Determinants of public-private-partnership performance: the case of Pakistan

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world with a population of 207.77 million and growth rate of 2.40 percent per annum (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2018). Continual increases in population growth and urbanisation are applying pressure on infrastructure services demand. Currently, the country is unable to finance infrastructure projects through traditional methods. Public finance – due to budget deficit. The provisions of Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation (FRDL) Act 2005 limit federal fiscal deficit to 4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and the current budget deficit is 4 percent of GDP. Borrowing – is unavailable because, under lending restrictions in the FRDL Act 2005 public debt is restricted to 60 percent maximum of estimated GDP. Present public debt is 59.2 percent of GDP (Ministry of Finance, 2016). Issuance of international bonds – is not available due to their high susceptibility to event-risk factors. Access to capital markets is limited to only three stock exchanges and stock issuers are unable to use savings from remote areas. There is no availability of long-term lending facilities for infrastructure projects financing. Finally, the government cannot impose new taxes or increase tax rates due to weak economic conditions and political reasons. Improvements in public infrastructure facilities have not kept pace with population growth and urbanisation. Consequently, the gap between infrastructure services demand and supply is widening. Financial constraint is the major barrier in infrastructure development alongside other problems such as a weak institutional framework, political instability and governance issues. Consequently, Pakistan ranks 115 out of 137 countries in the basic infrastructure category in Global Competitiveness Index 2017-18. Therefore, it is suspected that a large part of the population will not have access to infrastructure facilities in future, if appropriate measures are not taken now. The present infrastructure demand-supply gap needs to be addressed on priority basis. New avenues to increase infrastructure investment may be found elsewhere, beyond the scope of public resources. Accordingly, Pakistani government needs to adopt innovative approaches to deal with financial constraints for infrastructure development by avoiding future debt traps. Empirical studies suggest that public-private partnerships (PPP) may be a valuable solution to the infrastructure challenge. Therefore, it is ascertained that PPP for infrastructure development is urgently needed in Pakistan and an exploration of the factors helping or impeding their implementation is justified. However, there are a few impediments in PPP implementation in Pakistan. These includes lack of "ownership" of such projects at senior level management and a weak judicial system: there is a lack of fast track dispute-resolution mechanises. There is no PPP legislation and sector specific guidelines and standard model contracts. The financial system is weak such that long-term loans for infrastructure development are unavailable. There is limited access to the capital market. Institutional structure is ineffective, especially regarding political instability and inconsistency in policy implementation. Finally, microeconomic polices are weak. In the current literature, the majority of research focus, primarily within developed countries, has been put on PPP procurement, management and performance of PPP projects and service delivery. However, institutional capacity and the capacity of public and private sectors for implementing PPP projects has been largely ignored, with only a small number of researchers having identified the importance of institutional and public sector capacity for successful implementation of PPP projects. A comprehensive set of criteria and methodology for evaluating their capacity is missing. An extensive review of the available literature suggests that private sector capacity to implement PPP programs has not been assessed so far. Therefore, no previous analytical methodology and research technique was available to evaluate this aspect of PPP. As no studies have been carried out to determine the capacity of institutions, public and the private sector to implement PPP program in the context of Pakistan, this thesis therefore focuses on the determinants of PPP implementation. In this thesis, time series and cross-sectional primary and secondary data covering 24 years from 1991 to 2014 was used. Primary data was collected through a survey questionnaire. Secondary data was collected through official websites and financial reports of the government of Pakistan and from the World Bank database. The suitability of questionnaire was verified by using factor analysis. Cronbach's alpha was used to test reliability and consistency among questionnaire variables. Time series property of the data and unit root non-stationarity of variables within panel framework was conducted by panel unit root tests. Panel cointegration tests were performed among the variables to avoid spurious regression by utilising Persyn and Wasteland tests. The estimated model was built up within panel vector autoregression (PVAR) framework. The PVAR model was further extended to include qualitative policy variables to articulate the effects of quantitative and qualitative variables in infrastructure development of Pakistan. This model is generally known as panel vector auto regression with exogenous variables (PVAR – X). The panel regression model was estimated by ordinary least square (OLS) and generalised least square (GLS) methods. PVAR model was estimated by generalised method of moment (GMM). The post-estimation analysis was performed for checking: i) economic theory consistency and sign consistency; ii) statistical significance; iii) model adequacy; iv) goodness-of-fit tests; and v) classical testing framework was also applied (t-test, F-test, Lagrange multiplier (LM) and Wald testing approaches) for comparing growth parameter among panel and their interaction. The estimation results showed that: i) Institutions in Pakistan do not have the capacity for managing PPP program. The private sector not only lacks the capacity for participating and managing PPP projects but also are a barrier to infrastructure development; ii) The public sector has an influence on PPP undertakings for infrastructure development but the sector cannot attract private sector investment due to lack of managerial, financial and monitoring capacity. Further, the public sector does not have the capacity for mitigating project-related risks. iii) Other factors (barriers) for implementing PPP in Pakistan were also identified, which are: a) lack of good governance – administrative formalities and ambiguous rules and regulations; b) delays/deficiencies in project execution; c) public and private sectors do not have PPP related experience and qualification; and d) feasibility studies and projections for PPP projects are unrealistic. This thesis contributes to both theoretical and practical aspects of PPP implementation in Pakistan. The findings provide valuable insights on how and why PPP model may or may not work effectively in different institutional settings. These contributions extend the theoretical literature related to PPP implementation, especially in developing economies, and provides policy guidance for the government to remove barriers for implementing and encouraging PPP undertakings in Pakistan. The findings provide guidelines for PPP implementation in Pakistan and the methodology used can be extended to other developing countries and/or multi-country studies for generating useful comparisons and revealing more useful information

