SEARCH ARTICLE

22 Pages : 395-409

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2018(III-III).22      10.31703/gssr.2018(III-III).22      Published : Sep 2018

Institutional Mapping and Political Economy of DRR: A Case Study of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)

    This paper aims to analyze the institutional framework in Pakistan for disaster management and specific disaster management policies. This paper is also designed to develop an in-depth understanding of the key challenges that the communities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan face in the wake of constantly reoccurring disasters. House-hold survey, observations and key informant interviews were conducted to analyze the preparedness, both at community and organizational levels. The findings point out that disaster management policies and mechanisms regarding preparedness are not implemented by both federal and state authorities at local level. Further, the local communities of AJK, Pakistan are susceptible to different kind of hazards related to disasters. The paper reveals that available federal/state mechanism of disasters do not meet the needs of community. All of the stakeholders including federal government institutions, state government institutions and local communities are not prepared. Thus, communities are continuously getting affected by natural disasters. The paper suggests that there is a dire need to improve the coordination between state and national agencies. Further, there is need to enhance community preparedness specifically in AJK, Pakistan to upgrade community's defensive and awareness mechanism to safeguard citizens' lives in response to seismic emergency.

    Disaster Management, Natural Disasters, Community Preparedness, Community Planning, Pakistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir
    (1) Muhammad Waqas Idrees
    PhD Scholar, Department of Government and Public Policy, National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (2) Muhammad Bashir Khan
    Head of Department, Department of Government and Public Policy, National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

03 Pages : 41-67

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2017(II-II).03      10.31703/gssr.2017(II-II).03      Published : Dec 2017

Afghan Displaced Persons: Resettlement, Reintegration and Repatriation

    At the commencement of the 21st century, a visible change is occurring in human relationship, but several areas still demand initiation of new developments, ideas, concepts along with practices for a discernible shift in global society. The idea of belonging is one of those concepts, which needs redefinition on the basis of existing positions and experiences of asylum seekers, refugees, displaced persons and migrants. The 'battlefield' for ending the cold war rivalry of superpowers, once again has become an arena for the war on terror, bringing massive destruction to the population at the hands of warring parties. Millions of lives perish due to fratricidal fighting and a huge number of persons are displaced and forced to live in camps. The statistics of the Afghan government and the UNHCR indicate that half a million people are still internally displaced due to continued conflict, violence and prevalent human rights' violation. Majority of such persons are living in camps or camp-like settings for decades and it is an alarming fact that displaced persons are 'more vulnerable and worse-off than the urban poor' who face insufficient housing or shortage of livelihood due to unemployment while displaced persons are facing numerous issues like insecurity, forced eviction, unemployment, poverty and repatriation due to ongoing conflicts. The paper analyzes all these aspects.

    Displaced Persons, Insecurity, War, Conflict, Reintegration, Natural Disaster
    (1) Mussarat Jabeen
    Chairperson, Department of International Relations & Political Science, University of Lahore
    (2) Sajid Mahmood Awan
    Senior Research Fellow, National Institute of Historical & Cultural Research, QUA, Islamabad, Pakistan

20 Pages : 204-221

http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).20      10.31703/gssr.2021(VI-I).20      Published : Mar 2021

Process of Post Traumatic Growth in Trauma Victims in Pakistan: A Qualitative Study

    The facet of trauma as a constructive means is recent area of study in the field of Positive Psychology i.e, Posttraumatic growth. The present qualitative study is aimed to explore the process of PTG in the trauma victims of Pakistan. Total sample (N=40) having an equal number of participants i.e, manmade disaster (n=20, Male=10 & female=10) and natural disasters (n=20, Male=10 & female=10) was selected purposively. Interview protocol i.e, Semi-Structured Questionnaire was developed with the help of previous literature to go deep about the growth process in participants. The in-depth interviews were conducted on victims showing high Post-traumatic growth on PTGI. In-depth interviews were conducted, tape-recorded and transcribed. Themes were extracted out of bulk of the data through IPA to find out the process of PTG. Main themes were extracted and a Model of PTG was developed with the interaction of those themes.

    Post Traumatic Growth, Qualitative Study, Man-made Disasters, Natural Disasters
    (1) Samra Zubair Lodhi
    PhD Scholar, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
    (2) Seema Gul
    Assistant Professor, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.