JSSH

A Comparative Analysis of Media Coverage of populist Leaders in India and Pakistan

2026-04-08T05:41:02+00:00

This study scrutinizes newspapers coverage of populist leaders in India and Pakistan, directing on how newspapers frame Populist leaders during the pre-election and post-election. For that quantitative content analysis of four newspapers: Dawn (Pakistan), The News (Pakistan), The Hindu (India), and The Times of India (India) is used. Framing theory aids as the theoretical framework for examining the key discursive approaches. The "People-Centric" frame was mostly applied during the pre-election coverage of populist leaders in both India and Pakistan. In contrast, the "Anti-Elitist" frame appeared as the most common in post-election coverage. Moreover, there was a shift from the "Emotive Language" frame in the pre-election period to the "Demonizing Language" frame in post-election for the coverage of populist leaders of both countries. In the pre-election period, the tone of the newspapers was generally supportive, but it became more critical after the election.

Biopolitics of Reproduction: Involuntary childlessness and Justice in Pakistan

2026-03-17T15:17:49+00:00

Although reproductive health is generally accepted as a basic human right, infertility is considered as a personal rather than public health issue. In Pakistan, neglect in childbearing is a serious threat to the wellbeing of people and couples. This is because having children is closely linked with social legitimacy and marital stability. This study employs a qualitative design to explore the perspective and management of infertility by the Pakistani health system under the reproductive health umbrella. This analysis draws on Foucauldian biopower and reproductive justice and is based on in-depth interviews with public health officials and medical practitioners from the policymaking and health care institutions. The findings suggest that infertility is widely acknowledged as an important issue, yet it does not appear on the health agendas and policy priorities for international development. These policies are dominated by family planning, maternal health, and prevention of STIs. Thematic analysis shows entrenched institutional and cultural biases: medical discourses often reinforce gender essentialism through the oblivion of male infertility and the blaming of women. These findings indicate that the exclusion of infertility from the public health system in Pakistan reflects a biopolitical strategy that privileges demographic control over reproductive justice and requires systemic policy reforms and gender-inclusive health care.

Managing Protracted Displacement: Pakistan’s Legal Framework and Policy Approach toward Afghan Refugees

2026-03-24T10:51:09+00:00

One of the most prolonged refugee crises in modern history is the forced migration of Afghan citizens into Pakistan. Masses of Afghans have felt compelled to seek safety in the border in Pakistan because of waves of chaos, political unrest, and economic decline since the Soviet Union invaded in Afghanistan in 1979. Pakistan has welcomed in one of the globe's biggest refugee populations within the last forty years, harbouring both registered and unregistered Afghan citizens. Since many Afghans of the subsequent and third generations have been raised in Pakistan, many refugees have developed persistent psychological, cultural, and economic relationships inside Pakistani communities. This extended existence has culminated in major legal, humanitarian, and economic issues. At the same time, Pakistan's place in as a host state presents significant budgetary, economic, and safety concerns. The administration of a large refugee population has placed a burden on employment markets, public infrastructure, and border management systems, particularly in context of limited foreign funding and altered regional security circumstances. Despite not becoming a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, Pakistan has depended on specific legal systems and transitional accreditation regulations to oversee its acceptance of Afghan refugees while advocating unilateral repatriation on a regular schedule. This study examines Pakistan's Afghan refugee strategy in a fair and legally sound manner. The paper aims to move beyond disputed narratives by researching the history of Afghan displacement, the domestic legal framework that regulates refugees, and the disparate humanitarian and safety considerations that influence state responses. It contends that sustainable solutions necessitate a balanced framework that includes sovereign rights and refugee protection by enhanced documentation procedures, international cooperation, and well-organized repatriation measures.

Living With Artificial Intelligence in Pakistan: A Sociological Review of Ethical and Social Implications

2026-01-01T06:24:33+00:00

AI or Artificial Intelligence is changing quickly the way economies and political societies operate worldwide creating new jobs and development opportunities as well as huge sociological problems. The purpose of this review article is to look critically at how AI will change the Pakistani work environment from various viewpoints of labor, surveillance via technology, privacy issues, and income inequality. The analysis of previous research; debates on governmental policy; and the latest in technological advancements, will be examined using the viewpoints of Marx, Weber, and Foucault. Marx’s viewpoint of technological capitalism will be reviewed with respect to the loss of job opportunities and economic lack in platform technology, while Weber’s conceptual view of efficiency will assist in understanding “algorithmic” rules and bureaucratic manner of bureaucratic control in the digital world. Foucault’s theory of surveillance will provide a conceptual framework for understanding the growth of digital surveillance, biological identifiers (biometric), and the regulation of data collection-driven regulations.

The paper suggests that while AI could be very useful and help drive forward the development of new technologies, applying AI through unequal distribution may actually reinforce societal divisions based on social class, increase job insecurities and create new forms of technological exclusion among those who do not have access to the technology available to them. This problem is particularly acute in developing countries such as Pakistan. The paper will show how emerging digital platforms, surveillance-based solutions and inadequate regulatory frameworks are creating new patterns of power and inequality. The final conclusion drawn from this paper is that there is a need for ethical and socially responsible governance of AI by creating enhanced protection of personal data, establishing digital rights frameworks, implementing educational programs to promote AI literacy and creating inclusive policy frameworks. The paper also places AI in the context of larger sociological conversations concerning power relations, inequities in social structure, and governing a society. This paper is intended to inform new conversations taking place within the social realm concerning the implications of an increasingly digital society in developing countries such as Pakistan.

Indian Response to Junagadh's Accession with Pakistan: A Critical Analysis

2026-07-05T09:42:16+00:00

The Kathiawar Muslim state of Junagadh, ruled by the Babi dynasty for the last two centuries, in September 1947, prompted a strong and complex response from India, ultimately leading to its occupation and annexation. This article critically analyses India's reaction after the legal accession of the state, focusing on political manoeuvres, the creation of the Provisional Government called Arzi Hukumat, the economic blockade, and military intervention. The research is exploratory and explanatory, drawing on primary sources such as official documents, newspapers, and personal correspondence. Politically, India opposed the decision of the Nawab of Junagadh due to Junagadh’s geographical location and its Hindu-majority population. Indian leaders such as Sardar Patel and V.P. Menon engaged in subversive efforts and public discourse to challenge Pakistan’s claim. In response, they established the Arzi Hukumat under Samaldas Gandhi, who served as the head of the provisional government and played a role in Junagadh’s integration into India through violence. Drawing on archival data, this study examines Arzi Hekmat’s role in mobilising resistance and influencing India’s strategy. It provides a nuanced understanding of India’s integration of Junagadh, revealing how political strategy, economic pressure, and military force shaped state consolidation. Additionally, it contributes to discussions on post-independence territorial disputes and India’s approach to integrating princely states.