Spatial Environmental Criteria for Siting Industries

The paper presents the solution for identifying appropriate locations for industrial setup in Lahore districtusing GIS based multi-criteria decision analysis as decision support tool (DST). Several environmental indicators wereused in this study including air quality index, water quality index, landcover, and built-up/settlements. Thematic layerswere developed for these indicators followed by analysis in ArcGIS software’s model builder using various geoprocessing techniques. As a result the study area is divided into four types of zones (e.g., not suitable, less suitablemoderately suitable and suitable) depending on environmental criteria and industrial categorization. The results revealthat 52 % of district area goes to environmentally sensitive zone . In remaining areas possibility of setting industrieswith their pollution index is proposed. The areas are proposed considering the industry categories such as schedule Iindustries which are air emission industries and Schedule II industries which are effluent discharge industries as persectoral guidelines of Pakistan

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF LOWER UTERINE SEGMENT THICKNESS IN PREGNANT WOMEN WITH PREVIOUS CESAREAN SECTION: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Background: Nowadays it’s a big problem of lower uterine thickness in pregnant women that causes a lot of problems. Lower uterine segment thickness is a strong predictor for uterine scar defect in women with prior caesarian section. Lower segment cesarean section (LSCS) rates are raising throughout the world. Women with previous one cesarean can undergo either the trial of vaginal birth or elective repeat cesarean section in their next pregnancy. The study aims to assess the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic measurement of lower uterine segment thickness in pregnant women So there we are going to evaluate lower uterine segment thickness in pregnant women sonographically by using transabdominal and transvaginal approaches as well. Objective: To evaluate lower uterine segment thickness in pregnant women with previous caesarian section by sonography. Materials and Methods: An electronic data base search was performed through the searches using PubMed, Google Scholar, international Journal of Gynecology & obstetrics and some other online journals and medical websites with the range from 2000-2021. All studies included in the research was in English language. Articles which had descriptive studies related to sonographic features of lower uterine segment thickness of pregnant women with C-section. Results: Research data of 200 patients in all studies showed that Transvaginal ultrasound provided greater reliability in LUS measurements than did transabdominal ultrasound. The use of three-dimensional ultrasound improved significantly the reliability of the LUS muscular thickness measurement obtained transvaginal Conclusion: We identified certain sonographic patterns that can accurately shows the lower uterine segment thickness in pregnant women with previous caesarian section. Keywords: LUS lower uterine segment thickness, Transabdominal and Transvaginal ultrasonography, Pregnancy, Caesarian Section DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/93-07 Publication date:September 30th 202

