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To reiterate and update previous work in this area in the light of intervening developments in educational technology; and in particular to demonstrate the value of distance education for those sections of Pakistani society who are not well served by conventional educational methods. Those in need of workplace learning and similar forms of educational outreach are an important subset of this population.

This is a historical account of distance learning in LIS education in Pakistan, with particular reference to the role of the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), and also some conclusions and pointers for the future drawing on developments from 1999 to date.

Distance education has a unique role to play in Pakistan, where high university drop‐out rates in conventional Higher Education, the need for outreach to the remote, rural poor, and the social barriers placed between women and participation in traditional education are notable features of social and educational life.

This paper presents some of the challenges to be faced by practitioner researchers in helping further understanding of how distance learning and education can be offered successfully to a variety of sections of Pakistani society, including those with a need for vocational training in general and for continuing professional development in the workplace in particular.

The example chosen of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) gives a practical context to the paper's assertions about the value and potential of distance education in the developing world.

The paper gives some insight into how ‘developed’ world models of distance education, delivered via the new media, might offer the way forward to existing distance education activities in the developing world.

This study aims to present a unique hybrid metaheuristic approach to solving the nonlinear analysis of hall currents and electric double layer (EDL) effects in multiphase wavy flow by merging the firefly algorithm (FA) and the water cycle algorithm (WCA).

Nonlinear Hall currents and EDL effects in multiphase wavy flow are originally described by partial differential equations, which are then translated into an ordinary differential equation model. The hybrid FA-WCA technique is used to take on the optimization challenge and find the best possible design weights for artificial neural networks. The fitness function is efficiently optimized by this hybrid approach, allowing the optimal design weights to be determined.

The proposed strategy is shown to be effective by taking into account multiple variables to arrive at a single answer. The numerical results obtained from the proposed method exhibit good agreement with the reference solution within finite intervals, showcasing the accuracy of the approach used in this study. Furthermore, a comparison is made between the presented results and the reference numerical solutions of the Hall Currents and electroosmotic effects in multiphase wavy flow problem.

This comparative analysis includes various performance indices, providing a statistical assessment of the precision, efficiency and reliability of the proposed approach. Moreover, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is a new work which has not been explored in existing literature and will add new directions to the field of fluid flows to predict most accurate results.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between bank policy-related practices and green financing sustainability in Pakistan. The study uses a mediating-moderation analysis to examine how the influence of bank policies on green financing sustainability is mediated by green banking activities and moderated by the employees’ green value and green knowledge sharing.

In this study, a structural questionnaire was used to gather data from Pakistani bank personnel through stratified sampling. A two-stage structural equation modelling approach was used in this investigation. The measuring scale’s validity and reliability are assessed using the measure model. A structural model was used to ascertain the connection between the underpinning constructs.

This study found a positive significant effect on bank employed related practices on green banking activities, besides the mediate role of green banking activities between the bank policies-related practices and green financing. In addition, this study also found the moderating role of employees’ green value and green knowledge sharing on the relationship of bank policies-related practices and green banking activities as well as green banking activities and green financing, respectively.

As environmental sustainability becomes more and more important on a worldwide scale; the study looks into the ways that financial institutions may become more environmentally conscious and help create a more sustainable future. To shed light on the ways in which financial institutions can be crucial in advancing green sustainability in an emerging economy such as Pakistan, this study used sophisticated statistical tools.

Researchers’ competencies are directly related to the quality and effectiveness of the research they produce. However, training opportunities for education and conducting research seem to be limited for the growing research culture in Pakistan. The purpose of this study is to assess the research-related training needs of postgraduate researchers (PGRs) of Pakistan.

A quantitative research approach was used to conduct the study using a questionnaire. Non-random sampling technique was used to collect the data from the postgraduate (MPhil/MS and PhD) researchers enrolled in the two well renowned Pakistani Universities.

Results of the study confirmed that PGRs were interested in developing their skills in various areas of a research project such as topic selection, research design and use of data analysis software. Findings also highlighted that respondents were interested in learning reference management tools for citing and managing the sources of information in their research work.

This is the first study, which investigated the training needs assessment of PGRs enrolled in two major Pakistani universities. The results may help in designing training programs, promoting a conducive research culture in the country and improving the quality of research being produced. This study provided a framework likely to be beneficial for quality enhancement cells, universities and organizations in organizing effective research training and development programs for researchers of Pakistan.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the detrimental effects of cynicism on organizational change. It presents an interactive and novel theoretical research model based on organizational cynicism. The study aims to determine the causes of cynicism and suggests remedies for it so that change may be implemented with the consensus of all stakeholders.

This is an associational study that aims to test the hypotheses of linear relationships among the variables used in the proposed model. Data have been collected from 417 employees, working for three public sector organizations, by using self-administrated questionnaires. The model proposed in this research has been tested by using regression analysis in Amos 22. The interactive effects have been examined by using Aguinis’s (2004) multiple moderated regression.

The results reveal that dispositional resistance increases the intention of an employee to exhibit withdrawal behavior and that organizational contextual factors have statistically significant relationships with employees’ withdrawal behavior and their job satisfaction. Moreover, the results of interactive effects are partially significant.

The Government of Pakistan, the managements of public sector organizations and workplace unions can resolve the issues of cynicism and job insecurity by involving employees in decision making and by building trust in change leaders. Employees’ participation and their trust in change leaders can decrease their intentions to exhibit withdrawal behavior and lessen the occurrences of organizational cynicism. In addition, trust in change leaders can raise job satisfaction, while job insecurity can decrease the job satisfaction levels of employees.

