The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment and Import, Export on the Economic Growth of Pakistan: An Empirical Study

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI), export (EXPO) and import (IMP) in the economic growth of Pakistan from 1990 to 2015. Design/methodology/approach: The link of foreign direct investment (FDI), export (EXPO) and import(IMP) with economic growth is measured through multiple regression model. Foreign direct investment (FDI), export (EXPO) and import (IMP) treated as regrassors and gross domestic product (GDP) treated as regressand in this model.Eviews software used to analyze the annual time series data from 1990 to 2015. Findings: According to the findings, there is a negative and insignificant association between foreign direct investment (FDI) and GDP while there is significant and positive relationship found of export (EXPO) and import (IMP) with GDP. Originality/value: The empirical findings of this research play a vital role for policy maker of Pakistan in formulation of FDI and trade policies. Keywords: Foreign direct investment, export, import, GDP, economic growth. Paper type: Research Paper

Impact of Monetary Policy on Inflation Rate in Pakistan

This research paper empirically examines the relationship between the monetary policy and inflation and investigates the impact of monetary policy attributes such as Gross domestic product (GDP),Interest rate, export, Money Supply(M2),Foreign Direct lnvestment(FDI) and inflation on the economy of Pakistan. Multiply regression ordinary least square correlation analysis is used in estimating relationship between the monetary policy and inflation and their impact on economy of Pakistan measure as the GDP, interest rate, Money supply, Export. For analysis the 20 year

Problem Management Plus (PM plus ) in the management of common mental disorders in a specialized mental healthcare facility in Pakistan; study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Additional file 1. Appendix A

Evaluating effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a group psychological intervention using cognitive behavioural strategies for women with common mental disorders in conflict-affected rural Pakistan: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

The impact of humanitarian disasters upon mental health is well recognised. The evidence for psychological interventions for mental health is mounting, but few interventions have been rigorously tested in humanitarian settings. To be sustainable in humanitarian settings interventions need to be short, simple, deliverable by nonspecialists under supervision, and adopt a transdiagnostic approach where an array of mental health outcomes are addressed simultaneously. These elements have been incorporated into the newly developed WHO Problem Management Plus (PM+) Group intervention. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the locally adapted PM+ Group intervention for women in Swat, Pakistan. This PM+ Group trial is a two-arm, single-blind, cluster randomised controlled trial conducted in a community-based setting with women in rural Pakistan. PM+ is delivered in partnership with the Lady Health Worker (LHW) Programme which provides community-based health care to women in Pakistan. Thirty-four LHW clusters will be randomised in a 1:1 allocation ratio using a permuted-block randomisation method. Participants screened and found to meet the inclusion criteria will be allocated to either the PM+ intervention group (n = 306), or the control arm (n = 306). The manualised PM+ intervention involves five sessions, each lasting 3 h, and introduces four strategies applied by participants to problems that they are facing. It is delivered by local female facilitators with a minimum of 16 years of education who are provided with targeted training and supervision. The primary outcome is individual psychological distress, measured by levels of anxiety and depression on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at 20 weeks after baseline. Secondary outcomes include major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, levels of social support, levels of functioning, and economic effectiveness. Intervention acceptability will be explored through an embedded qualitative study. The PM+ Group trial will provide important evidence on the effectiveness of an empirically supported psychological treatment delivered by nonspecialists in a humanitarian setting. If proven effective, the qualitative component will inform strategies for PM+ Group scale-up in health systems in other humanitarian settings. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: ACTRN12616000037404. Registered on 19 January 2016; WHO Protocol ID RPC705, v.4, 2 November 2015

Effect of adding a psychological intervention to routine care of common mental disorders in a specialized mental healthcare facility in Pakistan: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background In many low resource settings, the provision of government mental health care services is limited to specialized psychiatry units in urban hospital care facilities, where the most common treatment for common mental disorders (CMDs) is pharmacotherapy, occasionally with adjunct nonspecific psychological support. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of adding a low intensity, psychological intervention, Problem Management Plus (PM+) for CMDs into routine care in a specialized mental health care facility in Pakistan. Methods A two arm, single-blind individual randomized controlled trial (RCT) was carried out with adults (N = 192), referred for psychological support by psychiatrists. The study participants were randomized (1:1) to PM + plus Treatment as Usual (TAU) (n = 96) or TAU only (n = 96). The primary outcomes were symptoms of anxiety and depression, measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and functional impairment as measured by WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) at 20 weeks after baseline. Results The analysis was done on intention-to-treat principle. The linear mixed model analysis showed that at 20 weeks after baseline, there was a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression (mean [SD], 16.23 [8.81] vs 19.79 [7.77]; AMD, − 3.10; 95% CI, − 0.26 to − 5.76); p = 0.03 and improvement in functioning (mean [SD], 22.94 [9.37] vs 27.37 [8.36]; AMD, − 4.35; 95% CI, − 1.45 to − 7.24); p = 0.004 in PM + plus TAU versus TAU arm. The follow-up rate was 67% at primary end-point. Conclusions Specialized care facilities in LMICs may consider adding brief, evidence-based psychological treatments for CMDs to their routine care. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12616000381482. Registered March 23, 2016. Retrospectively registered, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Default.aspx/ ACTRN12616000381482 </jats:sec

