Frameworks for urban green infrastructure (UGI) indicators

Climate-induced pressures spur on the need for urban green infrastructure (UGI) planning. This approach offers a possible way to improve ecosystem functionality and human well-being in adversely affected urban regions, wherein UGI is perceived as a green and nature-based climate change mitigation/adaptation strategy. In Pakistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province lacks such urban landscape and greening policies (ULGP) or legislative frameworks for transitioning to green action plans (GAP), to alleviate the risk of multi-climatic hazards. Thus, this study aims to investigate a sustainable UGI-indicator-based framework model, based on the due inclusion of the concerned stakeholders. The relative importance index (RII) and inter-quartile range (IQR) techniques are employed for field data analysis. The findings proclaim excellent reliability (α > 0.7) and internal consistency, wherein sustainable UGI indicators are grouped based on their importance. The results portray the ecological and economic sustainability dimensions as being important (RII = 0.835 and RII = 0.807, respectively), socio-cultural dimensions as being moderately important (RII = 0.795), and a set of UGS elements (RII ≥ 0.77) as vital for bolstering individual UGI indicators. The main UGS elements emerging in each category can be grouped as follows: ecological category—“reducing rainwater runoff” (RII = 0.94); socio-cultural category—“enhancement of mental and physical health” (RII = 0.90); and eco category—“minimizing the risk of flood disasters” (RII = 0.96). The simulation results demonstrate the need for an inclusive perspective when building the urban green space (UGS) infrastructure (and standards) that will be most suitable for ensuring climate-resilient urban regions. This study contributes to putting the scientific research knowledge of the natural green-landscape-based (NBLB) approach into practice. The study calls for the establishment of an effective, pragmatic relationship between the urban landscape and greening policies, alongside a constructive relationship with the native inhabitants to ensure eco-friendly and resilient settlement

Planning for sustainable green urbanism

Rising vulnerability of the urban green infrastructure (UGI) is grabbing global attention, for which inclusive urban landscape and greening policies (ULGP) and frameworks are crucial to support green growth. As such, this research intends to explore the local community’s perspective to assemble sustainable UGI indicators for vital taxonomy of the urban green space (UGS) elements, aiming to develop a multi-functional and sustainable UGI-indicator-based framework that is eco-friendly and supports green-resilient cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Pakistan. An in-depth household survey was executed in three KP districts: Charsadda, Peshawar, and Mardan, placing self-administered 192 questionnaires while covering themes around climate change adaptation, urban resilience, and UGI. Relative importance index (RII) and the interquartile range (IQR) methods were set up for data analysis that revealed excellent reliability (α > 0.88) and internal consistency. The results confirmed community-based UGI indicators with a focus on promoting green-energy-saving strategies as e-imp (level 9, RII = 0.915), while other (ten) UGI indicators as important (RII = 0.811–0.894) and (eleven) as moderately important (RII = 0.738–0.792). These UGI indicators were found to be enhanced by UGS elements (RII ≥ 0.70). These findings provide a foundation for urban policy change and the development of a sustainable UGI framework to build an eco-regional paradigm for greener growth

What (not) advances effective community driven development?:a socio-economic & politico-cultural analysis of the Pashtun Ethnic Society of FATA, Pakistan

Eine gemeindegesteuerte Entwicklung  (Community Driven Development) bereitet einen erfolgreichen Weg fuer einen bottom-up, ergebnisbasierten Entwicklungsansatz. Entsprechende regionale Entwicklungsprogramme koennen auch im Hinblick auf die soziooekonomischen Verhaeltnisse des weltgroeßten Stammes "Paschtunen" von Pakistan, Abhilfe schaffen. Die vorliegende Studie greift quantitative und qualitative methoden. Die vorliegende Studie beweist viel mehr die Ineffizienz und Ineffektivitaet des existierenden politischen Systems. Die Studie schließt mit einem festen Versuch das soziooekonomische System sowie die politisch-kulturelle Struktur der Paschtunen zu verstehen und entwickelt ein Konzept zur Anwendung des CDD fuer Entwicklungsloesung der Region FATA

