This paper looks at the issue of federalism in Pakistan. It begins with an analysis of the conceptual paradigms of federalism and goes on to examine the history of federalism in Pakistan. The paper goes on to discuss the reasons for the failure to develop an organic federal covenant as well as discuss how the 7 th National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and the 18 th Amendment may be indicative of a paradigm shift. The paper concludes by presenting the way forward for federalism in Pakistan.

Almost immediately after taking power in 1999, Pakistan’s fourth military regime articulated a seven point agenda that in large measure entailed governance policy shifts – the key being decentralization of powers and democratic local governance. Pakistan’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) articulated these goals in the pro-poor growth framework. The international aid community favoured this reform climate and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) took a lead in supporting public sector reforms especially by way of improving sub-national governance in a federal context. This paper focuses on the reform agenda articulated through ADB assisted Balochistan Public Resource Management and the complementary devolved social services programs. While it is still early to assess the impact of these policy shifts, we conclude that improved service delivery through better fiscal management is a long term goal. The ongoing reforms are located within and impacted by historically difficult federal-province relations and a highly contested political climate. There is an inherent danger of institutional reforms being appropriated by entrenched elites. In conclusion, subnational reforms cannot be isolated from the imperatives of federalism, local patrimonial structures i.e. the political economy context. Development agenda[s] should overtly address politics in designing and implementing governance reform programs.

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This research is conducted to explore how much social media involved in engaging Pakistani adolescents towards political socialization. In addition, how they are participating and what impact of their participation is reflecting on their political motivation, political behavior and voting tendency. It was tentative estimate that social media plays significant role in political socialization. To explore this prospect, Uses and Gratification school of thought were closer to this research, which questions about what are the purposes behind use of social media and what urges youth to use them? This theory also suggests that the usage of these social mediums vary from user to user where everyone has right to use these for their satisfaction. This study is grounded on quantitative analysis in which survey method is used with Non-probability sampling technique and respondents have been selected through convenient sampling to obtain a representative sample by using a sound judgment. The study explored the usage of media by gender and purpose. Moreover, the relation between social media and political socialization is also observed in this study. For this purpose, statistical tests are also applied on gathered data. It can be concluded that the usage of digital media in Pakistan politicize the youth and that affects the voting behavior of its users. As Pakistan is not considered suitable for demonstrations due to internal threats that’s why individuals could not participate physically. Therefore, most of the users share their views online because it is convenient and safest platform for them to reveal their concerns.

Purpose of the study: The study examines the role of Pakistani mainstream print media in framing peace talks between the Taliban and the Government of Pakistan from 1st January 2014 till 1st July 2014. This study focuses on the role played by the print media of Pakistan during the efforts for the peace talks as a LIC. Methodology: It is a quantitative research study in which researchers have used the content analysis technique to determine how print media framed the peace negotiations between the government and the TTP, editorials, and columns of two English newspapers, namely, Dawn and The News, along with two Urdu newspapers, Jang, Nawe Waqt were analyzed. Main Findings: The findings of the study show that in the peace talks between the government and TTP, the print media of Pakistan did not engage in constructive talk to facilitate the peace talking process. The media failed to give the communicative space to facilitate the political negotiating process to proceed. Narratives of despair and fear were dominant. Applications of this study: This study can be used to know about the psychology of newspapers that how they are framing the news, columns, and articles related to complex issues like Taliban peace talks. Along with it, it is necessary to see the role of newspapers in transforming identities and relations. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study contributed to the existing literature by examining that how print media of Pakistan frame the peace initiatives in the context of resolving the conflict between the Taliban and the government of Pakistan. Apart from it, it is necessary to know about the relationship between the way media was framing the peace negotiations and the way peace talks were taking a turn and whether Pakistani print media played the role of a facilitator of the peace process or framed the peace process as an inevitable risk of more violence or not.