Determinants of Urban Poverty: The Case of Medium Sized City in Pakistan

Urban poverty, which is distinct from rural poverty due to demographic, economic and political aspects remain hitherto unexplored, at the city level in Pakistan. We have examined the determinants of urban poverty in Sargodha, a medium-size city of Pakistan. The analysis is based on the survey of 330 households. Results suggest that employment in public sector, investment in human capital and access to public amenities reduce poverty while employment in informal sector, greater household size and female dominated households increase poverty. We recommend greater investment in human capital and public amenities as a strategy for poverty alleviation.Urban Poverty, Pakistan

Determinants of Urban Poverty : The Case of Medium Sized City in Pakistan

Urban poverty, which is distinct from rural poverty due to demographic, economic and political aspects remain hitherto unexplored, at the city level in Pakistan. We have examined the determinants of urban poverty in Sargodha, a medium-size city of Pakistan. The analysis is based on the survey of 330 households. Results suggest that employment in public sector, investment in human capital and access to public amenities reduce poverty while employment in informal sector, greater household size and female dominated households increase poverty. We recommend greater investment in human capital and public amenities as a strategy for poverty alleviation.Urban Poverty, Pakistan

Fiscal Decentralisation, Democratic Institutions and Inflation

This study examines the role of democratic institutions in an attempt to explain the relationship between fiscal decentralisation and inflation. The empirical analysis is based on time series data over 1972–2010 for Pakistan using the GMM estimation procedure. Three different measures of fiscal decentralisation are used in order to capture multidimensionality. The major findings of the study suggest that expenditure decentralisation has a negative impact on inflation if accompanied by democratic institutions. Revenue decentralisation, however, has a negative impact on inflation even in the absence of institutions, though institutions accentuate this effect. The role of institutions, therefore, is important in realising the benefits of fiscal decentralisation. Composite decentralisation has a negative and significant impact on inflation. This implies that expenditure decentralisation becomes effective when it is complemented with revenue decentralisation. Intuitively, provincial governments become more responsive when their expenditure needs are met with their own revenues. JEL Classification: E31, H11, H72 Keywords: Fiscal Decentralisation, Inflation, Institutions, Pakista

Douglas A. Irvin (ed.). Free Trade under Fire. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 2005. 294 pages. Price not given.

International trade around the world is growing rapidly and it is very effective in improving the living standards of a nation, but still free trade faces many critics. They complain that free trade causes harmful economic adjustments, for example increase in unemployment through the closing of factories etc. The critic further object that the World Trade Organisation serves the interests of international corporations, undercuts domestic environment regulations, and erodes America’s sovereignty. Why has global trade become so controversial? Does free trade deserve its bad reputations? These are the questions which inspired the writer to work against these problems. In “Free Trade under Fire”, the author discusses the misconceptions that litter the debate over trade and gives the reader a clear understanding of the issues involved. The aim of this book is to determine the effect of economic, political and legal factors on the trade policy of the United State

An early experience of total hip arthroplasty done through direct anterior approach: an adult of cases done at Helen Joseph hospital

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Of Master of Medicine Johannesburg, 2016Background: Total hip arthroplasty is among the most successful and reliable procedures used to treat various hip arthritides. It improves the quality of life by relieving pain and improving function. There are various factors that affect the outcome following surgery. One important factor is the choice of the surgical approach used. The direct anterior approach to the hip is minimally invasive with fewer complications and faster rehabilitation compared to other commonly used surgical approaches to the hip joint. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate intra-operative complications, early post-operative complications and time to mobilization in Total Hip Arthroplasty done using a Direct Anterior Approach and thus determine the length of hospital stay. Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of the records of all the cases of total hip arthroplasty done using a direct anterior approach from January 2013 to June 2015. Intraoperative complications and times of mobilization were evaluated. Results: Out of thirty (30) cases, twenty one (21) cases met the inclusion criteria with 11 male and 10 female patients. The average perioperative blood loss was 440ml and the average time of surgery was 145min. No intra-operative fracture, case of deep vein thrombosis, injury to lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and postoperative hip dislocation occurred in this series. The average time to mobilization was 6.14 days and the average length of hospital stay was 10.28 days. Conclusion These results are good and comparable to international studies in spite of the learning curve faced by surgeons when using a new approach.MT201

