results will provide somewhat of insights into ethical, psychological and social implications of this AI systematic control, with concrete recommendations for transparency or accounts on AI generated content and required digital rights frameworks to make it more open and responsible digital environment.
AI Role, Personalized Media Bubble, Audience Vision, Filter Bubble Theory
Copyright (c) 2025 Umar Keen, Dr. Wajid Zulqarnain, Dr. Muhammad Riaz Raza https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
CEDAW and the State of Pakistan: Compliance Analysis
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) constitutes the principal international legal framework for addressing gender-based discrimination. Pakistan ratified CEDAW in 1996 following prolonged political hesitation influenced by socio- cultural, religious, and legal concerns. Despite ratification, the effective implementation of CEDAW remains contested due to legal pluralism, weak enforcement mechanisms, and persistent societal resistance. This article critically examines Pakistan’s compliance with CEDAW by analyzing the historical context of ratification, the constitutional and legislative framework, judicial engagement with international norms, and the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms. Employing a qualitative doctrinal methodology, the study further adopts a comparative perspective by examining selected Muslim-majority jurisdictions. The article argues that while Pakistan has developed an extensive body of women-protective legislation and courts have increasingly relied on CEDAW in constitutional interpretation, compliance remains largely formal rather than substantive. The persistent gap between law and practice continues to undermine the realization of gender equality. The study concludes that meaningful compliance requires harmonization of family laws, strengthened enforcement, enhanced public awareness, and sustained political commitment.
Women’s Rights, Pakistan, Gender Equality, Constitutional Law, Judicial Interpretation, Comparative Human Rights Law
Copyright (c) 2025 Usman Ali Bajwa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Digital Mysterium: Non-Knowledge, Algorithmic Opacity, and Power in Digital Cultures
The dominant narrative in the digital era promotes complete transparency and knowledge as intrinsic values, while portraying anything that is not known, opaque, or excluded as a deficiency that needs to be eradicated. This article challenges that paradigm. We argue that within contemporary digital ecosystems, non-knowledge has been fundamentally reconfigured from a passive lack into an active, structural and productive force, constitutive of digital cultures themselves. The very technologies like opaque algorithms, immense data sets, and pervasive surveillance infrastructures that aim to eliminate uncertainty designed to eradicate uncertainty paradoxically generate profound, systemic forms of non-knowledge. This condition, which we term the “Digital Mysterium,” is characterized by epistemic opacity and automated decision-making that exceeds human hermeneutic capacity. Through a conceptual analysis drawing on Foucault, Luhmann, and critical digital studies, we examine key manifestations of this Mysterium: the opacity paradox of platforms, the rise of “strategic non-knowledge” in data governance, and the commodification of knowledge into sterile “traces.” Our findings, illustrated by the case of “Information Tailors” within data economies, demonstrate that power now operates less through the accumulation of knowledge and more through the strategic orchestration of the unknown. Consequently, we contend that critique must evolve from a hermeneutics of suspicion to an immanent practice capable of navigating and challenging these regimes of non-knowledge. Understanding this shift is essential for rethinking agency, accountability, and epistemology in 21st-century digital society
Disability, PWDs, Human Rights Model, Social Model, Medical Model, UNCRPD, Equality, Social Inclusion
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Ifra Iftikhar, Prof. Dr. Sajjad Ahmad Paracha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
A Critical Study of the Disability Models prevailing in Pakistani Legislation
Disability is increasingly recognized as a central concern of human rights law, yet in Pakistan its legal treatment has historically been shaped by welfare and medical perspectives. The medical model, dominant in earlier legislation such as Disabled Persons (Employment and Rehabilitation) Ordinance 1981 visualises PWDs as persons needing charity, rehabilitation, or healthcare rather than being entitled to rights or protections under the law. The social model advanced inclusion by identifying societal barriers remained limited in providing enforceable legal protections. This article critically examines these competing approaches and evaluates the suitability of the human-rights model within Pakistan’s contemporary legal framework. The study adopts a doctrinal and comparative approach, drawing on disability rights theory and international human rights law to evaluate how disability has been conceptualized and the extent to which national practices reflect international standards, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The analysis demonstrates that while elements of both the medical and social models remain visible, they fail to address the deeper challenges of accountability, implementation, and recognition of PWDs as rights-holders. The article concludes that the human-rights model provides the most comprehensive and sustainable framework, as it guarantees civil, political, social, and economic rights while securing dignity, equality, and autonomy, and offers enforceable entitlements essential for advancing inclusive development in Pakistan.