This research presents and examines a unique multiple interactive model of organizational cynicism. Until recently, a scant number of studies particular to Asian culture, have investigated the detrimental and interactive effects of cynicism on organizational change.

This study aims to investigate the digital information needs and seeking behaviour of legal practitioners practising at the Lahore High Court in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

This study adopts a quantitative approach based on an e-questionnaire survey to collect data from legal practitioners following a comprehensive census. Among the 9,933 registered legal practitioners, a random sample size of 370 respondents was determined, of whom 302 responded to the survey, resulting in a response rate of 81.6%.

Legal practitioners prefer the Pakistan Law Site and law journals as primary sources of information acquisition, with a distinct inclination towards digital formats over traditional print. These resources are primarily used for court case preparation, significantly enhancing the research capabilities of legal practitioners and ensuring they remain current in their field. However, several challenges were identified, including time constraints, limited access to digital resources and inadequate availability of legal resources in digital format. These challenges emphasize the critical need for enhancing the digital infrastructure of law libraries.

The study calls for law libraries to adopt technological advancements and underscores the necessity of improving digital infrastructure to better serve the evolving information needs of legal practitioners.

This study underscores the preferred information sources and formats of legal practitioners for seeking information, their purpose for using law resources and the impact of digital media on their information-seeking behaviour. In addition, this study reveals the challenges they face in seeking them.

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the social information processing theory, which is extended by the (1) effect of whistleblowing education on whistleblowing intentions, (2) simultaneous examination of the indirect relationship between whistleblowing education and whistleblowing intentions via moral identity and (3) relativism in influencing this mediation.

Multi-wave data collected at three internals from bank employees (n = 294) were analyzed to test the proposed model.

Results of the study demonstrate that whistleblowing education favorably influences whistleblowing intentions directly as well as through moral identity. Relativism serves as the buffer in the indirect effects of whistleblowing education on whistleblowing intentions through moral identity attenuating these indirect effects in individuals with dominant relativism level.

This study strives to extend the whistleblowing education and whistleblowing intentions literature by unpacking a moral identity mechanism through which whistleblowing education kindles whistleblowing intention and relativism as boundary condition to attenuate such motivation.

In the digital age, public libraries are facing numerous challenges, and the Balochistan public libraries are no exception. This study aimed to identify current digital trends adopted by the public libraries in Balochistan and to find out about challenges and potential solutions regarding digital trends from library users.

A quantitative study was carried out and data were collected through the survey method, employing a structured questionnaire. The target population consisted of 17,953 users of 17 public libraries in Balochistan. A sample of 510 users both male and female was selected by using random sampling technique from the target population.

The analysis revealed that patrons of public libraries are dissatisfied with the services offered, as they now require access to new digital trends such as fast Internet, download facilities, unlimited content on numerous resources, Wi-Fi, online reference services, universal accessibility and user-friendly interfaces. Unfortunately, public libraries in Balochistan are still lagging in terms of development. The study recommended that public libraries in Balochistan should develop and implement digital services, increase access to digital resources, hire professional librarians, professional development and collaborate with other libraries.

The study’s findings can assist in improving public library services and granting patrons access to current information and resources in Balochisthan and other developing countries. This study’s originality stems from its use of a quantitative survey approach to gather data from 17 public libraries in Balochisthan and provide a comprehensive view of the digital challenges they face. The study’s focus on digital tendencies is relevant in today’s world, where technology is rapidly changing the way, we access and consume information.

This study aims to meta-synthesize the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and the financial performance of Islamic banks. Specifically, it examines how different components of IC – human capital, structural capital, relational capital and capital employed – impact key financial performance metrics, including return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and Tobin’s Q (TQ).

A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, following the PRISMA guidelines, to synthesize findings from 29 peer-reviewed journal articles indexed in Scopus and Web of Science having accumulative sample size of 8,871. Effect sizes were calculated using Fisher’s r-to-z transformation, and a random-effects model was applied to estimate the overall effect sizes. Subgroup meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the relationships between specific components of IC and various financial performance measures.

The meta-analysis confirms a positive and statistically significant effect size (r = 0.227, p < 0.001) between IC and financial performance in Islamic banks. Human capital shows the strongest positive impact on ROA and ROE, highlighting the role of skilled employees in driving success. Structural and relational capital exhibit weaker and variable effects, whereas capital employed significantly enhances profitability. These findings underscore the complex nature of the IC–financial performance link, emphasizing the need for strategic management to optimize IC benefits.

This study fills a gap in the existing literature by providing a comprehensive meta-analysis focused on Islamic banks, which operate under unique principles compared to conventional banks. By highlighting the significant role of IC, particularly human capital, this research offers valuable insights for academics, practitioners and policymakers aiming to enhance the financial performance and sustainability of Islamic banks through strategic management of intellectual assets.

This paper aims to provide an understanding of employee motivation from the Islamic perspective. The main objective of this paper is to understand Islamic motivation and to explore if Islamic spirituality, punishment and reward and justice motivate Muslim employees.

Qualitative research approach was used to understand and examine the views of the respondents. Semi-structured interviewing technique was adopted, and the respondents were asked to share their own thoughts and understanding for each question provided. A sample of 13 experienced academicians and practitioners from renowned private organizations and academic institutions from Malaysia and Pakistan were selected for the present study.

The study found that the conventional viewpoint of motivation varies from Islamic viewpoint in regard to motivation of employees. And significantly, Islamic spirituality, reward and punishment, and justice act more compellingly in improving employee’s motivation.

This paper clearly highlights that the Western viewpoint of employee motivation is different as compared to the Islamic perspective.