Pakistan is a Federation where powers are distributed between the Federal Government and Governments of the Provinces. The Federal Government has the authority to deal with implementation of international environmental conventions. The Federal Government, while exercising the said authority, has ratified a number of international environmental conventions. In 2010, an Amendment was made to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, whereby, the subject of environment, pollution and ecology were transferred to the Provinces. This situation gave rise to fundamental questions relating to the competence of the Federal Government to implement obligations under international environmental conventions ratified from time to time. The fundamental questions include the questions as to how the Federal Government will make compliance of international environmental conventions where the subjects of environment fall within the Provincial Jurisdiction, what is nature of relationship between the Federal and the Provincial Governments in the context of environment, have the laws of the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa been modified in accordance with the international environmental conventions, and what is the structure of governance in environmental matters. These questions are analyzed in the thesis with reference to international environmental conventions, national policies and plans, the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, and statutory laws of the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The thesis contains seven Chapters. Chapter 1 is about introduction of the thesis where the issue is formulated along with identification of research question, justification of the study, objectives and methodology. Chapter 2 identifies various international environmental conventions which have been ratified by the Federal Government. The nature of commitments of the international environmental conventions is discussed for the purpose of identification of the contents of such conventions. It is attempted to locate in this Chapter the contents of many of the international environmental conventions which fall within the Provincial jurisdictions for compliance by way of legislative and administrative measures. Chapter 3 discusses the Federal Government, and its relations with Provincial Government in light of the various constitutions of the country. In this Chapter the divisions of legislative powers between the Federal Government and the Provincial Governments are analyzed in the context of environmental obligations, particularly, the developments after Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. The Chapter flags constitutional gaps between relations of Federal and Provincial Government in matters pertaining to implementation of international environmental conventions. Chapter 4 identifies and discusses laws on natural resources of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as mostly, natural resources, for legislative and administrative purposes, are the domain of Provincial Governments. The laws on natural resources are found to have not been modified in accordance with international environmental conventions and the national policies on environmental subjects, where recommendations of administrative and legislative measures are provided by the Federal Government. Chapter 5 identifies and analyzes laws of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in different sectors relevant to environment. The laws on sectors relevant to environment are not amended to respond to international environmental conventions which are ratified by the Federal Government. This Chapter has also compared the environmental law of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the law of the Federal Government, and pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of the environmental law of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Chapter 6 discusses the governance and administrative structures given in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Paksitan, 1973, the Federal Rules of Business, 1973, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Rules of Business, 1985, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act, 2014, and statutory bodies mentioned in various laws of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa relevant to environment. It discovers gaps and overlaps in above referred laws in relation to environmental governance and management. Chapter 7, which is a concluding Chapter, gives findings of the thesis, and suggests recommendations for implementation of international environmental conventions in Provincial domains with reference to the Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The recommendations include amendments in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, modifications in the laws on governance, and reconsideration of laws of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for assimilation of international environmental conventions.
شاہ فخر عالم بھاگلپوری دینی اور علمی حلقوں میں شاہ فخر عالم بھاگلپوری کی وفات کی خبر بڑے رنج و افسوس کے ساتھ سنی جائے گی، ان کے نامور بزرگ سید ظہیرالدین ۱۲۷۹ء میں دہلی آئے اور حضرت نظام الدین اولیاء کے حلقۂ ادارت میں داخل ہوئے، انھوں نے حضرت بہاء الدین زکریا ملتانیؒ کے پوتے مخدوم رکن الدین رکن عالمؒ سے بھی اکتساب فیض کیا، اس طرح اس خاندان میں چشتی اور سہروردی دونوں نسبتیں جمع ہوگئیں، بعد کو یہ خاندان دہلی سے بہار آگیا، اور حضرت سید علی محمد (ڈمڑیا بابا) نے بھاگلپور میں قیام فرمایا، اس وقت سے یہ لوگ یہیں آباد ہیں، اور ان کی خانقاہ ڈمریا بابا ان کے نام سے موسوم ہے، شاہ فخر عالم مرحوم اسی خانقاہ کے سجادہ نشین تھے، وہ دینی مشاغل کے ساتھ علمی مذاق بھی رکھتے تھے، ان کا کتب خانہ ان کے علمی ذوق کا شاہد ہے، اﷲ تعالیٰ سے دعا ہے کہ وہ ان کو اپنی عنایتوں اور رحمتوں سے شاد کام کرے، اور ان کے جانشین سید شاہ شرف عالم ندوی کو اپنے بزرگوں کے نقشِ قدم پر چلنے کی توفیق عطا فرمائے۔ (عبد السلام قدوائی ندوی، جون ۱۹۷۶ء)
Due to male dominance in society as well as in households, the rights of females are ignored. Hence, there exists gender discrimination while giving food to family members which in turn results in poor health status for females. Therefore, it is important to explore the causes of this unequal distribution of food among family members Objective: To determine psychosocial factors causing gender discrimination regarding food distribution among families Methods: Data collected from fifty females aged 15-80 years, selected from the urban community using non-probability consecutive sampling, were used for analysis. Females with malnutrition, psychological disorders, with laparotomy and major surgery were excluded. Gender discrimination was assessed as males or male children were preferred for better and more food items like fresh food, meat, fruits, milk, dairy products and multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to see the impact selected factors on gender discrimination Results: The large family size (> 6 members) showed significantly higher odds of discrimination (OR=3.89; 95% CI= 1.03-15.26) than smaller families. The odds of food discrimination were 4 times more for the families, with males being earning hand (OR=4.57; 95% CI= 1.19-18.31). Similarly, there exist higher odds of gender discrimination in low-income families (OR=5.10; 95% CI= 1.18-23.87). While maternal education reduces the chances of food discrimination (OR=0.10; 95% CI= 0.02-0.42) Conclusions: Psychosocial factors such as large family size, low monthly income, males being earning hand and maternal education were found to be associated with gender discrimination regarding food distribution among family members.
