http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/10331 2026-06-25T16:10:39Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/21308 Russia’s Disinformation Campaigns to Manipulate Public Opinion: A Case Study of the U.S Elections 2016 Gul Wajid Abbasi, 01-155221-065 With an emphasis on how Russia has revised its influence tactics in the 21st century to attain geopolitical goals without resorting to direct armed conflict, this thesis explores the late Russian involvement in political manipulation. Russia has used a complex combination of misinformation, cyber operations, psychological attacks, diplomatic intimidation, and backing for proxy groups to influence political results in targeted governments as global politics have increasingly turned toward information-driven power. Although these strategies are not wholly novel, they have significantly increased in scope, sophistication, and technology integration in recent years, giving Russia strategic clout in both regional and global contexts. The study examines significant instances of Russian manipulation, such as election meddling, narrative structuring through governmental media, and covert influence networks, using a qualitative research methodology backed by secondary data. The goal is to comprehend the reasons for Russia's attempts at manipulation, the methods it uses, and the structural circumstances that enable these strategies to be effective. Additionally, the study looks into how these interventions affect public trust, democratic institutions, and the overall balance of power in the world. According to the concept, Russia's late-stage manipulation tactics are an intentional move toward "asymmetric influence," a type of power that places more emphasis on disinformation, ambiguity, and stealth than on conventional military action. Russia aims to undermine adversaries, broaden its sphere of influence, and alter international standards by taking advantage of social divisions, technology weaknesses, and global communication networks. The study comes to the conclusion that Russia's manipulation attempts present serious threats to international security, necessitating more public awareness, better digital management frameworks, and coordinated international actions. All things considered, the thesis advances knowledge of how current manipulation techniques redefine government and the course of contemporary geopolitics. Supervised by Dr. Sadia Khanum 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/21309 A Comparative Study on the Role of International Treaties in Protecting Women During the Floods in Southern Punjab in 2010 & 2022. Kainat Rasheed, 01-155221-032 Climate change is a global phenomenon that profoundly impacts both ecological and social systems. In regions such as Pakistan, where socioeconomic disparities are significant, the impacts of climate change are more severe. The 2010 & 2022 flood in South Punjab, Pakistan, exposed the intrinsic deficiencies in underprivileged regions concerning women's fundamental rights, discrimination, healthcare, and essential infrastructure. The frequency and intensity of floods are escalating, resulting in fatalities, relocation, food scarcity, and economic challenges. At-risk populations, including children, the elderly, and particularly women, encounter these issues more severely owing to restricted access to resources, inadequate infrastructure, prevailing socioeconomic inequalities, deficiencies in flood disasters, and gender-responsive policies. Comprehending the intricate relationships between climate change and vulnerability is crucial for formulating effective adaptation and mitigation measures to safeguard vulnerable populations and enhance resilience amidst a changing environment.1 This study initially examines two fundamental frameworks, international treaties, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030). The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women serves as both a worldwide bill of rights for women and a framework for action by nations to ensure the realization of those rights. In South Punjab, CEDAW's effectiveness is constrained by inadequate gender-sensitive disaster response tactics, and qualitative research indicates that women are particularly affected by relief preparations. The assessment necessitates quantifying international accords to design gender-sensitive catastrophe response plans. Through the lens of the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction, the primary factors include comprehending disaster risk, fortifying disaster risk governance, investing in disaster reduction for resilience, enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and promoting "Build Back Better" principles in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.2 Supervised by Dr. Muhammad Fahim Khan 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/21310 Analyzing Trump’s Policies on Migration: A Case Study of Mexican Migrants in USA Muhammad Haider Masood, 01-155221-020 Migration remains a complicated issue of 21st century shaped by institutional factors, political ideologies and evolving security concerns. Traditionally, US has remained one of the most prominent countries in hosting migrants but with President Trump coming into power, the process of migration has been reshaped by “America First” slogan. Moreover, Trump’s migration policies aim at halting migration mainly illegal migration and protecting economy and native population of US from what Trump calls as “Aliens” but in reality dynamics are completely different as migration still continues even after the implementation of strict policies. By using qualitative methods, this research analyzed the relationship between politics, institutions, and migration flows, contributing to migration studies, offering critical understanding of how restrictive governance policies transforms migration flow rather than halting migration shaping both domestic and international relations. Supervised by Ms. Sanabil Sibtain 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/19834 International Humanitarian Law and Artificial Intelligence: Legal Scope of Autonomous Weapon Systems Used in the War in Gaza SamihaYousaf, 01-155212-036 This study critically examines the legal challenges posed by the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), with a focus on the 2023-24 war in Gaza. It addresses the "context-dependency" gap in IHL, where compliance often fails in real-world asymmetric conflicts. Using a qualitative methodology, this research explores and analyses how legal norms and realities are socially constructed, continuously contested, and redefined. Furthermore, the study is grounded on secondary data sources. The Israeli military's use of AI systems such as Lavender and Gospel serves as a case study revealing these tensions. Despite Israeli claims of multi-layered human oversight, investigative reports and findings by international organisations show growing reliance on algorithmic outputs and broad categorisation of what constitutes a military target, where civilians, including civil society activists and NGO workers, have been broadly labelled as terrorists. These biases, deeply rooted in Israel’s broad and politicised definitions of terrorism, are absorbed by the machine learning models, producing automated suspicion scores that systematically endanger civilian populations. Such practices challenge the principle of meaningful human control and undermine the core IHL obligations of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. Israel’s invocation of the "human shield" argument cannot legally justify the structural errors and disproportionate harm caused by these AI-driven systems. Through a constructivist lens, the study argues that whether future regulation of AWS will occur depends on the strategic alignment of powerful states' interests; absent a direct threat to their security, the normalization of AWS use is likely to prevail. The findings suggest that the governance of AI in warfare is shaped not by humanitarian ideals but by political calculations and evolving power structures. Supervised by Mr. Khaqan Ahmed 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z