Most Favored Nation (MFN) Treatment for India An Analysis

[While MFN treatment is one of the basic principles of the multilateral trading system under GATT/WTO, exceptions are there and have been exercised by countries considering their own objectives and interests. While India granted Pakistan MFN status since 1996, trade balance remains heavily in favor of India due to Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) imposed by India. Considering the nature of relationship between the two countries and state of affairs of Pakistani economy, MFN status will have some worth pondering pitfalls for Pakistan, and only meager gains are expected. Moreover, the hasty decision to grant MFN status to India seems driven more by international agenda than any indigenous imperative. Pakistan needs to adopt a gradual approach and should go for complete liberalization of trade only after guarantees for removal of NTBs and its rightful share of water.

Pakistan and Regional Cooperation Organizations: Towards a Futuristic Approach

Pakistan is member of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for past more than three decades. It is also an observer of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and expected to get full membership in June 2017. The track record so far and prospects ahead indicate that SAARC will remain hostage to Pak-India tensions, and India's quest for dominance. ECO, while not having recorded a desirable progress either, signals comparatively more potential. Cooperation with China and Russia from ECO's platform seems a bright possibility. SCO, with both security and economic cooperation in its scope, presents even brighter prospects for Pakistan for a broader regional level engagement. Besides, inter-organization cooperation and sub-regional initiatives can be explored and fostered

Pak-Iran Collaborative Strategies for Enhancing Regional Cooperation in Eurasia

[Pakistan and Iran - located at the juncture of South, West and Central Asia -assume pivotal position and undeniable role for any move, aimed at enhancing regional cooperation in Eurasia. The two countries must make joint efforts for long-term sustained peace in neighboring Afghanistan, which is a prerequisite of any enduring cooperation between the nations of the region. Regional energy politics is another important area where the two can join hands for collective benefit of the region. An indigenously designed and backed Silk Road can be revived as well with their mutual efforts, while reinvigorating the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) can do wonders. Several emerging and non-traditional challenges also provide vast scope for regional and sub-regional collaboration.] </p

THE EFFECTS OF SEED SOAKING WITH PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON SEEDLING VIGOR OF WHEAT UNDER SALINITY STRESS

Effects of seed soaking with plant growth regulators (IAA, GA3, kinetin or prostart) on wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Auqab-2000) emergence and seedling growth under normal (4 dS/cm) and saline (15 dS/cm) conditions were studied to determine their usefulness in increasing relative salt-tolerance. During emergence test, emergence percentage and mean emergence time (MET) were significantly affected by most of priming treatments, however, root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight of seedlings were significantly increased by 25 ppm kinetin followed by 1% prostart for 2 h treatments under both normal and saline conditions. All pre-sowing seed treatments decreased the electrolyte leakage of steep water as compared to that of non-primed seeds even after 12 h of soaking. Seed soaking with 25 ppm kinetin induced maximum decrease in electrolyte leakage while an increase in electrolyte leakage was observed by 25, 50 or 100 ppm IAA treatments. It is concluded that priming has reduced the severity of the effect of salinity but the amelioration was better due to 25 ppm kinetin and 1% prostart (2 h) treatments as these showed best results on seedling growth, fresh and dry weights under non-saline and saline conditions whereas seed soaking with IAA and GA3 were not effective in inducing salt tolerance under present experimental material and conditions

Gastroprotective potential and mechanisms of action of Hedera nepalensis

Hedera nepalensis (H. nepalensis)&nbsp;, belonging to the family Araliaceae, is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat stomach problems. The current study investigated the gastroprotective potential and the mechanism of action of&nbsp;H. nepalensis&nbsp;in diclofenac-and ethanol-induced ulcer models. Anti-oxidant and lipid peroxidation inhibitory prospects of&nbsp;H. nepalensis&nbsp;were checked out by free radical scavenging assay and UV spectrophotometer respectively. Effect of&nbsp;H. nepalensis&nbsp;on the pH, gastric total acidity of gastric juice and protective effects of&nbsp;H. nepalensis&nbsp;against ulcer models have been examined. Histopathological studies have been carried out. The aqueous methanol extract of&nbsp;H. nepalensis&nbsp;(100 µg/mL) showed anti-oxidant (83.55%) and lipid peroxidation inhibitory (70.88%) potential at 1000 µg/mL; the extract had no buffer potential. The extract (400 mg/kg) significantly (81.12% and 63.46%) showed gastroprotective effect in diclofenac and ethanol-induced rat ulcer models respectively. Histopathological studies confirmed the biochemical findings. FTIR analysis showed the presence of carboxylic acid, alkanes, conjugated alkanes, aldehydes and alkyl-aryl ethers. Gallic acid, M-coumaric acid and quercetin were found by HPLC analysis.&nbsp;H. nepalensis&nbsp;exhibited significant protection against diclofenac and ethanol induced gastric damage by anti-oxidant and lipid peroxidation suppression effects suggesting potential broad utility in treatment of diseases characterized with gastric damage

Perils of Power Purchase: Electricity Imports in the Changing Milieu

In an attempt to mitigate pressing power shortages, Pakistan is pursuing proposals and projects aimed at import of electricity from CARs, India and other SAARC member states, Iran and China. However, the nature of relations between Pakistan and the countries involved, as well as disputes over sources of power to be imported, solicit caution, for strategic reasons. Besides, considering the changing scenario where a sizeable number of medium to large sized projects are being initiated in the wake of China's mega scale entry on Pakistan's power generation horizon, Islamabad's electricity import options need reevaluation and reconsideration. Projects such as CASA-1000 and import from India have become less relevant, for the time being at least, while import from Iran and China may be reanalyzed in the evolving milieu and thus implemented, accordingly

Impact of Internal Marketing Mix on Affective Commitment in Telecommunication Sector

Employees are always major element for organization. Without quality employees, it is difficult for organization to survive. Now days, there is wide importance of employees and their worthy value is always concerned by organizations. In service sectors, frontline employees are backbone of organizations as they are directly engaging themselves with outside customers. With this sense, frontline employees are undertaken as internal customers. Internal marketing mix is involved which have basic seven elements which are internal product, internal price, internal promotion, internal distribution, internal people, internal processes and internal physical evidence. Internal marketing is communication of information to employees. It is the key to success of external marketing and success with profitability of service organizations. Now companies are focusing on motivation of employees to decrease the turnover rate by increasing the commitment of employees. Internal marketing is always depending on the idea of exchanging few words with internal markets and delighting as well as make pleasing employees like their own customers. Service employees regularly symbolize their organization in the eyes of customers