Female Political Power and the Complexity of Social Barriers in Pakistan

Women constitute half of the world’s population; however, they are seldom represented according to their numbers. This underrepresentation is prevalent in all socio-economic aspects and in societies across the world. Irrespective of geographical location, women continue to be discriminated, especially in the political domain. This paper has deployed quantitative techniques, based on secondary data of independent sources. It is to check the actual level of female political participation in Pakistan, since independence. The level of female political participation in Pakistan union-council to upper-house (Senate) is studied in comparison with other nations in Asia and the world. It is even at the eve of Pakistan’s 70th anniversary, women are restricted to education and health sectors only, whereas, in the political arena societal factors, cultural taboos, and religious misinterpretation are found to be the main hurdles. Also, the persistent patriarchal mindset in the social system remains the underlying belief for low levels of female political participation

Lukas Schlogl and Andy Sumner, Disrupted Development and the Future of Inequality in the Age of Automation.

Disrupted Development and the Future of Inequality in the Age of Automation scrutinise the impact of automation in both the developed and developing countries. This emerging trend of automation has taken over the globe terming it as ‘robot reserve army’ affecting the economy with premature de-industrialisation. This book, unlike other books in the domain, notably by Girasa (2020), Goldfarb et. al., (2019), and Bernhardt and Thomason (2018), focuses on the most recent trend in mushroom growth of automation that result in national inequality, besides proposing the ways how to tackle this social strain in terms of public policy. The authors have introduced the book quoting a World Bank report (2016) that automation has contrived almost two-thirds of the developing countries' current labour force. Likewise, they have also quoted several international agencies global reports on employment prospects towards weakening the labour force. The majority of the reports focus on high-income growth countries, neglecting the developing countries whose progress remains understudied. The book sets in motion with contemporary economic development in the developing world, discussing the three economic theories: (neo-)Classical and neoSchumpeterian school. According to the first two (classical and neo-classical) schools; market equilibrium is determined through supply and demand where manufacturing sectors are portrayed as inconsequential. In contrast to this, neoSchumpeterian school of thought explains; how the market is self-regulating, where manufacturing sectors do matter. These thoughts, according to Rodrik (2016), could be the turning points for developing countries, provided technological capacity as of developed nations. Further, the book presents that the absorptive capacity of labour in poor countries is low that hinders the transfer of labour towards high productivity sectors. Likewise, excess natural resources’ export is also portrayed as negatively impacting the structural transformation, limiting the labour force. These issues, are found to be factors limiting the economic growth rate in the underdeveloped regions like, Latin America, studies like McMillan and Rodrick (2011)

Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Narrative and Non-Traditional (Holistic) Security Paradigm with Civic Engagement

The woes of terrorism and extremism pose a threat to the stability, economic development and human growth of nations. It, therefore, remains a serious concern for the state to rethink its strategies towards bringing stability. This paper, on deploying content analysis technique, explores the traditional security paradigm as a state-centric approach under the diverse concept of security. The non-traditional approaches; Buzan’s holistic perspective of a national security complex, Mehbub-ul-Haq’s human security notion and Mohammed Ayoob’s concept of weak state, are scrutinized to study the actual and potential role of civic engagement towards constructing an effective counter-terrorism narrative of Pakistan. It is established that due civic engagement has the potential to counter the extreme dogmas through collaborative efforts at home. It can also address the wrong perception about Pakistan’s inefficient counter-terror measures at the regional and global level

Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcome and Adverse Reactions in Patients Receiving Directly Observed Treatment Strategy in India: A Prospective Study

