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The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between religious outlook and attitude towards science in Pakistan For the purposes of data collection, a questionnaire comprising three parts was used. These were as follows. Part 1: “religious outlook”. Part II: “perceived benefits of religious faith”. Part III: “attitudes towards science”. The sample of the study comprised of the students of Grade 11 and 12 from three districts of Punjab (Pakistan): Sargodha, Gujranwala and Chiniot. We personally visited the sample students and collected the data. The questionnaire was validated through factor analysis. The data analysis revealed that there was no correlation between religion outlook and attitude towards science.

Afghanistan is under occupation by coalition forces led by the United States since almost last thirteen years. Invasion of Afghanistan was made on the pretext of countering terrorism, dismantling international terrorism and establishing democracy. Since the start of war regional powers have been involved in the war measures and post-war state building efforts with varying roles and interests. Regarding the role of regional powers there is a mix response from the International Community. On the one hand these are considered as ‘part of solution’ and viewed as facilitators. On the other hand their involvement is viewed as a threat to the stability and security in Afghanistan. It is established fact that regional powers have involvement in Afghanistan but the question is what drives regional powers for such involvement. War on Terror forced regional powers to cooperate in counter-terrorism operations but now when the withdrawal plan of International forces is announced, a new wave of competition has started between India and Pakistan to serve their relative geo-strategic, geo-political and economic and commercial interests. These interests are varying and sometimes conflicting. Besides other interests both the nations have strategic stakes in Afghanistan. Pakistan has pre-occupied with its ‘strategic depth policy’ and India with its security related to Kashmir. There is a clear indication that the clash and competition in Afghanistan among regional powers may be transformed into a hot war after the withdrawal of International Forces. The need is to manage their interests and neutralize their concerns regarding the post-2014 scenario in Afghanistan. In this regard an enhanced regional cooperation is required. Recent conduct of election and formation of coalition government in Afghanistan led both by the competing political segments can be regarded as an opportunity for the strengthening of stability and security situation in Afghanistan. At strategic level a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) has also signed between new Afghan government and United States that would also facilitate establishment of stability in Afghanistan. This will augment regional efforts to bring stability in Afghanistan. Paper evaluates the endgame politics in Afghanistan. It analyses the nature of regional powers’ interests and concerns in relevance to post-withdrawal scenario in Afghanistan.

Any program of education, for school or college, university or training centre can never be considered wholly objective. It is an essential product of certain choices made by those in-charge(s) of selecting what knowledge and skill should be taught to the learners. Therefore, the curriculum at any educational level is based on certain values and biases which reflect the views and beliefs of those who have designed and constructed it. Thus the learners’ extensive exposure to such a curriculum and other learning material over the years serves as the powerful means of indoctrinating them with specific ideological biases. The role of textbooks in any educational program is highly important; they expose the learner to specific, socio-cultural, national and moral aspects. Generally, those are opinion-molding texts rather than purely knowledge based texts for they define the world, pass judgments upon it and frame our attitudes towards it. The present study based on the qualitative approach is concerned with the dissemination of ideology through textbooks. The selected textbooks have been analyzed manually on the paradigm of content analysis and the conclusion is drawn by keeping in view the socio-political and socio-cultural norms of the Pakistani society in which they operate.

Political stability of Afghanistan is a prerequisite for peace in South Asia in general and Pakistan in particular. Afghanistan’s political situation directly impinges on the security of Pakistan. The continued wars and civil wars in Afghanistan for last three and half decades have badly damaged the political institutions of Afghanistan and caused unimaginable losses, both in men and material, not only to the people of Afghanistan but also to the people of Pakistan, particularly in the areas located in the proximity of Afghanistan. In the wake of planned drawdown of NATO in 2014, an atmosphere of uncertainty looms large on the political horizon of Afghanistan, with the apprehensions expressed that this country may plunge once again into the abyss of lawlessness and civil war. The study in hand aims at distillation of Afghanistan’s existing political and security systems and chances of their survivability after NATO’s drawdown, besides analyzing the current frictions between Pakistan and Afghanistan on various issues. The underlying assumption of this study is that the political and security situation of Afghanistan has a direct linkage with security and political stability of Pakistan. The key findings of this study are that political and security systems of Afghanistan have too fragile structures and institutions, which are heavily dependent on foreign assistance. Afghanistan could not develop trustworthy relations with neighboring states, particularly Pakistan, by removing various irritants. The Government of Afghanistan needs to recognize Durand Line and work out, in collaboration, with Pakistan, an effective border management and surveillance mechanism, to wipe out the infrastructure of drug- traffickers, saboteurs and terrorists from both sides of Durand Line. The international community needs to work towards peace and prosperity of South Asia, as the people of this region deserve much needed respite and let-up from violence and bloodshed.

This article deals Pak-India relations during period of first military ruler of Pakistan, which was started in October1958 and ended in 1969. After taking the charge, Ayub Khan offered Indian Government the proposal of joint defense between both the countries i.e. India and Pakistan, but Indian Government rejected it. Pakistan and India signed Indus Basin Treaty in October 1960 when Nehru visited Pakistan in Karachi and Murree. As far as solution of Kashmir issue is concerned, both countries met many times but not reached any solution. In 1965, war started between both the countries that were one of the big wars after World War-II. Although Indian Government was given full advantage by Ayub Khan to avoid war, but failed. In 1966 both the countries met at Tashkent in Soviet Union and signed on Tashkent Accord.

Ali Hujveri is one of the best known Sufis of the world. His exposition of Sufi doctrine and practice are distinguished not only by his wide learning and first-hand knowledge but also by the strong personal character impressed on everything he writes. He has presented his Sufi wisdom and teachings in his everlasting work Kashf-ul-Mahjoob (written in the reply of the questions of his friend Abu saeed Hujveri on some mystic concepts).This paper discusses his views regarding the responsibility of an individual towards the decency of the society, with reference of his denoted magnum opus. It is explored that Hujveri’s views are highly valuable for building a sound Islamic society.

Book Review: Evelyn Z. Brodkin and Gregory Marston, Editors,Work and the Welfare State: Street-Level Organizations and Workfare Politics,Washington DC: Georgetown University Press, 3240 Prospect Street, NW, Suite 250, 2013.