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Naveed ur Rehman, Dr. Amir Mahmood, Farhana Aziz, Shakil Ahmad Khan, Asma Rehman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Pakistani Youth in Cyber Communities: Opportunities & Challenges
The paper investigates the participatory nature of Pakistani energy-young through cyber community, their behavioral trend and social activities along with social cultural implications about the cyber existence. With the speed of digitalization in Pakistan, young people are spending more and more time in cyberspace in terms of entertainment, education, activism, and the construction of identity. The study of diversity has used the qualitative approach, leading to the data collected from 45 respondents of different age background and geographic locations were collected during the in-depth interviews. The findings are about opportunities and vulnerabilities of the youth in the cyberspace, exposure to online frauds, emotional manipulation, and digital exploitation, and also about resilience and cyber empowerment. This paper highlights the importance of increased digital literacy, improved laws on cybercrimes, and services as a way of making Pakistani young people have safer online experiences. The article also extends the debate of digital youth behavior in developing countries and provides relevant suggestions to the policymakers, educators, and online platforms.
Digital Communities, Cyber Safety, Social Networking Skills, Virtual Exploitation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sajjad Ali, Dr. Maliha Gull Tarar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Climate Justice and Human Rights: A Comparative Legal Study of Pakistan and the United States
In the face of potential threats and risks to human rights from the catastrophic climate crisis, there is a global trend to outline environmental policy frameworks through the lens of human rights and justice. The disproportionate burdens of environmental degradation by economically vulnerable communities highlight the inevitable need for effective climate justice frameworks. Following the global trend, developing nations as well as developed nations are struggling for an efficient environmental justice framework for themselves. These frameworks are influenced by their distinct political scenarios, legislative initiatives, extent of judicial activism, and other local factors. Comparing such distinct backgrounds would be highly beneficial in understanding the development of the environmental justice framework around the globe. This study is an endeavor to comparatively analyze the frameworks of Pakistan and the United States by evaluating how this nation conceptualizes and implements environmental rights. This study mainly examines the constitutions, major statutory laws, and landmark judicial decisions regarding the development of environmental justice in these countries. It comparatively examines the two frameworks and highlights the major divergences as well as convergences between the two. In the end, it recommends reciprocal lessons for each country from the experience and expertise of the other. Ultimately, by comparing the environmental justice framework of a developed nation like the United States and an environmentally vulnerable developing nation like Pakistan, this study aims to contribute to the global discourse on climate justice.
Climate Change, Climate Justice, Human Rights, Global Warming
Copyright (c) 2025 Masood Khan, Muhammad Iqbal, Srikanto Mondal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Environmental Determinants of Prisoner Well-Being: Evidence from Correctional Facilities in Punjab, Pakistan
This research explores the relationship that exists between prison environment and the well-being of the prisoners within District jail Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan. Study underscores the effects of the psychological factors on the lived experiences of prisoners in jails, which have been shown to be more than mere places of imprisonment. Congestion, absence of healthcare, hygiene and old-fashioned punitive practices continue to affect the Pakistani jails despite the international standard of treating people with care and rehabilitation. It was based on a quantitative study, where 400 inmates were surveyed and then conclusions were made using a set of questions. It evaluated only psychological well-being of inmates and examined such significant elements of the environment as safety and security, social climate, staff-inmate relationships, rehabilitation programs, and access to spiritual services. Statistical tools were used to establish significant associations and predictors of well-being, including regression and correlation studies. The population density and act of violence minimized the positive impacts of vital supplies on the physical condition, including food, water, hygiene, and healthcare. Their mental and hope as well as reintegration plans were heavily supported by upholding family bonds via counseling, phone calls, and visits. This research fills an important gap in the empirical study on prisons in Pakistan because of its findings and recommendations to policymakers. It proposes reforms that will facilitate actual rehabilitation and will reduce recidivism by the transfer of structural systems that are punitive to systems founded on respect, care, and human rights.