Effectiveness of a technology-assisted, family volunteers delivered, brief, multicomponent parents' skills training intervention for children with developmental disorders in rural Pakistan: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Globally, there is a large documented gap between needs of families and children with developmental disorders and available services. We adapted the World Health Organization's mental health Gap-Intervention Guidelines (mhGAP-IG) developmental disorders module into a tablet-based android application to train caregivers of children with developmental disorders. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of this technology-assisted, family volunteers delivered, parents' skills training intervention to improve functioning in children with developmental disorders in a rural community of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. METHODS In a single-blinded, cluster randomized controlled trial, 30 clusters were randomised (1:1 ratio) to intervention (n = 15) or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) arm (n = 15). After screening, 540 children (18 participants per cluster) aged 2-12 years, with developmental disorders and their primary caregivers were recruited into the trial. Primary outcome was child's functioning, measured by Childhood Disability Assessment Schedule for Developmental Disorders (DD-CDAS) at 6-months post-intervention. Secondary outcomes were parents' health related quality of life, caregiver-child joint engagement, socio-emotional well-being of children, family empowerment and stigmatizing experiences. Intention-to-treat analyses were done using mixed-models adjusted for covariates and clusters. RESULTS At 6-months post-intervention, no statistically significant mean difference was observed on DD-CDAS between intervention and ETAU (mean [SD], 47.65 [26.94] vs. 48.72 [28.37], Adjusted Mean Difference (AMD), - 2.63; 95% CI - 6.50 to 1.24). However, parents in the intervention arm, compared to ETAU reported improved health related quality of life (mean [SD] 65.56 [23.25] vs. 62.17 [22.63], AMD 5.28; 95% CI 0.44 to 10.11). The results were non-significant for other secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS In the relatively short intervention period of 6 months, no improvement in child functioning was observed; but, there were significant improvements in caregivers' health related quality of life. Further trials with a longer follow-up are recommended to evaluate the impact of intervention. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02792894. Registered April 4, 2016, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02792894

Impact Evaluation of the Land Record Management Information System in the Punjab Province, Pakistan

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the KDI School of Public Policy and Management throughout this research. The authors are also grateful to KDIS Prof.Jungho Kim and other anonymous reviewers for constructive feedback during the seminar presentation and peer review process. The KDIS alumnus and World Bank professional Mr.Rony Rodrigo Maximiliano Rodríguez-Ramírez has extended a huge support during the analysis of this work and our team is extremely grateful for his contributions

Exploring the potential of FDA approved anti-diabetic drugs for repurposing against COVID-19: a core combination of multiple computational strategies and integrated artificial intelligence

The latest variant of coronavirus is omicron. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated variation ‘B.1.1.529’ named omicron as a variant of concern (VOC) on 26 November 2021. By September 2020, it will have infected over 16 million patients and killed over 600,000 people over the world. This very infectious viral illness still poses a danger to world health; it has also become the greatest problem the world is facing and become the main area of research. The development of vaccines is insufficient to stop their spread and serious effects. Despite several reputable pharmaceutical firms claiming to have developed a cure for COVID-19. For that purpose, the field-based 3D-QSAR model has been used to analyze a series of anti-diabetic drugs to repurpose them against COVID-19. The LOO verified partial least square (PLS) model generates satisfactory q2 (0.4) and r2 (0.5) values. By using this model 10 compounds were screened out of 55 FDA approved anti-diabetic drugs (built-up library). Additionally, these substances were examined using molecular docking screening and ADMET. Finally, the drugs L8, and L23 were discovered to be the lead drugs. Density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311G* technique was used to examine structural geometries, electronic characteristics, and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP). This work will greatly assist in the detection and development of leads for early drug development to control COVID-19. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma</p