Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review

The Masks We Wear: False Self as a Response to Existential Isolation in No Longer Human

Momal Masood Malik — 2025-04-09

This research analyses Yozo Oba, the protagonist of Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human (1958) and his existential dilemma of isolation alongside his need to belong. Such a conflict creates anxiety, leading to fabricated personas, and the study investigates its sociological impacts as well as Yozo’s lack of resolution. Through the application and integration of Irvin Yalom’s existential isolation and Donald Winnicott’s false self, the study interprets Yozo as ultimately hiding behind the mask of this false self and failing to realise his truth. The research employs close reading and qualitative analysis of the text to reveal that in a world littered with elaborate facades and social pressures, to be human is to embrace one’s truth, cast off one’s mask and navigate the delicate balance between isolation and Additional research is required to explore the relationship between existential isolation and the false self and its representation within the literary domain.

Postcolonial Feminism and the Collapse of the American Dream: A Postwomanial Comparative Analysis of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Asma Mustafa — 2025-04-11

Within Western feminist discourse, in reaction to the constraints of traditional narratives, postcolonial feminism scrutinizes the interconnectedness of gender, race, and histories of colonialism (Mohanty, 1988). This study analyze how Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah and Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things use narrative disruption to challenge hegemonic structures and illuminate the exclusions implicit in dominant ideologies, like the American Dream, respectively. From the approach of a postcolonial feminism analysis, this allows ways of understanding both Feed - Ifemelu in this novel and Ammu as an object whose identity is shaped by the systemic inequalities relative to race, class, and gender. Ifemelu’s disillusionment with the myth of the American meritocracy and Ammu’s marginalization in patriarchal India are both instances of the imposing restrictions of imperial and patriarchal systems. Collectively, these works make visible the significance of recognizing lang/hter feminist paradigms and a call to rediscover that includes global stories often framed as exclusionary due to the palladiums of feelings of progress and success.

Delving into Speech Act of Suggestion: A Case of Pakistani EFL Learners

Asra Irshad — 2025-04-12

Pragmatic instruction specially related to speech acts focuses on providing awareness to the language learners to determine language functions in different social contexts for the enhancement of their pragmatic skills. This study examines the use of suggestion strategies in English by Pakistani EFL learners. The results of the study show some differences in the pragmatical and grammatical appropriateness as well as in the use of some suggestion strategies between first year and final year EFL Pakistani learners at bachelor’s level. The study reveals no significant difference in the preferences of major suggestion strategies by both male and female Pakistani EFL learners. Interestingly, the female learners were observed to use more softened categories of suggestions than the male students, whereas the male students were observed to use more direct categories of suggestions than the female learners. The study also indicates that Pakistani EFL learners often suggest in English and are aware of the status differences for using suggestion strategies in English. The study implies the incorporation of pragmatic instruction of speech acts in ESL courses in Pakistan.

Metacognitive Awareness and Its Effect on Reading Comprehension among Intermediate ESL Students

Sajida Nazar — 2025-04-14

The aim of this study is to provide a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of metacognitive strategies on reading comprehension skills among intermediate students. Reading comprehension plays pivotal role in academic achievements; however, many students face challenges like; extracting relevant information, summarizing text, and vocabulary issues. In order to access these issues a quasi-experimental research approach is adopted, which involves pre and post-tests assessments of control and experimental groups. In the intervention phase, the control groups were taught through traditional method, while the experimental groups were taught using metacognitive strategies. T-test was used to find the differences among both the groups through statistical means. The results show that after the intervention phase, experimental group showed significant improvement. Hence, it was devised from the results that metacognitive strategies should be applied to improve reading comprehension skills, instead of teaching traditionally. English language teachers should include metacognitive strategies in their lesson plans to improve reading comprehension skills.

Legal Strategies for Addressing the Environmental Challenges: A Pathway to Sustainable Governance in Pakistan

Shuhab Ud Din Shaikh — 2025-04-16

The article examines the legal systems and sustainable governance practices Pakistan uses to handle environmental crises. The implementation of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act of 1997 meets financial support requirements but suffers from inadequate institutional capabilities and weak enforcement ability thus diminishing its operational effectiveness. This research examines environmental law effectiveness in present times before proposing governance development strategies. Legal and policy documents serve as the basis for qualitative research conducted by authors who demonstrate that institutional capacity together with public involvement and standard adherence play central roles. The analysis shows emergency regulatory shortcomings that need advanced institutional systems and better public knowledge. The paper points out that environmental problems need customized legal treatment. Environmental sustainability and governance management in Pakistan needs development of three fundamental elements which include accountable systems alongside transparent operational procedures and institutional resilience for enduring administration.