Prison Conditions, Mental Health, Reform, Rehabilitation, Punjab, Pakistan And Correctional Institutions.
Copyright (c) 2025 Iram Shahzadi, Dr. Zarqa Azhar, Aliza Afzal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The Rhizomatic Enforcement of Jus Cogens: A Critical Appraisal through Doctrinal, TWAIL, and Postcolonial Lenses
The structural incapacity of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to enforce jus cogens norms, non‑derogable peremptory principles prohibiting genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, has exposed a legitimacy crisis at the heart of the international legal order. This article offers a two‑pronged intervention. First, it elaborates a rhizomatic enforcement model, drawing on Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy to envision decentralized, non‑hierarchical networks of states, civil society, and regional bodies capable of operationalizing jus cogens when traditional forums are paralyzed. Second, it subjects this model to rigorous critique through Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) and postcolonial theory, interrogating colonial continuities, epistemic violence, and the reproduction of Eurocentric hierarchies. The doctrinal foundation rests on Articles 25, 53, and 103 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) and the United Nations Charter, alongside ICJ jurisprudence in The Gambia v. Myanmar. Empirical anchors include the Global “Magnitsky” sanctions network, the UN General Assembly’s Uniting for Peace emergency session on Ukraine (2022), and NATO humanitarian interventions. The study concludes by proposing decolonial adjustments, epistemic pluralism, rotational leadership, restorative reciprocity, and reflexive oversight, to transform the rhizome into a genuinely counter‑hegemonic instrument.
Jus Cogens Enforcement, Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), Postcolonial Critique of International Law, Decentralized Legal Enforcement Models, Rhizomatic Governance, Epistemic Violence in International Law, Global Governance and Counter-Hegemony, Restorative Justice in International Law, Non-Hierarchical Legal Frameworks, International Legal Pluralism
Copyright (c) 2025 Ghalib Naseer, Ghulam Murtaza https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Sanctions Imposed by the United Nations: An Analysis of Legal Challenges
The United Nations Security Council uses sanctions as one of its primary instruments to maintain or restore international peace and security. These measures — ranging from comprehensive economic embargoes to targeted asset freezes, travel bans, and sectoral restrictions — are imposed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Although presented as alternatives to military action, sanctions frequently raise serious legal challenges concerning state sovereignty, compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law, proportionality, due process, and the absence of independent judicial review. The shift from comprehensive to “smart” or targeted sanctions was intended to minimise civilian harm, yet even targeted measures have been widely criticised for violating fundamental rights. Using doctrinal legal analysis and case studies of Iran, North Korea, and the 1267 counter-terrorism regime, this article examines the persistent tension between the Security Council’s supra-national authority and rule-of-law principles, concluding that meaningful reforms in transparency, accountability, and judicial oversight remain essential.
United Nations Sanctions, Chapter VII, Smart Sanctions, Human Rights, Due Process, Proportionality, State Sovereignty, Judicial Review, Kadi Jurisprudence, Security Council Reform.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Bilal https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Supervisory Practices and Students’ Professional Development: An Empirical Study of Social Work Field Education in Punjab
Social work field education is considered the signature pedagogy which provides students with necessary opportunities to combine theoretical learning with the practice. Supervision is an important process in field work practice that can help social work students to attain professionalism. The present research analyzes how supervisory practices are used to improve the professional skills of social work students in Punjab, Pakistan. The current study is cross sectional in nature. By employing quantitative research technique 220 students of BS social work were selected from all the four public sector universities of Punjab where BS in social work was being offered. Proportionate random sampling method was applied to select the respondents and a standardized questionnaire was adapted for collection of data. Moreover, to determine the relationship between supervisory practices and development of professional skills, simple linear regression was applied. The results revealed that, supervisory practices were highly significant in terms of professional skills development among the students. The results highlighted that students demonstrated increased competency levels in many aspects e.g. time management, ethical decision making, communicating with clients, and applying theory to practice. With these findings in mind, it is advisable that the universities would establish structured and consistent coordination with field agencies and trainings of internal and external supervisors would facilitate the production of competent social work professionals in Pakistan.
