Present study is an attempt to empirically investigate the predictive role of optimism and financial security towards shaping the investment behavior of retail investors. Thus, drawing on insights from behavioral finance, the research examines how psychological disposition and economic stability influence individual willingness to participate in the investment activities, risk tolerance and the long-term financial planning. For this purpose, 487 retail investors residing in the major urban centers of Punjab, Pakistan is surveyed. The close-ended questionnaires, having Likert type questions related o current study constructs, are used as data collection instrument. In order to examine the hypothesized relationships, the scale reliability, validity, correlation and regression statistical tools are employed to get empirical evidences for current study. Results revealed that both, optimism & financial security, have significant positive impact and association with investment behavior among retail investors in the present study context. At the end, some recommendations and directions for future researchers are provided to promote informed & sustainable investment participation among retail investors.

This study investigates that how the financial transparency, internal audit effectiveness, and organizational justice influence employee engagement in small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It further examines moderating role of transformational leadership. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 380 employees and managers from textile and glass SMEs in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Data were collected using validated 5-point Likert scales. The proposed model was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with moderation testing. The results reveal that financial transparency, internal audit effectiveness, and organizational justice each significantly enhance employee engagement. Moreover, transformational leadership moderates the relationships, indicating that governance, audit, and fairness practices are more strongly linked to engagement when employees perceive their leaders as inspirational, motivating, as well as supportive. This study develops fit multidisciplinary model linking finance, auditing, along with the ethics to employee engagement, while identifying leadership style as boundary condition. Thus, it provides novel insights for SMEs in emerging economies seeking to strengthen workforce commitment and productivity.

This study examined the non-financial firms listed on PSX Pakistan Stock exchange from 2013 to 2023 to see impact of corporate governance (CG) on investment efficiency, highlight the intermediary or mediating role of the financial quality reporting. Markets in emerging states like Pakistan, the strong corporate governance is vital for the reduction of agency problems, aligning managerial function and actions with shareholder’s objectives and encourage of growth with long lasting and steady effect of growth. The study contains the generalized method of moments tactics to control issues like factors that are hidden and relationships in which results affected. Moreover, it develops a corporate governance index with a method called principal component analysis. This index provides a simple way to measure different aspects of a system of entity governance. The expected finding highlights that strong corporate governance (CG) enhances improvement of financial reporting quality, which positively influences the information efficiency (IE). This research has addition to literature by explanation on how corporate governance & reporting quality work together to improve investment results. It also offers practical insights for corporate managerial, investors, auditors, and policymakers in Pakistan development on business environment.

This study examines representation of 21st century learning skills, namely 4Cs: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, within physics book for Grade IX published by Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board. This study employed qualitative content analysis using purposive sampling to select the book. It examined how these essential competencies cut across textbook and assessed both facilitative and restrictive teaching and learning strategies. The study demonstrates that 4Cs are neither fully realized nor equally emphasized, with critical thinking focused on problem -solving assignments, conceptual questions, and creativity being the least stressed. The textbook prioritizes the traditional, content-driven instruction over integrated development of 21st century competencies. These findings highlight the need for curriculum designers and textbook writers to more consciously incorporate 4Cs into instructional materials, enabling students to not only acquire scientific knowledge but also develop essential skills for modern scientific inquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration. In this regard, more balanced and intentional integration of the 4Cs is needed to align physics education with contemporary educational and professional demands.

This study aimed at investigating how Russia-Ukraine war changed the regional dynamics and essentially the European security landscape, with an emphasis on geopolitical, geostrategic, and geo-economic implications imposed by conflict. The indirect impacts that further the war, besides the military confrontation, are economic stability, energy security, and even more general ideological contest between authoritarian and liberal state systems. This war has been revealed faintness in European security system and brought to bear the reassertion of perspectives of major power politics, with Russia trying to reassert its dominance and challenge that of US and NATO. This research is based on the qualitative methodology and various primary and secondary sources since it is concerned with complex relations between regional and global actors, mainly in a way the Russia-Ukraine conflict has changed security in Europe and put the current international order to the test. This study establishes that war has revealed weaknesses in European security architecture, the renewal of great power politics & the imperative of creating region-specific security frameworks that are more robust and functional.

In an abbreviated time, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies began soaring into a meteoric rise in the world financial market. There is opportunity and, like any growth, some new grave challenges, in the transnational money laundering. The centralization of all this has made it possible for a variety that of money laundering over Bitcoin, especially over Bitcoin, which has operated on the global financial system because it has been decentralized and anonymous. This research proposes the idea of international Bitcoin-enabled harmonized legal framework to combat context of international money laundering. To succeed, however, this framework needs both the private and public sectors working together to resolve tradeoff between privacy and security on the one hand and technological feasibility on the other hand. Both this international approach and collaborative approach will be essential, leading to development of this new industry, including the use of international organizations, national governments as well as the cryptocurrency industry itself. In this linking, the main purpose consists of constructing the rock‒solid decentralized infrastructure for the industry, which will rest upon a more reliable and resistant decentralized global financial system.

This research paper examines how disinformation campaigns harm self-determination processes by examining the psychological mechanisms by which public opinion can be manipulated, including confirmation bias and emotional manipulation. This body of work takes on task of understanding how these tactics can affect political choices, from voting behavior to the support of a protest, hampering the development of democracy. The paper reveals real-world consequences of disinformation on self-determination movements through a case study of a selection of significant events, such as Brexit referendum and 2016 U.S. presidential election. It is vital to have high-level international legal frameworks and accountability mechanisms to address this problem. The proposals include establishing international conventions, increasing transparency in social media, strengthening public media literacy & establishing partnerships among stakeholders. This study concludes that protecting self-determination rights demands shared work to address misinformation, ensuring that people can interact suitably with right information for participation in democratic procedures. Addressing these challenges ensures respect for the integrity of public discourse and fundamental rights of the people worldwide in an increasingly complex information landscape.

The current study examined school culture in public secondary schools in a district of Punjab, focusing on teachers’ collaboration, leadership practices, and student outcomes. A multi-stage sampling technique was used for the selection of the 192 secondary school teachers from 32 randomly selected schools. A 15-item self-developed questionnaire on five-point Likert scale was used to find teachers' perceptions. For data analysis, SPSS 26 software was used with descriptive statistics. The findings of study revealed positive school culture, with strong teacher collaboration & teamwork. Most of the teachers reported debating problems, sharing ideas, supporting each other, & using online resources in the teaching-learning process. The leadership practices were largely observed positively, with teachers feeling valued and trusted by their head teachers. Still, involvement in decision-making processes was moderate proposing room for improvement in the distributed leadership in the schools. In this regard, the study concluded that while the schools demonstrate the culture of collaboration, trust, and mutual support, there is potential for growth in the shared decision-making and leadership involvement.

Effective leadership and management are vital for educational institutions to create high-quality environments for faculty members and to facilitate efficient teaching and learning. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to investigate the perception of university directors and principals regarding provision of professional development opportunities for faculty members and the effectiveness of these opportunities. A total of seven directors and principals from different divisions & campuses of University of Education, Lahore were selected as a sample for the study using a purposive sampling technique. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain in-depth information from the directors and principals. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data after transcription. Researchers explored consensus among directors and principals regarding professional development opportunities offered by University of Education & their perceived effectiveness. Based on the findings, induction training and adequate funding from the higher education regulatory bodies such as the Government of Pakistan, HEC, and PHEC are required for the improvement in offering and tailoring these PD opportunities, which could eventually aid in faculty members' professional advancement.