UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB
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Political institutions, Growth and Development in Pakistan (2008 - 2013)
No full textThis paper deals with empirical facts regarding political institutions, growth and development in Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. There are two aims of this study, first to understand the nature of political institutions in Pakistan and second their impact on socio-political and economic growth that lead to development. Institution may be defined as a mechanism, organization, body, or company where people work collectively for any constructive objective that could lead the country as a whole towards development. It is very difficult to provide any definition for the understanding of political institutions. For the paper we can define, Political institutions are institutions that seek authority through legitimacy, enforce laws, and punish the transgressor. It includes political parties, legislature, executive and judiciary. After having sensible political institutions one can think about growth, that is an evolutionary process for change. The change is development. Therefore, Pakistan is one of the countries in the world where so-called1 political institutions are working for the growth and development of few individuals, few families, few media channels and few religious groups. Although it has been everywhere in the world but intensity of pragmatism makes the political institutions fruitful. It follows with growth anddevelopment with same intensity. Thus, Pakistan needs realistic political institutions that believe in the growth of a common person and development of the whole. Individualistic and holistic theories are used for understanding the whole phenomenon
Sectarian Conflicts: A dominant threat to Pakistan’s Internal Security
No full textThe major threat Pakistan today faces is militant extremism. Militant extremism has serious repercussions particularly for Pakistani society and state and generally for global security. Religious militancy at present poses a potential threat to security of Pakistan. Militant groups both local (Taliban) and foreign (AlQaeda) have spread to the settled areas of Pakistan. Different sectarian groups have now become a part of their network. These groups with their mutual understanding have been initiating various acts of religious terrorism. These militants have created fear amongst people through initiating indiscriminate suicide attacks leading to the killings of innocent individuals. Thepolitical, economic and social conditions of Pakistan have further fueled religious extremism in Pakistani society. The aim of the study is to delineate the emergence of sectarianism more forcefully during General Zia-Ul-Haq’s era and increase in the rate of sectarian violence after 9/11 incidents throughout Pakistan; suggest various strategies to counter the menace of sectarianism
Conditional Influence of Media: Media Credibility and Opinion Formation
No full textThis study explores the relationship between media usage, credibility, and political opinion formation among educated Pakistani youth. The relationship is studied under the premise that as trust plays an important role in many all areas of social life, it will influence the opinion of the audience. Following the same logic the study proposed that trust in media would facilitate media’s effectiveness in formation of opinion. Findings show that the in heavy viewing of TV news channels does not have any relationship with the way people perceive the credibility of the channels and it also does not affect the opinion making process, the perceived credibility of the media is a more important factor in the formation of political opinion
An Analytical Study of Pakistan’s Policy Toward Afghanistan Before the Taliban’s Rise
No full textPakistan and Afghanistan are interlocked into numerous connections ranging from geographical proximity, ethnic religious commonalities to historical experiences. But no harmony of interests or shared strategic considerations for the region and the world as well could take place. From the outset Pakistan aspired to have friendly relations with Afghanistan. Since 1947 Afghanistan had been supporting Pakhtun separatists due to its denial of legality of the Durand line.To meet the challenges emanating from Afghan governments’ hostilities, a shift in Pakistan’s policy towards Afghanistan occurred when in the 1970s, it created links with a number of Afghan Islamists opposition leaders. In 1980s, these links fully matured with a new dimension to force a communist super power Soviet Union for its retreat from the backyard of Pakistan. Since then Pakistan has actively remained engaged with Afghan affairs. This study analyzes various phases and perspectives on Pakistan’s Policy towards a strategically important country, with which Pakistan’s peace and stability are divinely bound due to its geographical vicinity, racial, ethnic and religious intricacies
Police Order 2002: A Critique