Supervisory Practices, Professional skills Development, Field Education, time management, ethical decision-making, client communication.
Copyright (c) 2025 Navarah Fatima, Dr. Tahira Jabeen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Factors Affecting Health Outcomes among Hepatitis Patients in Pakistan
This paper examined factors affecting health outcomes among hepatitis B and C Patients. The study analysed health literacy, cultural competence, disease related stigma, health practices, health behaviour, and media advocacy variables to see their effects on health outcome. This study recruited 399 hepatitis patients registered for the hepatitis treatment in three different public sector hospitals. The study revealed that three independent variables health literacy, cultural competence, and disease related stigma has direct effects on health-related outcomes among hepatitis patients. It has also been found that health practices and health behaviour has been playing role of path variable to affect the patient related health outcomes.
Health Literacy, Health Practices, Cultural Competence, Disease Related Stigma, Health Behaviour, Health outcomes, Hepatitis
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Aminullah, Dr. Akhlaq Ahmad, Dr Zaheer Abbas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Tracing the Durand Line: Assessing the International Border between Pakistan and Afghanistan
The Durand Line, marking the international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was established in 1893 through an agreement between the British Indian government and Afghanistan’s ruler, Amir Abdur Rahman Khan. Its purpose was to define spheres of influence and maintain stability in a complex region. The agreement was later confirmed in 1905, 1919, and 1930 by successive Afghan rulers, which reinforced its legal and administrative validity. Despite this, after Pakistan gained independence in 1947, Afghanistan began to challenge the legitimacy of the Durand Line. Afghanistan argued that territories west of the line, reaching up to the Indus River, had historically been part of its empire and therefore should remain under Afghan sovereignty. These claims were frequently raised in international discussions, with Afghanistan suggesting that the agreement no longer held after the end of British rule. Pakistan has consistently rejected these claims, asserting that the Durand Line remains a recognised international border. The government stresses that historical treaties, supported by decades of administrative practice, confirm its status. Beyond legal arguments, the dispute carries human and social dimensions, as the line divides Pashtun communities across both sides, creating challenges for local populations and regional security.This research paper aims to explore the Durand Line in depth, examining its historical origins, legal standing, and political implications. By reviewing archival treaties, official confirmations, and the perspectives of both Pakistan and Afghanistan, the study seeks to provide a balanced, evidence-based understanding. The goal is to clarify whether the Durand Line can be regarded as the established international frontier or if Afghanistan’s objections have historical and legal weight. In doing so, the paper attempts to present not just a legal analysis but also the human and regional realities tied to this longstanding border dispute.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ayesha Asim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Wrongful Convictions: A Comparative and Critical Analysis of Police Induced Confessions and Judicial Pressure in Pakistan and USA.
