UNIVERSITY OF THE PUNJAB
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Cultural Map of China and Baluchistan in Context of China Pakistan Economic Corridor
No full textCultural diversity is a significant factor in the globalized world today. Inadequateaccommodation of cultural diversity may lead towards conflict (Jiang, 2011). Therespective qualitative study is an attempt to explore the cultural diversity ofBaluchistan and China in context of China Pakistan Economic Corridor to attain aclear insight. The culture of Baluchistan has a few characteristics which are differentfrom rest of Pakistan (Amjad and Shah, 2011). Hence there is a wide gap ofknowledge on the account of how these two-different cultures will assimilate toprovide a successful collaboration
Conflict Management and Good Governance in Pakistan: Lessons from Germany
No full textPakistan, like many post-colonial states, is still grappling with the issuesencompassing the whole range of governance and the unresolved conflicts threatening the lives of millions of people. As a fragile state with multiple domestic and external security challenges, the issue of good governance is central to the existence of ethnic, sectarian, political and resource based conflicts in Pakistan. Several governments in the recent past expressed their resolve to strive for good governance but in reality such commitments never went beyond statements, promises and rhetoric. The question arises: can foreign assistance help achieve the goal of good governance in Pakistan? What is the role and involvement of Germany in the sphere of providing technical expertise to Pakistan in the area of good governance
Can and “should” Qualitative Research Be ValueFree? Understanding the Epistemological Tussle between Positivists and Interpretivists1
No full textThis paper seeks to address the question of value-free research in qualitativemethods. The primary argument of the paper is that qualitative research is notvalue-free because it is not intended to be as such. It analyzes this question bytracing the roots of qualitative research at the ontological and epistemologicallevel. It argues that qualitative research tradition has evolved out of constructivism and interpretivism both of which prioritize people’s interpretation and discount objectivity in social science research. Furthermore, the paper argues that social science research cannot be value-free because of strong ethical considerations. All the cases presented in the paper will fundamentally try to show that all qualitative research is essentially subjective not just because of the impediments but because it is not designed to be value-free
Desiring Enemy: An Ontological Reading of the Military Operations and Small Wars on the North West Frontier
No full textIn the wake of the War on Terror, Pakistan carried out several military operations on its Northwestern frontier. These operations invited considerable amount of academic and non-academic scholarship. However, much of what was written was from geostrategic perspective. Therefore, the question whether these small wars could be anything more than geo-strategy went unattended. The aim of this essay is to attend to this question by exploring the ontological dimension of war. From the perspective of Hegelian philosophy, states do not engage in wars just for strategic purpose, but also for encountering and seeking alterity in order to maintain their coherent self (the statehood). Alterity is imagined, created and engendered to strengthen the coherence of self, rather than at the outright elimination of the Other/enemy. In this line of argument, the so-called small wars on the Northwestern frontier—of present and of colonial past—can be seen as ontological project of the state maintaining the coherence of state, honor of the army, and ―the enlightened moderation‖ of the people
A Study of the Composition of Federal Cabinets in Pakistan: 1947-1977
No full textThe present study highlights different appointment criteria to Cabinet, adopted by various heads of the State under different systems of Government from 1947 to 1977. This paper also examines the role and status of Inner or Kitchen Cabinet during the period of this research study. It further highlights what social groups were represented in the Cabinet and in what proportion? It challenges the general perception that mostly feudal lords got Cabinet seats. Socio-economic analysis in this regard has revealed that professionals rather than feudal lords mainly remained in majority and other groups including civil and military bureaucracy, industrialists and businessmen were also appointedon important portfolios. The period of research study has been divided into three phases to analyse the social background of the Ministers and appointment criteria to the Cabinet i.e. first parliamentary period from 1947 to 1958, military regime from 1958 to 1971 and Second Parliamentary era from 1971 to 1977
Pakistan and the Geopolitics of Supply Routes to Afghanistan
No full textUneasy lies the head that wears a crown and due to significant geostrategic location of Pakistan its foreign policy, at the out set, remained a tight rope walk for the decision makers at the helm of affairs. This paper explores geostrategic significance of Pakistan in the context of NATO supply routes to Afghanistan.After 9/11 Pakistan became frontline state in the global war against Al-Qaida and its affiliates along the Durand Line. One of the big contributions of Pakistan in this war was its allowing the NATO to use its routes for supply to Afghanistan. Pakistan has provided cheapest and shortest supply routes to NATO forces inAfghanistan. The supply routes through Pakistan are popularly known as Southern Distribution Network while other routes through Russia and Central Asia are called as Northern Distribution Network. No doubt NATO has establishedalternative routes to Pakistan but they are replete with a host of risks and challenges. NATO efforts are underway to lessen its footprint in Afghanistan and the post 2014 scenario in that landlocked country still lies in smoky cribs. It will be useful to gauge the geostrategic and economic importance of Pakistan by comparing Southern Distribution Network with Northern Distribution Network. If Washington strengthens its relations with Islamabad, Pakistan is the best option with the US for supply and withdrawal of goods from Afghanistan. Weathergeostrategic location of a nation state is an asset or a liability depends on the approach of its leadership if the decision makers give priority to national interests the it is an asset otherwise it is like oil, devil`s excrement
The Muslims of India: Policies and Practices
No full textThe Indian Muslims have been facing serious setbacks since the independence despite the Indian government declared to have secular system. In many domains of life, the Indian Muslims are being deprived of their legal rights. Having profound percentage of the population, they played excellent role in divergent fields of life but their services are hardly appreciated by their governments
Studying Political Elite in Pakistan: Power Relations in Research
No full textThis article details the ethical, social and political dilemmas that a researcher has to face in studying the political elite. It is argued that the all too common assumption about the vulnerability, thus need to protection, of research participants does not hold true in research with powerful political elite. Political elite have powers to determine, among other things, some fundamental research processes such as who studies them, how they are studied and for how long, rendering the researcher vulnerable in the researcher-researched relationship. It is suggested that the standard research method courses and research ethics protocols need to take intoaccount and adapt to this reversal of power relationship
Contending Ethnic Identities: An Issue to Pakistan’s Internal Security (The case of Karachi)
No full textIntra-ethnic conflict is an inevitable feature of plural societies. The presence of diverse ethnic groups poses an acute threat to Pakistan’s internal security. The uneven political, economic and social growth of these ethnies also accompanies the deteriorating situation especially in the city of Karachi. The deeply entrenched ethnic animosity, sectarian interests of religious elites and mutilated political leadership has plunged Karachi into a vortex of endless violence. The main argument of the present article is that there is a direct connection between political elite, ethnic parties and criminal gangs in Karachi. The article also highlighted various factors, influencing intra-ethnic warfare in Karachi
Good Governance and Police Administration in Pakistan
No full textFor a police organization that meets the needs of its members and the people it intends to serve requires it to be consistent and in consonance with the notion of good governance. Most of the rules and regulations and practices though have continued over the years as a colonial legacy but good governance practices need to be made an integral part of the system. This paper starts out with an introduction to the concept of governance and its indicators that are applicable to police administration. It further analyses the level of adherence to good governance in current police administration so that loopholes in it can be identified. Since the concept of good governance is non-empirical so its gauge like transparency, accountability, equity and inclusiveness, rule of law, efficiency and effectiveness have been analyzed to evaluate as to how far it is being followed