Translation and Validation of Basic Need Satisfaction in General Scale

Syeda Asma Gillani — 2025-04-16

Using Pakistani teenagers, the current research aimed to convert and validate the Basic Need Satisfaction in General (BNSG) scale into Urdu. In line with Brislin's (1980) theory, the translation included forward translation, backward translation, and expert group review to verify cultural and conceptual suitability. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was run on data from 200 teenage to verify the construct validity of the Urdu version. The model displayed a good fit after eliminating one item with a negative factor loading and adding error covariances because of item overlap; hence, the structural validity of the modified scale was confirmed (CFI = .96, TLI = .93, RMSEA = .052). The results indicate that the Urdu translation of BNSG is a psychometrically strong instrument for gauging psychological demands in Pakistani youth. Recommendations suggest that future studies should confirm the scale over many territories and age groups in Pakistan and use longitudinal and mixed method designs for more extensive applicability and more full cultural adaptation.

A left Critique of Neoliberalism and Resistance in Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Ayaz Muhammad Shah — 2025-04-18

Neoliberalism, as a latest phase of capitalism, is countered by the recent left. Using the paradigm of the recent left critique that is a kind of “neo-Marxist” critique against neoliberalism, the present study aims to investigate the novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist’s critique and resistance towards neoliberalism. According to the left critique, neoliberalism advances the interests of corporate elites, dominant groups and states and has negative consequences for the working classes and peripheral societies that ultimately results in schism. The findings shows that the novel reveals that neoliberalism promotes the wellbeing of prosperous corporations and the leading states, and it has negative implications for the working class and third-world countries. Consequently, neoliberalism engenders oppositions among the downtrodden towards the rich. The study is handy in exploring the contemporary left critique of neoliberalism in art works, particularly, in Anglophone Pakistani writings. Thus it is suggested to carryout further research in the area.

Translation and Validation of Parent as Social Context (Child Report) Scale

Syeda Asma Gillani — 2025-04-19

The objective of this study was to translate the Parent as Social Context Questionnaire (Child Form) into Urdu and to culturally adapt and validate it for use in Pakistan. This is important because culturally appropriate tools are needed for assessment. After translation as per the guidelines of Brislin (1980), the questionnaire was validated for a sample of 200 children using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The initial results of CFA did not reveal a good model fit; however, after the adjustments of error covariance, the model fit indices improved significantly (CFI =.94, RMSEA =.06), thus supporting the construct validity of the adapted version. The factor loadings were between .40 and .91, with most items showing acceptable squared multiple correlations. The validated scale is an excellent and reliable measure of children's perception of parenting behaviors in Pakistan. On the downside, the study addressed limitations facing the small, homogeneous sample and subjective self-reports, suggesting the need for generating culturally relevant tools. Recommendations incorpoate validating the scale within a larger sample and longitudinally.

Untying Pakistani Drama Dunya's Political Theory using Machiavellian Lens: A Critical Study

Imran Aslam Sial — 2025-04-24

This study examines the popular Pakistani drama serial "DunyaPur" through the critical lens of Niccolò Machiavelli's political philosophy, specifically focusing on the characters' relentless "lust for power" and their willingness to employ "power at any cost." By analyzing key narrative arcs, character motivations, and strategic interactions, this research aims to identify and interpret the Machiavellian principles at play within the fictional world of "DunyaPur." The analysis explores that how the characters manipulate, deceive, and even disobey moral boundaries in their pursuit and maintenance of dominance, reflecting Machiavelli's observations on the acquisition and retention of political authority. In the end, this paper aims to investigate how "DunyaPur" presents the intricate interaction of ambition, strategy, and ethics in the framework of family and society power conflicts, so illuminating the continuing relevance of Machiavellian theory in comprehending human behavior inside a modern Pakistani narrative.

