Financial Development, International Trade and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

The study utilizes the Autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL) approach for cointegration and Granger causality test, to explore the long run equilibrium relationship and the possible direction of causality between international trade, financial development and economic growth for the Pakistan economy. Imports plus exports of goods and services is used as a proxy for international trade, while broad money (M2) and gross domestic product (GDP) are used as the proxies for financial development and economic growth, respectively. Result explores a long run relationship between the variables. In case of Pakistan, economy supply leading hypothesis is accepted. Moreover, unidirectional causality is observed from international trade to economic growth and from financial development to international trade.Financial development, international trade, economic growth, Pakistan

Female Labor Force Participation in Pakistan: A Case of Punjab

The present study is an effort to investigate the patterns of female labor force participation in case of Pakistan. In particular, the study analyzed the determinants of female labor force participation decision. The study utilized Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2007-08 data of Punjab. Education is used as a direct human capital variable while; age is a proxy of human capital. The variables used in the analysis are female labour force participation, age, age square, marital status, area, female monthly income, family monthly income, family size, household head education, different classes of female education and employment status. To remove the selectivity bias, the study used Heckman’s (1979) two step procedure. Results of Logit model depicts that household head education, primary, middle, matric & mudrassa education level negatively related with the decision of female labor force participation while, decision towards participation is strong if female belonged to urban area, if she is married, if she has higher education, and if she has large family size. By using ordinary Least Square Method we estimated the earning function. Coefficient of age shows a substantial increase in the wages with each additional year spent. The sign of age square is negative which is according to our expectation and implying the concavity of earning function. Moreover, as the level of education increase the returns to each year of education also increases. In different occupational status females earns more if they are employee, employer or self employed than labourer (a reference category); while female earns less if they belonged to agricultural sector or other sectors than labourer. Married females earn more than others. The respondents’ belonged to urban areas earn more than rural respondents. Moreover, household head education and family size are positively significantly related with female earnings

Riding for Survival: A Worst Form of Human Trafficking

Trafficking of the humans is a growing concern at international level. Among all the trafficked ones, children who are misused and continuously mistreated claim the special attention. It is, further, a known fact that these poverty stricken children are trafficked from Pakistan to wealthy Gulf States for camel racing. In order to find out the socioeconomic characteristics of trafficked children this study interviewed the ex-camel jockeys and their families from district Rahim Yar Khan (RYK), Muzafargarh, Multan, D.G. Khan, Bahawalpur and Rajan Pur. Results suggested that the problem of ex-camel jockey children is certainly a social issue and it can only be addressed by taking simultaneous reinforcing actions across all economic and social sectors, including the sectors of education and health. Moreover, it was observed that effective prevention requires family empowerment, basic education, capacity building, awareness raising and social mobilization. Rehabilitation measures should seek to offer different solutions and provide a comprehensive socio-economic package of services encompassing education, health and nutrition, social protection and shelter

Economic Analysis of Earnings in Pakistan: A Case of Sargodha District

This paper investigates human capital and socio-economic factors in order to find out the personal earnings of workers in Sargodha District. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data 2007-08 of Punjab has been used. Education and age are used as variables for human capital whereas, gender, age, age square, different classes of age, marital status, area, different education level, employment status, and tehsil dummies are used to investigate the determinants of personal earnings of the workers of Sargodha district. Ordinary least square results explore that education and age plays an important role in the determination of personal wage. Moreover, as the level of education increases the returns to each year of education also increases. Male workers earn more than female which indicates gender discrimination in the labour market. The most productive age is 40-45 years. The individual belongs to rural areas earn more than urban counterparts. When we analyzed the earning pattern in the context of different occupational classes the magnitude of agricultural sector is high. Hence, these facts highlight the importance of a district level growth/economic strategy because the dynamics and geography of each district is different from the other and the earning pattern of a particular district is closely aligned with its demographic conditions

Economic Analysis of Earnings in Pakistan: A Case of Sargodha District

This paper investigates human capital and socio-economic factors in order to find out the personal earnings of workers in Sargodha District. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data 2007-08 of Punjab has been used. Education and age are used as variables for human capital whereas, gender, age, age square, different classes of age, marital status, area, different education level, employment status, and tehsil dummies are used to investigate the determinants of personal earnings of the workers of Sargodha district. Ordinary least square results explore that education and age plays an important role in the determination of personal wage. Moreover, as the level of education increases the returns to each year of education also increases. Male workers earn more than female which indicates gender discrimination in the labour market. The most productive age is 40-45 years. The individual belongs to rural areas earn more than urban counterparts. When we analyzed the earning pattern in the context of different occupational classes the magnitude of agricultural sector is high. Hence, these facts highlight the importance of a district level growth/economic strategy because the dynamics and geography of each district is different from the other and the earning pattern of a particular district is closely aligned with its demographic conditions

Riding for Survival: A Worst Form of Human Trafficking

Trafficking of the humans is a growing concern at international level. Among all the trafficked ones, children who are misused and continuously mistreated claim the special attention. It is, further, a known fact that these poverty stricken children are trafficked from Pakistan to wealthy Gulf States for camel racing. In order to find out the socioeconomic characteristics of trafficked children this study interviewed the ex-camel jockeys and their families from district Rahim Yar Khan (RYK), Muzafargarh, Multan, D.G. Khan, Bahawalpur and Rajan Pur. Results suggested that the problem of ex-camel jockey children is certainly a social issue and it can only be addressed by taking simultaneous reinforcing actions across all economic and social sectors, including the sectors of education and health. Moreover, it was observed that effective prevention requires family empowerment, basic education, capacity building, awareness raising and social mobilization. Rehabilitation measures should seek to offer different solutions and provide a comprehensive socio-economic package of services encompassing education, health and nutrition, social protection and shelter

Financial Development, International Trade and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

The study utilizes the Autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL) approach for cointegration and Granger causality test, to explore the long run equilibrium relationship and the possible direction of causality between international trade, financial development and economic growth for the Pakistan economy. Imports plus exports of goods and services is used as a proxy for international trade, while broad money (M2) and gross domestic product (GDP) are used as the proxies for financial development and economic growth, respectively. Result explores a long run relationship between the variables. In case of Pakistan, economy supply leading hypothesis is accepted. Moreover, unidirectional causality is observed from international trade to economic growth and from financial development to international trade

Financial Development, International Trade and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

The study utilizes the Autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL) approach for cointegration and Granger causality test, to explore the long run equilibrium relationship and the possible direction of causality between international trade, financial development and economic growth for the Pakistan economy. Imports plus exports of goods and services is used as a proxy for international trade, while broad money (M2) and gross domestic product (GDP) are used as the proxies for financial development and economic growth, respectively. Result explores a long run relationship between the variables. In case of Pakistan, economy supply leading hypothesis is accepted. Moreover, unidirectional causality is observed from international trade to economic growth and from financial development to international trade