This paper presents a comparative analysis of wrongful conviction in both Pakistan and the United States in particular based on two main systemic causative factors; the presence of coerced (police-induced) confessions and the presence of external-pressure on the justice system. Even though the legal tradition of the two countries is dissimilar such as, Pakistan’s hybrid common-law and Islamic-law system compared to the adversarial common-law system of the United States of America, both countries show spectacular similarities in the mechanisms that result in miscarriages of justice. Based on a comprehensive literature review, seminal cases, and direct empirical evidence gathered with the help of structured questionnaires which were distributed among 45 stakeholders in Quetta, Balochistan including lawyers, judges, law professors, police officers and victims/exonerees, the present study would help to identify the leading and interrelated factors contributing to wrongful convictions as well as the ways in which investigative misconduct can trickle down to invalid frames of trial fairness. The results/findings would indicate that wrongful convictions are not merely the cases of judicial mistakes but rather foreseeable outcomes of the institutional vices and that the reforms to both the United States and Pakistan such as obligatory electronic tape records of interrogations, higher evidentiary requirements in confessions, stronger political and media insulation of the judicial authorities, and non-coercive methods, as well as a solid legal-aid structure may rehabilitate confidence among public in rule of law and prevent grave miscarriage of justice which result in convicting an innocent while the guilty is left to roam freely.
Wrongful, Conviction, Crime, Victims, Exoneration
Copyright (c) 2025 Farah Iqbal Minhas, Shah Muhammad Zarkoon https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Framing Of Political Parties in Urdu Press of Pakistan: A Comparative Study of General Elections 2013 & 2018
This study centers on the framing of politics major parties in the Urdu press of Pakistan during the polls of 2013 and 2018 by means of a comparative analysis and the newspapers' role in constructing political narratives, shaping public opinion and influencing electoral discourse. Political Communication and Framing Theory are the bases for the research which employs a quantitative content analysis of news reports, editorials, and columns of opinion from leading Urdu dailies like Jang, Nawa-i-Waqt, and Express Issue framing, attribution framing, and valence framing are the different dimensions through which the study is revealing the turning points in the media portrayal of the elections in the two different periods. The results indicate that the Urdu press in the election of 2013 preferred establishment narratives that were friendly and offered relatively positive coverage for a few parties and at the same time portraying others through themes of governance being incompetent or weak. However, the polarisation of the 2018 election coverage was extreme as accusations of corruption, debates on accountability, and perceptions of economic stability were the main factors that determined the political identity of the major actors. These transformations have shown that the press had a hand in political realities being created rather than just reporting events neutrally. The media did increase political awareness but also amplified partisan divides and through selective framing, alternative political voices were pushed to the margins. The research emphasizes the double effect of political framing in the Urdu press: on the one hand, it increased democratic participation and, on the other hand, it allowed for narrative manipulation and political bias. Providing a rare longitudinal comparison of two major election races, the study contributes to the academic knowledge of the media–politics interactions in Pakistan and indicates a need for journaling neutrality and media literacy training to ensure that democratic participation is based on informed choices.
Media Framing, Urdu Press, Political Communication, General Elections 2013, General Elections 2018, Political Parties, Valence Framing, Issue Framing, Pakistan Media, Electoral Narratives.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sadam Hussain, Dr. Abdul Wajid Khan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
From Structural Violence to Legal Accountability: Realising Article 19 of the CRC in Pakistan
This article critically examines Pakistan's persistent failure to fulfil its binding obligations under Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, which requires protection from all forms of physical and mental violence. More than three decades after ratification, violence persist in homes, schools, workplaces, communities and online. Using General Comment No. 13 (2011) as the interpretive lens, the article undertake a doctrinal and policy analysis of constitutional and statutory text, case law, and institutional reports, and assesses practice against the four interlocking pillars of prohibition, prevention, protection and participation. It identifies three entrenched flaws sustaining non- compliance: 1) legislative fragmentation between federal and provincial regimes ; 2) weak, under-resourced institutions compounded by chronic fiscal neglect; and 3) socio-cultural norms that legitimize corporal punishment, child labour, early marriage, and other harmful practices. Empirical data underscores both prevalence and long-term public health harms. The article concludes with a rights- based reform agenda centered on absolute legal bans, prevention-first strategies, survivor-centred services, mandatory training for all professional working with children, meaningful child participation,and ring-fenced public financing.
CRC; Article 19; General Comment No. 13 (2011); Violence against children; Pakistan; Corporal punishment.