Socioeconomic Background as a Factor Contributing in Semilingualism

Maryam Sabir — 2025-04-25

This paper investigates the role of socioeconomic background as a significant contributing factor to the phenomenon of semilingualism, especially in underprivileged areas in Pakistan. Semilingualism describes an individual who has limited skills in multiple languages which yields inadequate communication with reduced cognitive growth. This study design involves the collection of qualitative data by conducting semi-structured interviews and direct observations with a total of 100 participants, including university and college students. Cummins' threshold hypothesis together with critical capitalist perspectives to evaluate how social economic inequality affects bilingual and multilingual language development patterns through their analysis of gathered data. Research findings demonstrate that students from under privileged backgrounds face restricted language growth because they lack enough language exposure in their native tongue and their additional language. Moreover, this study explores the multifaceted relationships between economic status and linguistic progress while offering beneficial solutions to educational administrators who work to achieve linguistic justice and bilingual excellence among students from different backgrounds.

Exploring Phono-Stylistics Pattern and Implications on Children Language Learning Process

Urwa Naeem — 2025-04-27

This research explores the Phonological patterns in nursery rhymes i.e. different sound features and the implications to enhance children’s language learning and cognitive development. Nursery rhymes have long been an essential tool for early childhood education, aiding language development, phonological awareness, and memory retention. Moreover, research paradigm is qualitative and stylistic approach is used to analyze the samples from four selected rhymes i.e. Baba Black Sheep, Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. Furthermore, the data collection process has been comprised of two phases firstly textual method is used to analyze the samples secondly, conducted a semi-structured interview of 30 pre-school teachers to know their perspective on the role of rhymes in enhancing students’ Linguistic and cognitive development. The findings of the first phase revealed the occurrence of particular sound patterns such as alliteration, consonance, assonance, rhyme scheme, onomatopoeia, and rhythm to ensure the children's engagement and learning English language through its sounds. Hence, the findings of the second phase80% of participants asserted that the repetitive structure of the nursery rhymes help children in the recognition and memorization of these sounds by enhancing their cognitive and linguistic development.

English as the Medium of Instruction: Exploring Comprehension and Writing Challenges Students Face at University Level

Muhammad Faisal Qureshi — 2025-04-28

The use of English as the Medium of Instruction is growing in academia, from school level to university level. As the trend is growing, a plethora of challenges are emerging, impacting both teachers and students. EMI in Pakistan is one of the most under-researched areas. This article explores the challenges students face in terms of comprehension of content and writing at a local university in Sindh. This research was conducted with 129 undergraduate students randomly selected using a quantitative survey through a closed-ended 9-question, 4 about comprehension and 5 about writing, on a 5-point Likert scale. The results were presented in the tables in numerical form. The findings reveal that students mainly struggle with understanding vocabulary and jargon. Moreover, they also struggle with grammatical accuracy, expressing ideas, finding the right words, and using punctuation while writing. On the basis of these findings’ researchers presented some recommendations for future researchers and scholars.

Cultural Synergy in Learning English: Co-Cultural Communication’s Role in Collaborative Learning at Northwest Institute of Health Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan

Shagufa — 2025-05-01

This study explored how co-cultural communication affects group learning among students at Northwest Institute of Health Sciences, Peshawar. Classrooms today are more culturally diverse. Students from different backgrounds bring unique communication styles which impact their intragroup collaboration. A 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire was employed to collect data 100 undergraduates. The survey asked about culture, communication, and learning satisfaction. Descriptive and regression analysis were used. Divergent views prevail among participants, many preferring working with students from similar backgrounds, others prioritizing solo study. Regression analysis reveals a positive correlation between collaboration and communicative comfort and respect was identified. Communication style predict 18.2% of satisfaction levels. The findings further highlight the salience of respecting communicative diversity, teacher’s role, and learning style for collaborative learning. The findings suggest training for teachers is needed. Culturally aware classrooms support all learners, preparing them for real-world teamwork in diverse healthcare settings.

