Group Conformity and Individuals’ Behavior Towards Adopting Sectarian Identities

Religion is considered as an integral part of individuals’ daily routine practices in the society. People perform religious obligations very rigorously and avoid all the religiously declared prohibited acts. This current study aims, to identify the role of group conformity towards adopting sectarian identities by individuals with the emphasis of exploring the practices of sectarian identities that causes an environment of inter-group disintegration in the community. This study will be significant in recommending initiatives that can create an environment of harmony between people belonging to different sectarian believers. Qualitative research method was applied to analyze group conformity and individuals’ behavior towards practicing sectarian identities. Population was based on rural setup of Manddi Faiẓ Abad. Twelve participants were selected through purposive sampling technique. Structured interview guide was used as data collection tool and themes was extracted to describe existing trends and patterns regarding group conformity and sectarian identity construction. Results revealed efficacious role of group conformity to encourage individuals towards adopting and practicing any particular sectarian identity in the society. Results highlighted that, desire of getting religious hegemony and supremacy with the courtesy of group conformity that make individuals intolerant on sectarian grounds and creates an environment of disintegration in the society. Sectarian difference not only creates religious

Taxonomic Studies of Late-Miocene Artiodactyls Mammalia from Northern Pakistan

This study provides new assemblages of artiodactyls at the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene sites of Northern Pakistan. The Late Miocene-Early Pliocene of Pakistan has produced a rich artiodactyl fauna. The new fossils include the cranial material of artiodactyls. The diverse material presents taxonomy of artiodactyl from the Middle Siwaliks of Pakistan.The assemblages of artiodactyls from the Middle Siwalik Subgroup are dominated by the presence of the bovids. The taxa are consistent with a Late Miocene-Early Pliocene age of the deposits. More than 270 artiodactyl specimens were described in this dissertation from the Middle Siwalik Subgroup of Pakistan. Some of the specimens are reported for the first time of the Siwalik Group. The collected material comes from Padhri, Hasnot, Bhandar and Dhok Gojri of district Jhelum, Khokhar Zair, Sethi-Nagri, Dhok Pathan and Naraggi of district Chakwal, and Dhok Mila and Kaulial Kas of district Attock of Northern Pakistan. The recovered assemblage document thirty species with twenty one genera and six families of artiodactyls viz. Bovidae, Cervidae, Tragulidae, Giraffidae, Suidae and Anthracotheridae. The specimens are classified on the basis of morphometric features of the material from the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene of the Siwalik Group. This faunal list may be compared with that of other Late Miocene localities of the Siwaliks. The artiodactyl remains increasingly indicate both taxonomic and adaptive diversity. The bovids exist in open habitats during the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene of the Siwalik Group. The tragulids present in densely-forested areas and a humid and warm climate with low seasonality. The primitive cervines are inhabited woodland or open country, not closed forest. The suids occupy probably savana like environment. The anthracotheriids adopt an amphibious way of life. Most of these taxa indicate a predominance of woodland to savannah habitats with pockets of humid forested areas during the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene of the Siwalik Group.