Copyright (c) 2025 Qurat-ul-Ain, Dr. Samia Maqbool Niazi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
The International Clearing House (ICH) as a Case Study in Regulatory Overlap and Jurisdictional Conflict in Pakistan: A Critical Evaluation
This article addresses an important and complex issue in Pakistani regulatory law: the jurisdictional overlap between sectorial regulators using the International Clearing House (ICH) case as a test scenario. This paper critically examines the issue of regulatory overlap and jurisdictional conflict in Pakistan by using the International Clearing House (ICH) case as a lens through which to assess the boundaries between the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and sector-specific regulators, particularly the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Drawing upon doctrinal legal analysis, the study explores the extent to which the Competition Act, 2010 should prevail over sectoral regulatory statutes when both claim concurrent jurisdiction. It reviews the ICH arrangement initiated by PTA and supported by the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) and deliberates upon the comparison of the powers of the Competition Commission of Pakistan viz-a-viz all other regulatory authorities prevailing in the country and also scrutinizes the conflicts of law between the regulatory statutes that are all concurrently applicable. It deliberates upon the question of the prevailing law in these circumstances in terms of being the most suitable to be applicable so as to avoid any conflict of both statute and jurisdiction. It critically evaluates the decision of the Competition Commission of Pakistan in regards to the proposed International Housing Clearance Exchange (ICH) Arrangement. The main findings of this article are that the Commission is the primary regulatory authority that exclusively deals with matters regarding unfair competition practices. However, in certain matters, it may share jurisdiction with other regulatory authorities such as the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. When it came to the matter of the ICH Exchange Arrangement as an alternative to paying Access Promotion Contributions to the Universal Service Fund, it was given a regulatory framework via the Ministry of Information Technology’s Policy Directive dated 13th August 2012, however so as to comply with the recommendations of the PTA and also due to the decision of the Commission deeming it detrimental to fair marketing practices as it was undoubtedly creating a cartel, the MoIT revised the original regulatory scheme by issuing its Policy Directive dated 17th June 2014. The methodology used in this paper is doctrinal.
Corporate Law, Commercial Law, Competition Commission of Pakistan, International Clearing House, Long Distance International Operators, Access Promotion Contribution, Universal Service Fund, Regulatory Overlap, Policy Coordination, Cartelization.
Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Ayub Bhatti , Dr. Muhammad Akbar Khan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0
Jurisprudential Status of Digital Evidence in Pakistan while Courts’ Interpretation of Article 164, Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984
This study investigates the jurisprudential status and evidentiary value of digital evidence within Pakistan’s legal framework, focusing on judicial interpretation of Article 164 of the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984. The research explores how courts have responded to the challenges posed by electronic and digital evidence in both criminal and civil proceedings. Using a qualitative doctrinal approach, it examines relevant legislation, including the Electronic Transactions Ordinance 2002 and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, alongside significant judicial precedents. The study finds that while Pakistani courts have gradually recognized the admissibility of electronic evidence under Article 164, they remain cautious in granting it the same probative value as traditional forms of evidence. Issues such as authentication, chain of custody, and forensic verification continue to influence judicial attitudes. The paper concludes that although legislative recognition has evolved, procedural shortcomings and limited technical expertise hinder the consistent application of digital evidence as primary proof. It recommends judicial training, forensic capacity-building, and clearer evidentiary standards to ensure effective integration of digital evidence in Pakistan’s legal system. This article examines how Pakistani courts have treated digital/electronic evidence under Article 164 of the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order QSO, 1984. It traces statutory and regulatory developments including ETO 2002 and PECA 2016, analyses leading judicial decisions to determine whether digital evidence is now treated as primary or secondary evidence and assesses jurisprudential trends and evidentiary standards applied by trial and superior courts. The article concludes with doctrinal observations and pragmatic recommendations to strengthen the probative value and procedural handling of digital evidence in Pakistan.
Digital evidence, Electronic Evidence; Article 164, Qanun-e-Shahadat Order 1984, ETO 2002, PECA 2016, Pakistan, Admissibility; Probative Value.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fazail Asrar Ahmed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0