Role of agriculture in economic growth of Pakistan

This research based on the role of agriculture in the economic growth of Pakistan. Secondary data has been collected from the year 1980-2010 from the government authentic websites. For this purpose simple regression applied to identify the significance relationship of agricultural sub-sectors with GDP. Results suggested that there is the significance role of agriculture sub-sectors towards the economic growth only forestry showed insignificant relationship with GDP. Another objective is based on to know the contribution of each sub-sector over the aggregate agriculture amount. Result suggest that crops and livestock’s total contribute 91% combined in the aggregate agriculture sector that represent significance contribution for the performance regarding in this sector while fisheries and forestry have minimal contribution because of many reasons, major reasons involved low investment intensity in this sector, insufficient facilities, untrained and unskillful labor force engaged with it.Economic growth, major crops, minor crops, Livestock, forestry, fisheries, Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Socio-cultural Constraints and Women’s Decision-making Power Regarding Reproductive Behaviour

In a previous study [Ali, Siyal and Sultan (1995)], we observed a big gap between behaviour and desires. Only 35 percent women had the number of children that they had desired. Whereas, a very large number of women had more children than their stated ideal number of children. The same data set also showed that a majority of women (54 percent) either wanted to stop having children or wanted to wait at least two years before having another child [Ali and Rukanuddin (1992)]. In practice, all of these women were not protected; instead only 12 percent were practising contraception [Shah and Ali (1992)]. An argument was put forward that, had these women been empowered to decide about the number of children to be born, the scenario would have been different and small family size norms would have prevailed. However, the finding of that study revealed that generally, the women who were considered to be empowered were actually constrained to exercise fertility control behaviour. It was hypothesised that socio-cultural influences including those of husbands, in-laws and other family members impelled women to become incapacitated. In the present study, an effort has been made to investigate and identify factors that influence women’s decision making about reproductive behaviour. Furthermore, an attempt to measure the extent of these influences has been made.

Nursing faculty perspective on simulation based education: A qualitative exploratory study at public and private nursing schools in Karachi, Pakistan

Background: Simulation-based education (SBE) provide novice and proficient student nurses a platform to learn and practice skills in a simulated environment, to become safe and competent nurses. This pedagogy is especially beneficial for those studying healthcare-related domains, as it permits students to gain hands-on expertise that is much more real and facilitating than the traditional methods of teaching. The role of nursing faculty is crucial in this process. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of nursing faculty members regarding SBE, as well as the facilitators and barriers of SBE.Research Methods: An exploratory qualitative research methodology was used to explore the nursing faculty perspectives on simulation based education in nursing schools. These included one public and three private schools, offering undergraduate nursing (BScN) program. Thirty-three nurse academics participated in face-to-face focus group discussions. The focus group discussions were transcribed, and these transcripts were analyzed by following the steps of content analysis suggested by (Creswell & Creswell, 2018) .Findings: The study revealed four major themes: (i) Nursing Faculty Viewpoints on SBE, (ii) Barriers of SBE, (iii) Factors facilitating SBE and (iv) The future of Simulation. The participants reported simulation as an effective pedagogy and highlighted its benefits, such as enhancing confidence and critical thinking skills; the barriers of SBE, including high expenses; lack of opportunities and interest in faculty; and limited availability of equipment. The facilitators of SBE were students completing pre-simulation activities and collaboration with other institutions. The future of simulation included faculty development, equipment availability, and involvement of higher authorities.Conclusion: The study explored faculty views, and facilitators and barriers of SBE. The inclusion and promotion of facilitators as well as easing of barriers will help to support and assist faculty in teaching SBE and in enhancing students’ learning

Hearing the Voice From the Veil. An Ethnographic Inquiry Into the Mourning For Lady Zainab By Toronto Shiites

The religious flux experienced by Indo-Pakistani Shiites in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) raises insightful questions about how and why their lamentation assemblies are modified. Although the martyrdom of Hussain and his companions at the siege of Karbala has an existential importance to Shiite mourning, a premium is also placed on the narrative of Lady Zaynab, the first granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad. I use the veneration of Zaynab as my guide into explaining ritual change within this Shiite diaspora. Zaynab was Hussain’s comrade in spirit and, in the absence of Zaynab, Hussain’s resistance was futile – her strength of mind, compassion and dedication make her the cornerstone of Shiite belief and the driving force behind the panorama of Shiite mourning rituals and assemblies. These mourning rituals are discussed through my participation in them during my formative years in Dubai, the strict formulae to our mourning and the socioeconomic, political circumstances within which our mourning transpired. Through the authoritative discourses that mediated our mourning, I highlight the ritual change I unexpectedly witnessed upon migrating to the Greater Toronto Area, how it is received by the elder members of the Shiite diaspora and the fluid interpretations of Shiite mourning within the context of ritual theory, identity and diaspora

Second Phase Sample Selection For Repeated Survey

The paper describes the scenario of a survey where a relatively large random sample is drawn at a first phase and a response variable Y and a set of (cheap) covariates x are observed, while (usually expensive) covariates z are missing. In a second phase, a smaller random sample is drawn from the first phase sample where the additional covariates z are also recorded. The overall intention is to fit a regression model of y on both, x and z. The question tackled in this paper is how to select the second phase random sample. We assume further that the survey is drawn repeatedly over time, that is data on Y , x and z are available from previous studies. As example for such setting we consider rental guide surveys, regularly run in German cities. We propose to draw the second phase sample such that it minimizes the estimation variability in the underlying regression model. This step is carried out with imputation using the previous survey data. The norm of matrix can be used to find simulation based second phase sample which maximize design matrix of imputed data. The proposed sampling scheme is numerically rather simple and performs convincingly well in simulation studies as well as in the real data example

Socio-cultural Constraints and Women’s Decision-making Power Regarding Reproductive Behaviour

In a previous study [Ali, Siyal and Sultan (1995)], we observed a big gap between behaviour and desires. Only 35 percent women had the number of children that they had desired. Whereas, a very large number of women had more children than their stated ideal number of children. The same data set also showed that a majority of women (54 percent) either wanted to stop having children or wanted to wait at least two years before having another child [Ali and Rukanuddin (1992)]. In practice, all of these women were not protected; instead only 12 percent were practising contraception [Shah and Ali (1992)]. An argument was put forward that, had these women been empowered to decide about the number of children to be born, the scenario would have been different and small family size norms would have prevailed