No full textPakistan inherited police law from British and there was a need to change it according the requirements of the new state. A number of committees and commissions were formed to reform the police but their recommendations could not be implemented. Military government of Pervez Musharraf took it on itself to bring reform in policing and promulgated Police Order 2002 replacing the colonial Police Act 1861 with an aim to make police a truly professional, service oriented, operationally autonomous and democratically accountable organization. The new law introduced some new institutions of public oversight and accountability of police at district, provincial and national levels. These include Public Safety Commissions and Police Complaint Authorities. Members of these institutions are to be taken from law makers and civil society. Through these institutions a system of accountability of police by independent bodies was introduced on the one hand and the police was insulated from political interference on the other. Some objections were raised on the Police Order by provinces and civil society members. Under the pressure from the provinces, some basic amendments were made in the law in 2004 which diluted the authority of oversight bodies and increased the role of executive bureaucracy and politicians in key police appointments
Reconceptualising Domestic Violence as ‘Domestic Torture’
No full textThis paper attempts to capture the efforts of those feministscholars, who call for the expansion of the human right law’snorm of torture prohibition, to encompass domestic violenceagainst women incidents (McQuigg, 2011: 6). It also assessesthe prospects to explore whether certain aggravated forms ofdomestic violence against women could make a qualifying case for torture. It seeks to propose that certain acts of domestic violence, particularly those having atrocious elements, would fall into the ambit of torture, as defined in human right law. The comparison between two types of violence will be helpful in deepening the understanding of the true nature of brutalities involved in the abuse that occurs within the home. Once recognised as torture, the ‘privacy’ andthe ‘normalcy’ aspect of domestic violence against women will be challenged and be more open to scrutiny. It will no longer be deemed as an issue outside of state intrusion, it would rather be universalised and accordingly receive the attention it deserves
State Assembly Elections in India-2011: West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala
No full textThe governments which worked are getting rewarded by being voted back to power, while those with poor record on developmental work have got the beating from the people. It is a clear indication that people instead of rhetoric, want ‘economic growth’ and ‘good governance.’ They have begun to measure their economic gain when they are in the process of selecting a political party and pressing the button at the polling booth. This is a good sign of further strengthening democratic process in India
Nuclear/Radiological Terrorism: Myth or Reality?
No full textThe nuclear/radiological terrorism ostensibly added the specter of nuclear attack by terrorist groups in our collective consciousness. The careful study of nuclear material acquisition and steps involved in manufacturing and exploding nuclear/radiological device manifest that nuclear terrorism is a cumbersome task. It becomes more difficult, if the terrorist organization manages to get a hold on nuclear weapon and try to use it, due to the inbuilt device code systems. Conversely, even if the terrorist’s are unable to decode the device security codes, they would be able to create indescribable psychological fear among the people. In addition numerous methods are available to the terrorist groups for conducting radiological/nuclear terrorism. Though we have no precedent of nuclear terrorism, yet its possibility does not cease to exist
India versus China: A review of the Aksai Chin border dispute
No full textChina and India have a border dispute over the Aksai Chin region which is situated between the Chinese selfgoverning regions of Xinjiang and Tibet. It has been claimed by India as part of Ladakh section of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The high-altitude barren plateau of Aksai Chin is almost unpopulated and has a small number of natural resources. Both countries fought a brief war in 1962 over the disputed land culminating in the Chinese victory. After long stalemate, on 7 September 1993, China and India signed an agreement to decrease stress along with their borders. Meanwhile, on 2 March 1963, Pakistan conceded its northern claim line in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir to China in favor of a more southerly boundary along the Karakoram Range. The extinction of this boundary at the Karakoram Pass on the Chinese line of control suggests that Pakistan recognizes Chinese sovereignty over Aksai Chin
Threat of Extremism &Terrorist Syndicate beyond FATA
No full textThe extremism in FATA has been shaped by historical events of the recent and distant past. In the aftermath of 9/11, it facilitated in the formation of transnational terrorist syndicate, which has severe internal and external repercussions for Pakistan’s national interest. The law enforcement agencies have been failing to combat the menace of terrorism effectively due to local and foreign Taliban; Al Qaeda, the Islamic Jihad Union, etc, radicalized recruits popular, political and physical sanctuaries in FATA. This necessitates that Islamabad ought to revise itscounterterrorism strategy according to the demands of the asymmetrical warfar