Water and nutrients availability affect the crop yield. Soil mulching (plastic or straw) may improve crop yield by reducing evaporation and improving soil quality. Climatic and soil conditions, crop species and water availability sometimes oppose the effects of mulching. Field experiments were conducted on a loam soil for two years (2014-15 and 2015-16) to assess the effects of irrigation and nitrogen fertilizer under plastic and straw mulches on maize (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth, yield, water use efficiency and soil properties. Treatments involved three irrigation levels [60% field capacity (I1), 80% field capacity (I2) and 100% field capacity (I3)] and three mulches [control (M0), plastic film (M1) and rice straw mulch (M2)] in Study-I. Irrigations in main plots and mulches in sub-plots were arranged in a split-plot arrangement with randomized complete block design. Irrigations were applied to fill the soil moisture deficit at pre-decided field capacity levels with intervals of 7 days for maize and 15 days for wheat. Soil water contents and bulk density were determined at 15 cm intervals up to 45 cm depth one day before each irrigation to determine the amount of irrigation. A cut-throat flume was used to apply the measured amount of irrigations to each plot. In Study-II seven treatments were tested including nitrogen and mulch omission plots (T0) and three nitrogen management practices (single split, two splits and three splits) and two mulched conditions (plastic film and straw mulch). The plots were arranged in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with three replications. For one split whole nitrogen was applied at sowing for maize and wheat. For two splits nitrogen was applied at sowing and 12-leaf stage (V12) and for three splits nitrogen was applied at sowing, 4-leaf stage (V4) and 12-leaf stage (V12) in maize. For wheat nitrogen was applied at sowing and crown root stage in two splits and at sowing, crown root stage and tillering in three splits. In both studies soil volumetric water contents in 0-160 cm depth at 20 cm intervals in soil profiles were measured in each depth at every 7 days using TDR in each plot. Soil samples were also taken up to 160 cm depth at 20 cm intervals with an auger every month. The concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3--N were determined after the extraction of fresh soil samples. WHCNS (Water Heat Carbon Nitrogen Simulator) model was used to simulate soil water content, nitrate concentration and ammonium concentration in soil profile. Results indicated that maize and wheat grain yield increased with increase in irrigation levels, and the maize yield in plastic film treatment was 28-32% more than that under no mulch treatment. While straw mulch increased wheat yield by 17-23%. xviii Mulching also enhanced the water storage in soil at harvest and decreased the total water use by maize and wheat. Mulching decreased the water use by maize from 552.98 mm in M0 to 485.79 mm in plastic film mulch (M1) and from 378.63 mm in M0 to 336.76 mm in straw mulch (M2) by wheat. There was no significant effect of irrigation levels on water use efficiency (WUE) of maize and wheat but was affected significantly by the different mulches. The WUE of maize in plots under plastic film were 10.2 and 11.4 kg ha-1 mm-1 during 2014 and 2015 which were 22 and 36%, respectively more than that under non-mulched plots. The water use efficiency of wheat was 19-25% more than that of control in straw mulch. Maximum grain yield of maize was recorded for treatment T5 (plastic film + nitrogen in three splits) which was 75.6 and 81.4% more than that of T0 (control) during 2014 and 2015 respectively. T6 (straw mulch + nitrogen in three splits) increased grain yield of wheat by 40.7% during 1st year while 46.9% during 2nd year. Total water use by maize was 1.12 and 4.4% lower than that of control in 2014 and 2015, respectively. T6 reduced the total water use by wheat by 0.8 and 1.2% over that of control in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Water use efficiency of maize increased by 77.7% during 2014 and 87.8% during 2015 in T5 as compared to that of T0. T6 increased water use efficiency of wheat by 41.8 and 48.8% over that of T0 in 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Straw mulching significantly decreased soil bulk density with an increase in soil porosity, hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, soil organic matter, active carbon and water stable aggregates in 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm soil layers in both studies. For both studies, predicted and observed soil water contents and nitrate concentrations at all depths were in agreement. However, simulated ammonium contents were not close to measured values at all depths. A significant relationship was observed between measured and simulated values of soil water and nitrate concentration for both studies. The data show that plastic and straw mulches can increase yield, WUE and soil quality under conditions of limited water availability. Nitrogen applied in three splits under plastic film for maize and under straw mulch for wheat significantly improved growth and yield of respective crops. Nitrogen fertilization under mulched conditions significantly decreased the total water use and increased the water use efficiency in both crops. The WHCNS model was acceptable in simulating soil water and nitrogen in the study area.