The impact of human capital on urban poverty: The case of Sargodha city

The positive relationship between human capital and income/wages has been supported by empirical research. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) enormously emphasize on human capital for curbing poverty. The economic development in East Asian countries is also linked with investment in education for the development of human capital. This study is designed to investigate the relationship of different levels of education and experience upon urban poverty at medium sized city in Pakistan such as Sargodha. A survey-based analysis was carried out on a sample of 330 households. Poverty status of the individual is defined by using adjusted official poverty line. Results show that education and experience is negatively related with the poverty status of individuals and this fact sustains even in separate gender estimates as well. This implies education of poor is necessary in breaking the vicious circle of poverty. Combined effort by public, private, community participation and NGO’s with special focus on elementary (Primary and middle) education is suggested for reducing poverty by increasing the productivity of the poor through education.Human Capital, Urban Poverty, Sargodha, Pakistan

The Persistence and Transition of Rural Poverty in Pakistan: 1998-2004

This study has used two rounds of the two panel data sets to examine the poverty dynamics in rural Pakistan (Sindh and Punjab). The Pakistan Socio- Economic Survey (PSES ) covers two periods, 1998 and 2000, while the Pakistan Rural Household Survey (PRHS) covers the 2001 and 2004 period. More than one-fifth of the households were chronically poor in the PSES rounds , and 11 percent in the PRHS rounds. Further, both chronic and transitory poverty are higher in Sindh and southern Punjab than in centra l and northern Punjab. Illiteracy, household size, dependency ratio, lack of livestock, landlessness, lack of ownership of dwellings, and health expenditure are the factors responsible for aggravating long-term poverty. The higher incidence of transitory poverty in rural Sindh and southern Punjab indicates the impact of large investments made in the public sector to raise the living standards there to the level of the better-off regions.Poverty, Chronic Poverty, Household Panel Datasets, Rural Pakistan

Working Capital Management Antecedants Impact on Firm Specific Factors: A Ten Year Review of Karachi Stock Exchange

The study aims of investigate relationship of working capital antecedents and profitability of the company. Seven variables are taken as proxy variable to measure working capital and its management. Population of the study is based on Karachi stock exchange listed companies. The sample of study is manufacturing sector of Pakistan. Thus, sample period contains on the ten years from (2005-2014). All variables have sound reliability and data is normally distributed. Therefore, correlation and regression analyses are applied. Hence, study revealed significant relationship of working capital management and profitability. Key Words: Working capital, profitability, Normality, correlation, regression, sample period, normally distributed.

Spatial Differences and Socioeconomic Determinants of Health Poverty

The study aims to develop health poverty index (HPI) using the Alkire Foster (AF) Method for Pakistan based on district representative data obtained from Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) 2012-13. Using HPI, this study investigates the spatial differences of health poverty at sub-national level and explores the socioeconomic determinants. The analysis reveals that the headcount health poverty is 41 percent in Pakistan. Further, the ratio is very high in rural areas (50 percent) as compared to urban areas (22 percent). Provincial analysis shows that Punjab is the least poor province (36 percent) while Balochistan is the poorest province (62 percent). The majority of the households are deprived in term of cost of health services, post-natal care and child immunisation. Empirical analysis shows that income, regional variation, education and awareness play very important role in explaining health poverty. To eradicate health deprivation, area and dimension specific policies are required to make efficient use of scarce resources. JEL Classification: I12, I32, J18 Keywords: Health Poverty, Spatial Analysis, Alkire Foster Metho

Pakistan’s Bilateral Trade under MFN and SAFTA: Do Institutional and Non-Institutional Arrangements Matter?

The purpose of this study is two fold. First, to estimate the impact of institutional and non-institutional arrangements on bilateral trade, and second to analyse the impact of SAFTA on bilateral trade in the short as well as in the long run. The empirical analysis which is based on the panel of eight South Asian countries, comprising data over the period i.e. 1975–2013 is conducted using fixed effects model along with Pooled Mean-Group (PMG) estimator for estimating the short and long-run relationships. The analysis has shown that trade agreements including South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) and the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) are not effective in promoting trade, due to low institutional quality and stringent non-institutional arrangements, including high tariff along with low physical infrastructure. Further empirical analysis has shown that both SAFTA and MFN can only contribute to bilateral trade significantly, if complemented by institutional framework. As a policy lesson, to improve the trade ties between India and Pakistan, improvement in physical as well as soft infrastructure is required. Any trade agreements between the two, including MFN can only be effective, when it is supported by a well-defined and enforced institutional framework that ensure the implementation of policy reforms needed to reduce tariff rate and remove non-tariff barriers