SAUDI-IRAN RAPPROCHEMENT AND CHALLENGES FOR PAKISTAN

Saudi-Iran relations have been continuously evolving, with regional and global implications. Though religious differences make up a large part of this relationship, it is not all. Multiethnicity, Arab versus Persian domination, and divergence of interests of regional and extra-regional players are also significant. The two regional heavyweights have driven the neighbouring states towards alliances of varying natures. It has repercussions for Pakistan due to its security, economic concerns, and religious and sectarian fault lines. Opportunely, the current political environment is developing prospects to rebuild relations. After unfinished rapprochement efforts by Pakistan, Iraq has recently made the latest endeavour of arbitration. This paper analyses the effects of the Saudi-Iran contention on Pakistan and the scope and implications of the current rapprochement effort. Primarily, the qualitative method has been used, and it has been established that due to the complexities of a relationship, achieving peace is not as easy as it appears. Also, from Pakistan’s perspective, escalation levels should ideally remain below the threshold of a dispute necessitating precise positions and above a minimum threshold of complete peace to keep Pakistan’s security-related relevance. Therefore, diplomatic efforts should be limited to de-escalating conflicts rather than mediating them.    Bibliography Entry Saleem, Aamir, and Syed Mussawar Hussain Bukhari. 2022. "Saudi-Iran Rapprochement and Challenges for Pakistan." Margalla Papers 26 (1): 98-107

INDIAN MILITARY DOCTRINE AND ITS IMPACT ON SOUTH ASIA’S STRATEGIC STABILITY

India’s aggressive military doctrine exploits the questionable space for a limited war under a nuclear overhang. This doctrine is designed to dilute, if not fully compromise, the notion of nuclear deterrence. Indian military high command has often boasted about waging a conventional war against Pakistan. India’s unilateral decision to repeal Kashmir’s special constitutional status has further exacerbated the volatility of the hitherto conflict-prone environment in South Asia. India’s doctrine manifests in the offensive deployment of S-400 missile systems along Pakistan’s border, further supplemented by the positioning of Dassault Rafale fighter jets. While it might temporarily alter the region’s strategic stability equation, Pakistan must rebalance this shift in its strategic stability. There is a need to review the notion of strategic stability as it applies to the region’s nuclear balance of power. This paper analyses India’s aggressive military doctrine fuelling its desire to wage a limited conventional war against Pakistan, examines the effects of growing military asymmetry, evaluates the impact of the short but swift military action in February 2019, and finally endeavours to determine the stabilizing impact of the nuclear deterrent on South Asia’s strategic stability.   Bibliography Entry Ali, Muhammad, and Syed Mussawar Hussain Bukhari. 2022. "Indian Military Doctrine and Its Impact on South Asia’s Strategic Stability." Margalla Papers 26 (1): 74-84

The Post-Corona World and International Political Landscape: Emerging Challenges

The outbreak of the global pandemic and its global outreach has challenged and shocked the international community. It has paralyzed the nations through upending the mainstream social, political, and economic activities of nations. The Covid-19 related restriction further suspended the normal affairs of states under an international environment of a health emergency. The pandemic crisis has clearly communicated to the international community that the digital world has arrived because the dependency on information technology has raised the significance of hi-tech communication networks in the world. This global crisis has endangered international society and the nations are struggling against the Covid-19 viral disease. No doubt, the whole international system has gradually learned to survive in the health crisis and the leaders from around the world are thinking of resuming normalization, but the actual question linked to the global governance in the post-corona world is unanswered. This pandemic year has raised the need for a serious conversation on the future of global political order because the Covid-19 has undermined the conventional wisdom attached to the crisis management mechanism of states. In short, the heating debates of the post-corona international political environment have generated a process of de-globalization and the international community is approaching a new world based on new realities. Therefore, this study is an endeavor to estimate the probable future scenario which will become an undeniable reality in the post-corona world

Relationship Between Physical Activity and Burnout Among University Faculty in Pakistan

Burnout can lead towards challenge in social interaction and physical ailments. This study sought to determine the relationship of physical activity with faculty burnout. A total of 254 faculty members were surveyed from three public sector universities of southern Punjab region of Pakistan. Physical activity and burnout were assessed using IPAQ short version and OLBI, respectively. Findings indicated a significantly negative relationship of total score of physical activity with disengagement, exhaustion, and total burnout score. Physical activity level (low, medium, high) was significantly negatively correlated with total burnout score and subscale of exhaustion. The negative relationship remained evident between total physical activity and burnout after controlling for age, gender, experience, and academic qualification in partial correlation analysis. In addition, it was observed that burnout increased and physical activity decreased with increased age and job experience. These findings suggest that the interventions dealing with faculty burnout may consider physical exercise as a priority to prevent faculty burnout. More priority needs to be given to the faculty members with higher age and job experience

Post-Islamic Revolution Constitutional Complexity for Functioning of Bureaucracy in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Iranian Constitution combines both concepts; theocracy and democracy where theocracy has been applied in the form of Khumeni’s model of vilayat-e-faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) as defined in the preamble of constitution whereas; presidential system has been mounted as per the democratic standards. However, complexity exhibits when usage of bureaucratic authority becomes a question mark in between the directions issued by the government or vilayat-e-faqih. As Iran is a unitary state where centralized political system exists, bureaucracy should follow the directions of democratic government as per the universal standards of democracy. However, 8th section (from article 107 to article 112) of the Iranian constitution overlaps not only entire political setup of Iran by the strict  jurisdiction of vilayat-e-faqih (also called Supreme Leader) but this section also projects the dogmatically authoritarian nature of Iranian political culture. Similarly, article 150 of Iranian constitution delivers mandate to Revolutionary Guards for not only observing governmental directions / orders to the bureaucracy but they also have an authority to mold bureaucratic functioning as per the directions given by the Supreme leader. Therefore, core idea of this study is to comprehensively define such constitutional complexity for functioning of bureaucracy in Iran. In addition with, this study also tries to investigate the pros and cons of 8th section and article 150 in the Iranian political system whereas; threats to the unitary state system of Iran because of such complexity are being examined in the last