Accounting in a Country : The Case of Pakistan

Our paper examines the origins, growth, and the development of accounting practices and disclosures in Pakistan and the factors that influenced them. We traced the early days of accounting in the Indian subcontinent and the British colonial influence over the accounting of newly independent State. We examined the development of accounting through three eras : 1) Independence through 1971, 2) Post 1971 1984, and 3) 1984 to the present. We described how the colonial past and later the international financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund played a key role in shaping accounting and reporting practices of the country. Pakistans adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards as national standards in 1985 did not lead to improvement in the quality of financial reporting. Pakistan, though classified as a common law country in literature exhibits most of the properties of code law countries. We argue that lack of investor protection (e.g., minority rights protection, insidertrading protection), judicial inefficiencies, and weak enforcement mechanisms are more critical factors than are cultural factors in explaining the state of accounting in Pakistan. We conclude that it is the enforcement mechanisms that are paramount in improving the quality of accounting in developing economies.culture, Colonial, Corporate governance, Accounting Practices, International Standards, Pakistan

Assessment of Urban Sprawl in Sargodha City using Remotely Sense Data

The current study focuses on tracking urban sprawl in one of the rapidly growing cities of Pakistan i.e., Sargodha. The secondary cities have the capacity to persuade people from rural areas to relocate. In this regard, the current study is unique in that it will give a comprehensive analysis of urban sprawl of Sargodha City. The remotely sensed data is used for this purpose. The study is primarily based on the collecting of both primary and secondary data. For the last 30 years, from 1987 to 2017, primary data was gathered from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Global Land Cover Facility (GLCF). ERDAS Imagine 2013 is used to classify land use using remotely sensed data. The Kappa Coefficient was used to compute the accuracy assessment of classified maps. Maps are used to depict a comparative analysis of urban sprawl in the city. In addition, regression analysis and simple statistical computations are also utilised to assess dynamic changes in urban sprawl. From 1987 to 2017, a 10-year interval was used to measure change in built-up land using an equation. According to the findings of the study, Sargodha City has experienced considerable changes in land use patterns. This current study is beneficial for policymakers to design the city in a well-planned manner. The appropriate design of cities can pave the way for higher living standards in rapidly growing cities of Pakistan

Islamic Prayer, Spirituality and Productivity: An Exploratory Conceptual Analysis

Prayer plays a noteworthy role in Muslims daily lives. Quran and Sunnah testify that regular prayers can boost one’s health, can remove the level of stress, and may make one more productive and vigour. Such findings also noticed by medical and psychological experts, and likewise many contemporary research have shown wide-ranging outcomes in terms of improved wellbeing when prayer is done with sincere devotion. Nevertheless what is lacking is that the policy makers in the Islamic world need to initiate whether there exist any linkages between prayer and productivity, which needs to be appreciated more by them, as well as by Islamic economists and social scientists, Islamic business professionals and Islamic jurists, and then through a concerted effort and dynamic fact finding mission and verification to ascertain the Qur’anic beliefs in our daily lives. This studies using descriptive analysis to explain the linkage between the Islamic prayer and productivityDOI: 10.15408/aiq.v8i2.316

Personalized Medicine; a Potential Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder caused by mutations in CFTR gene that codes for Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane-conductance Receptor anion channel. It is an autosomal recessive disease which affects the cells that secrete sweat, mucous and digestive juice, making these fluids thick and sticky, thus plugging ducts and tubes of various organs. The CF mutations are classified into various classes (class I, II, III, IV, V and VI) based on the cellular phenotype and complexity of mutants. The knowledge and understanding of biology and mechanisms of defects that underlie Cystic fibrosis paved a way to the development of different therapeutic approaches for these mutation classes. Ivacaftor first CFTR potentiator (FDA approved in 2012) is mostly used for Class III and IV mutations. Trials in patients with homozygous F508del mutation, a most common type of CF mutation that involves protein processing defects, showed no improvement with Ivacaftor alone, therefore, a double-combination therapy involving potentiator-corrector i.e., Ivacaftor-Lumacaftor got approval in 2015 to treat patients homozygous for F508del mutation. Then Ivacaftor-Tezacaftor (corrector) combination therapy was approved in 2018 which showed improved tolerability as compared to lumacaftor. In 2019, Trikfta, a triple combination therapy, came into light. It increases CFTR activity and is substantially considered to work more effectively in patients homozygous for F508del mutation. Studies and clinical trials reveal the outperformance of Trikafta in other available therapies in terms of respiratory symptoms, lungs functionality and quality of life on a whole.Keywords: Cystic Fibrosis (CF); Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance regulator (CFTR); Ivacaftor; Lumacaftor; Tezacaftor; Trikafta    

Sensitivity of Direct Runoff to Curve Number Using the SCS-CN Method

This study explores the impact of runoff curve number (CN) on the hydrological model outputs for the Morai watershed, Sindh-Pakistan, using the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method. The SCS-CN method is an empirical technique used to estimate rainfall-runoff volume from precipitation in small watersheds, and CN is an empirically derived parameter used to calculate direct runoff from a rainfall event. CN depends on soil type, its condition, and the land use and land cover (LULC) of an area. Precise knowledge of these factors was not available for the study area, and therefore, a range of values was selected to analyze the sensitivity of the model to the changing CN values. Sensitivity analysis involves a methodological manipulation of model parameters to understand their impacts on model outputs. A range of CN values from 40-90 was selected to determine their effects on model results at the sub-catchment level during the historic flood year of 2010. The model simulated 362 cumecs of peak discharge for CN=90; however, for CN=40, the discharge reduced substantially to 78 cumecs (a 78.46% reduction). Event-based comparison of water volumes for different groups of CN values—90-75, 80-75, 75-70, and 90-40 —showed reductions in water availability of 8.88%, 3.39%, 3.82%, and 41.81%, respectively. Although it is known that the higher the CN, the greater the discharge from direct runoff and the less initial losses, the sensitivity analysis quantifies that impact and determines the amount of associated discharges with changing CN values. The results of the case study suggest that CN is one of the most influential parameters in the simulation of direct runoff. Knowledge of accurate runoff is important in both wet (flood management) and dry periods (water availability). A wide range in the resulting water discharges highlights the importance of precise CN selection. Sensitivity analysis is an essential facet of establishing hydrological models in limited data watersheds. The range of CNs demonstrates an enormous quantitative consequence on direct runoff, the exactness of which is necessary for effective water resource planning and management. The method itself is not novel, but the way it is proposed here can justify investments in determining the accurate CN before initiating mega projects involving rainfall-runoff simulations. Even a small error in CN value may lead to serious consequences. In the current study, the sensitivity analysis challenges the strength of the results of a model in the presence of ambiguity regarding CN value