Beyond the immediate impositions of dealing with COVID-19, this disease represents a severe and significant challenge confronting Pakistan’s economy. The study’s objective was to evaluate the coronavirus epidemic’s effect on Pakistan’s economy and measures devised to mitigate the damage done by this disease. The study research design used the elementary concept of Keynesian theory comprising of the mapping of systematic behavior of the COVID-19 pandemic. Issues were formally underpinned, described, and visualized through the Keynesian theory concept. The eruption of COVID-19 has jolted the national and international economy. Pakistan is included, causing millions of people to stay at home, lose their jobs, and suspend or end business operations. Unemployment in Pakistan has reached nearly 25 million people, driving many towards conditions of hunger and poverty as the major economic damage in several sectors is anticipated at around PKR 1.3 trillion. The hardest-affected sectors comprise industries such as tourism and travel, financial markets, entertainment, manufacturing, etc., having a devastating effect on gross domestic product (GDP). It is mainly daily-wage earners and people running small businesses that have been seriously exploited and subjected to a curfew-like situation. However, the Keynesian theory suggests that supportive macroeconomic policies must restore trust, demand recovery, and provide interest-free loans to overcome Pakistan’s currently upcoming crisis.

Purpose: Though microfinance has been working for many years as a tool to eradicate poverty from its root, most of the least developed and developing countries are yet to significantly alleviate it from the society. The purpose of this paper is to focus on Shariah-based microfinance products in the context of sustainable poverty alleviation approach and provide them financial benefits to enhance their livelihoods. Design/methodology/approach: Here, this qualitative study critically analyzes the basics of the sustainable Islamic microfinance to exterminate the level of poverty. Findings: Islamic microfinance is a more ethical practice than the traditional motives of profit maximization, and it encourages extending the time of repayment if the debtors are in hardship. In some case, it suggests to give charity if the creditor has capability. Research limitations/implications: Most importantly, research scholars and experts have already criticized the concept of conventional microfinance on the basis of various points, especially for its high rate of interest. Social implications: Islamic microfinance is provided with a view to fulfill two tools simultaneously, i.e., social and financial inclusion. In this case, credits and Zakah can be given to the extreme poor people for satisfying basic needs. In terms of social responsibility, Islam encourages the people to be soft in case of collecting the lending money. Originality/value: The study discoursed that sustainable Islamic Microfinance (IM) may be a promising future option to draw the attention of the religiously sensitive people toward the Shariah-based microfinance which can, in turn, mitigate the poverty level.

Financial development serves as a key indicator to achieve rapid economic growth and environmental sustainability globally. Therefore, this study explores how financial development, economic globalization, and green energy influence carbon emissions, along with GDP, technological innovation, and trade openness, in the Next-11 emerging economies from 1990 to 2022. The cointegration and causality associations are analyzed by using the Panel Common Correlated Effect Mean Group (CCEMG) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) techniques to achieve our objective. The empirical results from the AMG analysis indicate that financial development, technological innovation, and green energy contribute to diminishing CO₂ emissions by 1.25%, 2.23%, and 2.90%, respectively. Conversely, economic globalization, trade liberalization, and economic growth have negative impacts on the environment, increasing emissions by 1.04%, 0.13%, and 0.18%, respectively. Similarly, findings from the CCEMG outcomes expose the inverse link between financial expansion and environmental degradation. Our outcomes highlight that policymakers should prioritize sustainable practices for the development of financial markets, particularly for businesses that invest in cleaner technologies and renewable energy. This integrated strategy is necessary for the Next-11 emerging countries to accomplish their SD goals and effectively confront climate change.

The present study addresses the mediating role of social support in the relationship between employee resilience and employee engagement. A cross-sectional design was adopted to collect data from a sample of 260 registered nurses working in public hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. The findings suggest that employee resilience is significantly related to social support and employee engagement. However, the quantitative analysis could not establish a significant mediation role of social support in the relationship between employee resilience and employee engagement. Based on the results, this research provides empirical evidence for the importance of employee resilience to greater employee engagement.