Advances in State Studies

Evaluating Economic Rights of Women in Azad Jammu & Kashmir: Challenges and Opportunities

Dr. Sardar M.A. Waqar Khan Arif, Bushra Bannian, Qurrah-tul-ain Khan — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The idea of socio-economic empowerment of women is not a new concept. Advocates of women’s right have decades long struggle behind this but still women are categorized as a “vulnerable class of individuals” across the globe. Developing countries that are already battling with falling living standards, scant resources and fragile social protection systems are also facing grave challenges regarding women’s rights. In this context, the situation of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) Pakistan is no different where women are facing various kinds of vulnerabilities, discriminations, and violence. The Constitution of AJ&K vows for protecting fundamental rights of its citizens without any discrimination. In addition to this, the government of AK&K has adopted various special laws and provisions to protect women’s right and has initiated several programs for their empowerment. Despite of this, the socio-economic conditions of women in this region are anything but satisfactory. This study assesses how weak implementation of laws, orthodox cultural practices, misconceptions regarding religious principles, lack of awareness and knowledge among people and poor planning and execution strategies can be considered as prime reasons behind this. This article also analysed dilemmas of women and highlighted different challenges faced by them in exercise of their economic rights.

Extending the Outreach of Ombudsman Punjab: A Case of Bahawalpur Division

Muhammad Saleem Khan, Aamir Jawad Munir, Dr. Waqas Ali Khan — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Punjab ombudsman came into existence on September 30, 1996 via a regulation. Initially, this regulation was monitored by two additional regulations and lastly on June 30, 1997, the Punjab Office of the Ombudsman Act, 1997 (Act X of 1997) was disseminated. Throughout the 23 years of its instituting a huge figure of grievances have been acknowledged by Punjab ombudsman which persisted extremely convoluted in rectifying objections of the pursuers and providing assistance to community exaggerated by inefficient administration in the government sector of Punjab. Primarily, tenancy of the position of the Ombudsman was three years. However, in 2003, the tenancy was enriched from 3 years to 4 years after modification in Section 4 of the Punjab Office of the Ombudsman Act, 1997. The aim of the study is to evaluate the general performance of the ombudsman in the light of responsibilities allocated to him. Current research is comprised of data collected from Bahawalpur division. 60 grievances of the division of the Bahawalpur (ombudsman office) are taken as a population. Self-administered questionnaire is used as a research tool to know the views of respondents regarding performance of ombudsman offices in Bahawalpur division. Nature of research design is qualitative. Source of data collection is primary as well as secondary. It took about one month to collect data. In order to examine the relation between dependent and independent variables with SPSS software, regression and correlation model is used as a data analysis tool. It is concluded that citizens from distant regions face intricacy in order to approach the Punjab Ombudsman in the nonexistence of offices in district. In order to expand the service delivery of Punjab Ombudsman down to grass root level, such sorts of plan are started. After a far-reaching counseling procedure of Mohtasib Punjab with the stakeholders, it was anticipated that the District offices of Mohtasib Punjab should be recognized in every District of Punjab in the beginning, and afterward to tehsil level.

Water Management and Reservoirs in Pakistan: An Analysis of Legal Framework and Contemporary Challenges

Dr. Sardar M.A. Waqar Khan Arif, Bushra Bannian, Qurrah-tul-ain Khan — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Need of water is a collective need for every human being. In Pakistan, as per Indus River System Authority (IRSA), total river flows at rim stations were recorded at 486,600 cusecs in the year 2018 compared to total outflows of 258,800 cusecs. All main rivers i.e., Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers have a normal flow. The conservation level at Tarbela and Mangla was reported 1495.27 feet and 1141.50 feet, respectively. The goal of this study was to discuss laws and situation of shortage of water reservoirs in Pakistan along-with explaining the existing water reservoirs and sources in the country. It also analyses the existing legal framework on the subject to find out loopholes (if any). The methodology used in this study is qualitative with an analytical method. This study examines and analyses relevant laws and situation of shortage of water and highlights contemporary challenges for access to water in Pakistan. It also argues on the right to clean water as a basic human right that needs special attention and the need to enhance the storage capacity of water by constructing Dams or large storage places to overcome water shortage in Pakistan.

Effects of Recruitment and Selection Processes on the Performance of Police Workforce in Bahawalpur Region: A Comparative Analysis

Aamir Jawad Munir — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

An effective recruitment and selection process is essential for any organization in the world. Due to lack of effective strategies of recruitment and selection, police departments in Pakistan have remained ill-prepared to produce quality police work-force in the country. The purpose of recruitment is to hire the right suitable to the specific and general needs of a particular job. Punjab Police is an important organ of the administrative machinery of the provincial Government to maintain law & order in the society. Punjab Police has same characteristics of the recruitment and selection process throughout the province. However, a stark deviation is noted in the process of recruitment and selection in Punjab Police from the objectives and goals of the police department. Due to lack of effective organizational recruitment programs, men having criminal links have been recruited in the department in past, which has greatly affected the performance of lower rank of police employees. To investigate this phenomenon, Qualitative Comparative Analysis Approach among police forces of (UK and Canada) has been adopted to see the effects of the recruitment and selection processes on performance of police workforce in the Bahawalpur region with contemporary techniques i.e. background investigation; separate department recruitment unit and community policing in the recruitment and selection process.

Ethical Reformation: Suggestions for Better Policing in Punjab

Rao Muhammad Waleed Farooq Khan, Shahbaz Ali Khan — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

For any state, police is an important institution comprised of competent workforce legitimated by the state to uphold the rule of law, guaranteeing security, wellbeing of people and protection of property of citizens. It forestalls wrongdoings and prevents civil agitations, chaos and riots in the society. For the purpose of this study, a systematic case study of Bahawalpur region of the Punjab province of Pakistan was conducted. This involved interviews of twenty (20) people from all the three districts of Bahawalpur Division i.e., Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan, and a survey involving sixty (60) people. The participants of this study included a former Judge, Lawyers, Social and Political workers (who have remained part of citizens Police arbitration committees and citizens from different walks of life who have been involved in some process with police in one way or the other. Along with this, literature related to previous suggestions and criticism regarding the performance of the police was reviewed. Based on the research already conducted on this area, this a set of suggestions are proposed in this article for better policing in the Punjab province of Pakistan.