The sedimentology of the Lower Permian Dandot Formation: a component of the Gondwana deglaciation sequence of the Salt Range, Pakistan

The Dandot Formation is a part of the Lower Permian, dominantly continental, Gondwanan Nilawahan Group in the Salt Range, Pakistan. The formation conformably overlies the glacio-fluvial Tobra Formation and has a sharp conformable contact with the overlying fluvio-continental Warchha Sandstone. Sedimentary analyses show that the Dandot Formation consists of 1: bioturbated sandstone lithofacies (L1), 2: dark green mudstone/shale lithofacies (L2), 3: flaser bedded sandstone lithofacies (L3), 4: rippled sandstone lithofacies (L4), 5: cross-bedded sandstone lithofacies (L5), and 6: planar sandstone lithofacies (L6). These can be grouped into shoreface, inner shelf, and tidal flat and estuarine facies associations, deposited in shallow marine to intertidal environments. The upper part of the Tobra Formation at the Choa-Khewra road section, where it conformably underlies the Dandot Formation, contains palynomorphs assignable to the earliest Permian 2141B Biozone. In south Oman, the 2141B Biozone is closely associated with the Rahab Shale Member, a widespread shale unit which is considered to represent part of a Permian deglaciation sequence which culminates in the marine beds of the Lower Gharif Member, interpreted as due to post glacial marine transgression. Thus, the Tobra Formation and the overlying marine Dandot Formation may form part of a similar deglaciation sequence

Psychological Impact of Sexual Assault on Males: An Open Secret in Our Society

Objective: To determine the psychological impact of sexual assaults among males during their childhood. Study Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Okara from 2 August 2022 to 20 March 2023. Materials and Methods: We consecutively sampled 204 subjects who were given proforma to record demographic data including age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, being victim of sexual assault, relationship to the assailant, numbers of sexual assault, and mode of sexual assault. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) check list and Trauma symptom check (TSC) list was applied on participants reporting sexual assault and SPSS 23 used for data analysis. Results: Out of 204 study participants 33 (16.1%) males experienced sexual assault while 27 (81.8%) victims experienced PTSD with trauma symptoms of sleep disturbance in 18 (54.5%), sexual dysfunction experienced by 6 (18.1%), anxiety felt by 13 (39.3%), depression presented in 5 (15.1%), while 2 (6.0%) individuals experienced dissociation. Victims of sexual assault, assailant and number of sexual assaults were highly correlated with mode of sexual assault, trauma symptoms (except dissociation), and PTSD (p < 0.001) Conclusion: Sexual assault on males during their childhood is strongly associated with significant psychological distress

An injectable bone marrow-like scaffold enhances T cell immunity after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative treatment for multiple disorders, but deficiency and dysregulation of T cells limit its utility. Here we report a biomaterial-based scaffold that mimics features of T cell lymphopoiesis in the bone marrow. The bone marrow cryogel (BMC) releases bone morphogenetic protein-2 to recruit stromal cells and presents the Notch ligand Delta-like ligand-4 to facilitate T cell lineage specification of mouse and human hematopoietic progenitor cells. BMCs subcutaneously injected in mice at the time of HSCT enhanced T cell progenitor seeding of the thymus, T cell neogenesis and diversification of the T cell receptor repertoire. Peripheral T cell reconstitution increased ~6-fold in mouse HSCT and ~2-fold in human xenogeneic HSCT. Furthermore, BMCs promoted donor CD4+ regulatory T cell generation and improved survival after allogeneic HSCT. In comparison to adoptive transfer of T cell progenitors, BMCs increased donor chimerism, T cell generation and antigen-specific T cell responses to vaccination. BMCs may provide an off-the-shelf approach for enhancing T cell regeneration and mitigating graft-versus-host disease in HSCT

