Seventy five diversified accessions of Triticum aestivum L. were screened to assess the variability for drought tolerance at seedling stage in the green-house of Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. On the basis of relative performance of the genotypes, five tolerant and two sensitive genotypes were selected and crossed in 7 × 7 diallel mating design. The breeding material was evaluated under green-house and field conditions with three replications following completely randomized design and randomized complete block design, respectively under normal and drought conditions. The data regarding various seedling traits viz; root length, shoot length, root weight shoot weight and other plant traits like days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, flag leaf area, tillers per plant, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, spike weight, grains per spike, spike grain weight/spike straw weight ratio, thousand-kernel weight, biomass per plant, harvest index, rate of photosynthesis, rate of transpiration and grain yield per plant. All the traits showed decreasing trends due to drought stress except root length. Existence of sufficient amount of genetic variability was evident among genotypes for all the parameters. On performing adequacy test, it was suggested that data was fully adequate for spike length, plant height, spike weight, spikelets per spike and rate of photosynthesis under normal condition while for traits like shoot weight, days to maturity, plant height, spike length, tillers per plant, thousand-kernel weight, harvest index and grain yield per plant under drought condition indicating the presence of dominance and absence of epistasis.All the remaining traits exhibited the partial adequacy under both the conditions. The results of the genetic studies showed that almost all the traits exhibited additive genetic effects with partial dominance and with moderate to high heritability. High heritability estimates were observed for root weight, shoot weight, plant height, grain weight per spike, flag leaf area, days to heading, thousand-kernel weight, biomass per plant, rate of transpiration and grain yield per plant under both the conditions. Correlation studies among seedling traits revealed significant and positive genotypic and phenotypic association of root length with root weight, shoot length with shoot weight and root weight with shoot weight under both environments. Grain yield per plant had positive and significant genotypic and phenotypic association with almost all the traits under both conditions. Negatively significant genotypic and phenotypic association of grain yield was found with days to heading under both conditions. Although grain yield can be enhanced through selection on yield components as they have strong association with yield under both conditions but special emphasis should be given to plant height, thousand-kernel weight and plant biomass because of their strong association with yield. The genotypes with adequate grain-fill period can have better yielding ability under normal and stress as well because of negative association of days to heading with yield while it was positive with days to maturity. The partial dominance with additive gene action in most of the traits suggests that selection could be carried out in early generations using pedigree or single seed descent methods to have genetic gains under water limited environment. The G7´G2, G5´G6 and G4´G7 were found the potential cross combinations in terms of yield and yield related traits for future breeding programs. The information may also be used to evolve high yielding varieties for sustainable wheat production in those areas where drought stress is a major threat.
The twentieth century is considered as the most notable era for interfaith dialogue and other interreligious activities among the followers of different faiths across the globe. A number of interfaith activities were launched to bring closer, especially, the adherents of the Abrahamic faiths: Jews, Christians and Muslims. Many Christian institutes and organizations are actively involved in such activities. We cannot ignore the role of Christian Study Centers situated across the globe, which are rendering considerable services in the field of interfaith dialogue. One of them is the Christian Study Center Rawalpindi (CSC), Pakistan, which is the focal subject of this research paper. The CSC has a long journey in the course of interfaith dialogue and harmony, as it was its objective since its commencement. The CSC was established in 1967 as an extension of HMI (Henry Martyn Institute, Hyderabad India) to promote interfaith dialogue, harmony and good relationship among the followers of different faiths in Pakistan. It is conceded; the Christian Study Center Rawalpindi has provided great services and contributed a lot to interfaith dialogue, harmony and peace in Pakistan. In this study the efforts were made to evaluate the 50 years dialogical activities of the Christian Study Center (CSC), Rawalpindi.
The role of a school head has been a significant factor in the success or otherwise of a school. Similarly, the pre-appointment training and continuous professional development of school heads play important role in their success as heads. Research indicates that when school teachers become school heads, generally with little or no pre-appointment training, they struggle in their initiation and socialization process as school heads. The current study was aimed to explore possible answers to questions around issues of personal and professional situations of the teachers that facilitate them in the process of becoming school heads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study explores answers to questions such as: What leads to teachers becoming school heads? What are the implications of becoming school heads? Whatexperiences do school heads have in their role socialization as heads? The study used qualitative, interpretive research approach, in accord with social constructionism. The sample of the study consisted of thirty male and female school heads in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The sample was selected using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants to collect data. The data so obtained was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings reveal a variety of reasons behind the becoming of school teachers as school heads. Similarly, a variety of problems, issues and constraints are being faced by the respondents in their roles and socialization as school heads. The problems respondents faced in their professional socialization include dealing financial constraints, problematic teachers and lack of support from staff, absence of infrastructure and facilities in schools, overcrowded classrooms, lack of education officials’ cooperation and the bureaucratic iii centralization of powers. The headship role changes the respondents personal and professional identities and these identities often clash with their personal and professional responsibilities.Findings also show that there is lack of pre-appointment training for the school heads that has implications for their performance as school leaders. The study highlights the career trajectories of female school heads and the leading role experiences at school level and what kinds of problems they have been facing in the social context in which they lead.The study has important implications in terms of pre and post appointment professional development and training for school heads and regarding power delegation, and with respect to financial support, better facilities and delegation of appropriate power that may facilitate school heads in functioning in a better working environment. The female school heads need to be provided with differentiated provisions in terms of facilities and environment keeping in view their peculiar needs in a mainly conservative, male dominant working environment.