This study examines the relationship between various types of social capital (such as bonding, bridging, and linking social capital) and social well-being among youth in Pakistan. This study also explores whether self-efficacy moderates the relationship between three types of social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking social capital) and social well-being among youth in Pakistan. The data were collected from 852 students selected randomly from four public institutions in Punjab, Pakistan. The descriptive analysis was carried out using SPSS software. While, partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to check the structural relationships proposed in this study. The findings indicate that bonding, bridging, and linking types of social capital and self-efficacy have a significant direct relationship with social well-being of youth. Self-efficacy moderates the relationship between bonding social capital and social well-being. Similarly, self-efficacy moderates the relationship between bridging social capital and social well-being. Also, self-efficacy offsets the relationship between linking social capital and social well-being. The results are suggested to be useful references for the youth while improving social well-being.

Religion and spirituality have been key coping mechanisms of Pakistani Muslims amidst natural calamities such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify and explore the role of religion and spirituality in the recovery of COVID-19 patients in lower socioeconomics. The data for this qualitative research study were collected from 13 people in Pakistan who survived COVID-19 infection during the wave of the Omicron variant. The participants of this study referenced four key themes about their story of getting infected by COVID-19 and recovering from it and referenced religion and spirituality as an overarching aspect of that story. The patients who recovered believed that COVID-19 was a punishment from God for sinful humanity, which was unavoidable. Amidst such a belief, the studied patients tried to avoid hospitalization but prayed to God for mercy, forgiveness, and help in their recovery. A few who took medical treatment also established and/or strengthened their spiritual connections seeking quick recovery from the infection. The participants of this study believed that their religion or spirituality played a medicinal role in their recovery from COVID-19 infection.

This paper will discuss the Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority (PSBA) as a commendable public welfare organization and an exceptional experience of converting a Section 42 company into a full-scaled statutory organization in the Pakistani retail market. The study bases its analysis on qualitative methodology in order to evaluate the legal, financial, and operational performance of PSBA based on official documents, governmental reports, independent media ratings, and third-party ratings. Innovative systems such as real time price boards, solarized infrastructure, inclusion of women traders in a policy of vendor and subsidy free operations were introduced in PSBA under the visionary leadership of Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad. Results show that PSBA continual surpasses similar organizations regarding price regulation and digital adoption and service provision by providing consumers with up to 35 percent savings on the market rates. The paper has concluded that PSBA is a rare manifestation of institutional reforms based on citizens, empowered by law, transparency in operation, and transformational leadership and can be a reference to emerging economies.

This paper discusses institutional change at the Punjab Sahulat Bazaars Authority (PSBA) that was a Section 42 company that changed into the only statutory agency that supplied subsidized basic commodities in Pakistan. The study is based on the official records, third-party evaluations, and government publications as the research is conducted with the help of a document-based qualitative methodology with an embedded quantitative analysis to evaluate PSBA in terms of its legal, financial, and operational framework. Results indicate that during the tenure of Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad, PSBA has been doing better than peer institutions in the price control, digital innovation, governance, and service delivery. The major projects are the price relief of up to 35 percent, the system of free home delivery all over the province, solarized bazaars, and the assistance of female traders. Benchmarking information proves the fact that PSBA is at the high level of performance and fiscal efficacy. The paper finds that PSBA transformation is a replicable study on the citizen-led reform within the Pakistani government and how a transformational leadership and legal empowerment strategy can be used to underpin institutional excellence in less-developed economies.

The issue of holy cows in India has gained significant importance on social media and connects with the political dilemma between Hindus and Muslims. This paper discusses political discourse and people’s dark shades of emotion on social media to cow vigilante violence in India. It elaborates legislation differences on cow slaughter, historical and political aspects of cow vigilante violence against Muslim and Dalit minorities in India. Drawing from literature, the vigilante groups in India use social media platforms to disseminate content on cow vigilantism and publicize spectacles for political benefits. Social activists who support political leaders play a vital role in spreading the cow vigilante violence content through end-to-end encrypted social media apps to create turbulent situations among vulnerable communities. The situation analysis of cow vigilante violence shows that the Hindu nationalists perpetuate violence against Muslims in retribution of perceived historic harm caused by the Muslim rulers of subcontinent India. This paper has identified restorative justice theories that could guide the transformation of cow vigilante violence situation factors into peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims in India. Further, Galtung’s peace model added value to ensure the functionality of peacebuilding, peacemaking, and peacekeeping among Hindus, Muslims, and Dalit minorities in India.