Obesity diagnoses in children and adolescents in Norway by immigrant background

acceptedVersio

Crafting spaces for good water governance in Pakistan

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021WR031265Published versio

Genetics And Interrelationship of Yield and Yield Related Attributes in Some Genotypes of Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.) Under Rainfed Conditions

In order to estimate variability, heritability, genetic advance and relationship of grain yield with other yield related attributes, the experiments were carried out in field research Area of Barani Agricultural Research Institute, Chakwal, Pakistan during two rabi growing seasons 2011-12 and 2012-13. The experimental materials were comprised of 40 genotypes of safflower and were sown in randomized complete block design with three replications each year. The analysis of variance showed that all the safflower genotypes were significantly different for all the traits studied except days to physiological maturity. Among the attributes studied the estimates of phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were generally higher than the genetic coefficient of variation (GCV).  Highest GCV was found in grain filing rate plant-1 (49.34 &amp; 48.25) followed by seed yield plant-1 (49.09 &amp; 48.18) during 2011-12 &amp; 2012-13 respectively. Grain filing rate plant-1 showed maximum PCV (49.78 &amp; 48.96) followed by seed yield plant-1 (49.64 &amp; 49.44) during both years (2011-12 &amp; 2012-13) respectively. The high heritability coupled with high genetic advance was measured in biological yield plant-1, harvest index (%), number of heads plant-1, and seed yield plant-1. These results revealed that high estimates of heritability and genetic advance for these traits would be helpful for the plant breeders to select the suitable combination and to achieve the enviable level of seed yield potential in safflower under arid environment conditions. The correlation results of two year studies revealed that seed yield plant-1 had significant and positive relationship with days to maturity, plant height, biological yield plant-1, number of seeds head-1, 1000-grain weight, grain filing rate plant-1, effective head weight, number of primary branches  plant-1 and plant height. On the other hand, days to 50% flowering, days to physiological maturity, number of seeds head-1, seed weight head-1 and 1000- grain weight showed low heritability with low genetic advance. Key words: Safflower, Rainfed, Variability, Heritability, Genetic Advance, Correlatio

Hepatitis Associated Aplastic Anemia: A review

Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAAA) is an uncommon but distinct variant of aplastic anemia in which pancytopenia appears two to three months after an acute attack of hepatitis. HAAA occurs most frequently in young male children and is lethal if leave untreated. The etiology of this syndrome is proposed to be attributed to various hepatitis and non hepatitis viruses. Several hepatitis viruses such as HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV and HGV have been associated with this set of symptoms. Viruses other than the hepatitis viruses such as parvovirus B19, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein bar virus, Transfusion Transmitted virus (TTV) and non-A-E hepatitis virus (unknown viruses) has also been documented to develop the syndrome. Considerable evidences including the clinical features, severe imbalance of the T cell immune system and effective response to immunosuppressive therapy strongly present HAAA as an immune mediated mechanism. However, no association of HAAA has been found with blood transfusions, drugs and toxins. Besides hepatitis and non hepatitis viruses and immunopathogenesis phenomenon as causative agents of the disorder, telomerase mutation, a genetic factor has also been predisposed for the development of aplastic anemia. Diagnosis includes clinical manifestations, blood profiling, viral serological markers testing, immune functioning and bone marrow hypocellularity examination. Patients presenting the features of HAAA have been mostly treated with bone marrow or hematopoietic cell transplantation from HLA matched donor, and if not available then by immunosuppressive therapy. New therapeutic approaches involve the administration of steroids especially the glucocorticoids to augment the immunosuppressive therapy response. Pancytopenia following an episode of acute hepatitis response better to hematopoietic cell transplantation than immunosuppressive therapy