Linda's Self-Actualization: A Maslowian Analysis of Paulo Coelho’s Adultery

Urooj Fatima — 2025-05-03

This study aims to psychoanalyze Linda, the protagonist of Paulo Coelho’s Adultery, through Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, focusing on her journey toward self-actualization. Linda experiences emotional stagnation despite fulfilling her basic and psychological needs. Her dissatisfaction with a seemingly ideal life leads her to seek deeper meaning and personal growth, consistent with Maslow’s theory. Using a qualitative psychoanalytical approach, the study analyzes Linda’s motivations and behavior through close textual analysis, framed within Maslow’s theoretical method. Findings show that Linda’s extramarital affair, while socially controversial, becomes a psychological route to explore unmet needs for passion and authenticity. Her actions reflect a natural drive for development, aligning with Maslow’s concept of self-actualization. This research encourages deeper exploration of how psychological constructs like happiness, well-being, and resilience interact with self-actualization and how literature provides unique insights into personal growth, enriching both psychological theory and literary understanding.

The Role of Motivation in Enhancing Students’ English Speaking Skills at Secondary Level

Rafaqat Hussain Shah — 2025-05-03

This research study is based on the role of motivation in enhancing students’ English speaking skill at intermediate level. The objectives of the research study are ‘to find out the trigger point like motivation which increase students’ speaking skills’ and ‘to find out the prominent factor of motivation in second language learning’. The research is conducted through the help of simple random sampling and the data was collected in the light of Dornyei’s framework (2005). The findings of the study reveals that students’ motivation is largely ignored at intermediate level. Furthermore, the researcher noticed that the intermediate level students’ motivations are generally based as extrinsic not intrinsic. Teacher’s role is mandatory for motivating students for encouraging them to speak English language. The recommendation is that future researchers can conduct their study on the vast area i.e., at Province level to get huge level data for the advancement of study.

Constructing a Persuasive Tourism Narrative: The Role of Specialized Language in Shaping Pakistan’s Tourism Image

Irram Waheed — 2025-05-06

The objective of this study is to examine the specialized language employed in Pakistan's tourism promotional materials (TPM), with a focus on the denotative elements and how they help to create the Pakistan’s image as a viable and alluring travel destination. It looks at how specialized language on tourism promotional material of Pakistan successfully conveys Pakistan's main attractions, useful information and unique characteristics. It investigates the ways in which linguistic components including function, euphoric adjectives and the absence of sender identification serve to influence and persuade prospective travelers. It is revealed that the denotative component of language is crucial in influencing how people view Pakistan's tourism by promoting clarity, dependability, and trust. The results show that specialized language use not only informs tourists but also strengthens the persuasiveness of advertising, which in turn strengthens Pakistan's image as a destination with a diversified and rich cultural heritage for the potential tourists.

Navigators of Change: Leadership Practices that Shape Tomorrow’s Classrooms

Shazia Hamid — 2025-05-08

An unanticipated upheaval or crisis demands catalytic leadership for maintaining educational organizations. The present review aims to analyze the theoretical background and applicability of the six types of leadership: transformational, transactional, invitational, situational, instructional, and servant leadership style which lead to catalytic style of educational change. Also, it is crucial to acknowledge that some attributes of leaders including flexibility, ethical responsibility, continuous learning, trust and creation of visions are crucial in relation to emerging challenges in education. The review also discusses the interaction between leadership processes and personal actions in the development of an innovation and resilience culture based on the previous empirical studies. Implications of the study stress the importance of contextual factors, stakeholders, and globalization to the development of contextualized leadership theories. This paper concludes with practical implications and research avenues to improve the practice of educational leadership during crisis and transformation.

Love, Loss, and Liberation: Tracing Feminine Trauma and Political Awakening in Against the Loveless World

Aneesa Rameen — 2025-05-13

The research investigates how feminine trauma and identity affect political awakening through Susan Abulhawa’s novel Against the Loveless World. The paper examines how Nahr converts her experiences of love, loss, and repression into political resistance and personal emancipation. The investigation is built upon Freud’s Afterwardness (Nachtraglichkeit), Lacan’s symbolic disruption and Caruth’s trauma approach to establish trauma as a political and temporal framework. The article analyzes displacement and patriarchal and wartime psychological effects through close textual analysis within a qualitative research framework. The study demonstrates that the trauma in the book shapes character growth by transforming Nahr from an oppressed subject into a person with political awareness. The analysis in the conclusion shows how Abulhawa uses her narrative to expose systemic oppression and present powerful examples of female strength. The research recommends additional analysis on Arab women’s literature due to its dual function in psychological and political resistance.