Despite successful implementation of directly observed treatment, short course (DOTS) in India, the growing number of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients appears to be a cause in the increasing tuberculosis (TB) incidence, affecting their management. In this regard, a prospective study was conducted on DOTS patients in three primary health care centers in urban slum region of South Delhi, India, to evaluate the effect of DM on sputum conversion, treatment outcome, and adverse drug reactions (ADR) due to anti-TB treatment. Eligible TB patients underwent blood glucose screening at treatment initiation. Disease presentation, clinical outcome, and ADRs were compared between patients of TB with and without DM. Out of 316 patients, the prevalence of DM was found to be 15.8%, in which 19.4% and 9.6% were PTB and EPTB patients, respectively. DM patients have observed higher sputum positivity (OR 1.247 95% CI; 0.539-2.886) at the end of 2-month treatment and poor outcome (OR 1.176 95% CI; at the completion of treatment compared with non DM patients. Presence of DM was significantly associated (OR 3.578 95% CI; 1.114-11.494, = 0.032) with the development of ADRs. DM influences the treatment outcome of PTB patients in our setting and also on the ADR incidence

Delay in diagnosis and treatment among registered TB patients in Directly Observed Treatment Short Course cum Designated Microscopy Centres in South Delhi

Background: Knowing delays in treatment seeking and subsequent treatment initiation among the TB patients is important and its detailed understanding is crucial in modifying the treatment seeking behaviour which can help in reducing the TB burden and the transmission in the community. Aim & Objective: To study the treatment seeking behaviour including the delays in initiation of treatment along with its determinants; among tuberculosis patients aged > 15 years in Mehrauli area of Delhi. Settings and Design: A longitudinal follow up study conducted in two randomly selected DMC cum DOTS centres in Mehrauli area of Delhi from January 2018 to April 2018. Methods and Material: Patients of both sexes of age > 15 years, registered under RNTCP from January to April 2018 in the randomly selected DOTS centres i.e. Mehrauli DMC cum DOTS and Chattarpur DMC cum DOTS centre were included in the study. Self-designed, pretested interview schedule and records of DMC were used to collect the relevant information. Statistical analysis used: Information collected in the Performa was coded and entered in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 12. Results: The mean patients delay, diagnostic delay, treatment delay, health care system delay and total delay was 48.91 ± 130.38 days, 91.09 ± 155.97 days, 6.25 ± 6.29 days, 62.72 ± 119.48 days and 97.33 ± 155.06 days respectively. The median patients delay, diagnostic delay, treatment delay, health care system delay and total delay was 15 days, 45 days, 5 days, 35 days and 54 days respectively. Conclusions: The major reasons for patient’s delay were lack of awareness regarding the symptoms of TB and self-medication and for health care system delay it was treatment from private health care providers

Female Political Power and the Complexity of Social Barriers in Pakistan

Women constitute half of the world’s population; however, they are seldom represented according to their numbers. This underrepresentation is prevalent in all socio-economic aspects and in societies across the world. Irrespective of geographical location, women continue to be discriminated, especially in the political domain. This paper has deployed quantitative techniques, based on secondary data of independent sources. It is to check the actual level of female political participation in Pakistan, since independence. The level of female political participation in Pakistan union-council to upper-house (Senate) is studied in comparison with other nations in Asia and the world. It is even at the eve of Pakistan’s 70th anniversary, women are restricted to education and health sectors only, whereas, in the political arena societal factors, cultural taboos, and religious misinterpretation are found to be the main hurdles. Also, the persistent patriarchal mindset in the social system remains the underlying belief for low levels of female political participation

Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Narrative and Non-Traditional (Holistic) Security Paradigm with Civic Engagement

The woes of terrorism and extremism pose a threat to the stability, economic development and human growth of nations. It, therefore, remains a serious concern for the state to rethink its strategies towards bringing stability. This paper, on deploying content analysis technique, explores the traditional security paradigm as a state-centric approach under the diverse concept of security. The non-traditional approaches; Buzan’s holistic perspective of a national security complex, Mehbub-ul-Haq’s human security notion and Mohammed Ayoob’s concept of weak state, are scrutinized to study the actual and potential role of civic engagement towards constructing an effective counter-terrorism narrative of Pakistan. It is established that due civic engagement has the potential to counter the extreme dogmas through collaborative efforts at home. It can also address the wrong perception about Pakistan’s inefficient counter-terror measures at the regional and global level