Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata), the only pangolin species that occurs in Pakistan, is categorized more recently as “ Endangered” under IUCN Red List criterion and it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. Ecological data on this species is very scanty in the country, where illegal hunting and killing for obtaining its body scales for trade purpose is the biggest threat to its population. The current study, therefore, investigated the distribution, vegetation analysis of the habitat, current population status, and the diet of Indian pangolin in the Potohar Plateau. Distribution of Indian pangolin was studied by conducting extensive surveys in the study area, in addition to carrying out questionnaire surveys (Interviews by local people). Results showed that Indian pangolin was distributed in all transects taken in district Chakwal and Jhelum while it was found present in some transects but absent in others, in the rest of the two districts (Attock and Rawalpindi) of the Potohar Plateau. Vegetation analysis of the habitat of Indian pangolin was carried out by quantifying trees (by Point-Centered-Quarter method), shrubs and herbs species (by Quadrat method) of the study area. For shrub species, quadrats of 4m x 4m, while for herb species quadrats of 1m x 1m were established at selected sampling sites for data collection. Dominant tree species included Acacia nilotica (IVI=74.9) Zizyphus mauritiana (IVI=61.75), and Acacia modesta (IVI=58.6), dominant shrub species were Zizyphus nummularia ( IVI=199.16), followed by Calotropis procera (IVI= 65.08), Prosopis juliflora (IVI= 35.40), and Lantana camara (IVI= 30.13) xx while the major herb species recorded were Cynodon dactylon (IVI = 40), followed by Cenchrus ciliaris (IVI= 37.56) and Cyprus rotundus (IVI= 31.06). Population density of Indian pangolin in the study area was estimated by using indirect method of its active permanent burrow counts at thirty different selected sampling sites including all four districts of the Plateau. Population estimates of the species showed overall a declining trend in the Potohar plateau; an average population density of 1.08 /km² was recorded during the year 2010 and 0.36 /km² in 2011 and 0.23/km² in 2012, with an overall decline by 79%, with an average decline of 52 % per annum. The population density of the species was found significantly different (p < 0.05) within the study years (2010 - 2013). A total of N=10 specimens of Indian pangolin were recovered from the field from different sampling sites, in addition to two skeletons, for their morphometrical analysis. Average body weight and body length of the specimens were 9 ± 2.2 kg and 99.25 ± 10.5 cm, respectively. Relative tongue weight (RTW) and relative tongue length (RTL) constituted 0.2 % and 37 %, of the body, respectively. Average numbers of scales on the body of juvenile, sub-adult, and adult specimens were 286, 276, and 424, respectively. Food habits of Indian pangolin were investigated by fecal analysis, a total of N = 44 fecal pellet samples were collected from different sampling sites of the study area. Fecal analysis revealed main food components recovered from samples as ants body parts (including heads, and abdominal parts) approximately 41.5%, and soil particles or clay approximately 58%, with minor percentages of bugs, termites body parts, grass and wood. The soil particles or clay contributed the highest % weight (57.95%) of the fecal pellet followed by ants (37%), wood xxi (2.3%), grass (0.89%), termites (0.95%) and least for bugs (0.375%). The main prey species of Indian pangolin identified from the faecal analysis and from the field collections included two species of black ants (Camponotus confuci and Camponotus compressus) and one species of termite (Odontotermes obesus). The biggest threat to the population of Indian pangolin in the study area is its illegal capturing and killing for obtaining its body scales for trade purpose, which are used in making Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM). A sharp decline of approximately 79% in the population of Indian pangolin during three years of the study period demands urgent conservation measures to be launched to save its little remaining population.
چودھری خوشی محمد ناظرؔ مرحوم کشمیر جنت نظیر کا ایک پھول یکم اکتوبر ۱۹۴۴ء کی رات کو مرجھا کر گرگیا، یعنی چودھری خوشی محمد ناظر نے اس تاریخ کو بعارضۂ فالج و فات پائی۔ آج کل کے نئے نرالے ادیب، نئے ادب کے نقیب یہ سمجھتے ہیں، کہ وہی اپنے زمانہ کے نئے نرالے ہیں، حالانکہ نیا اور پرانا ہونا ہمیشہ اسی طرح سے ہوتا آیا ہے جس طرح جوان اور بوڑھا ہونا، اب اگر کوئی آج کا جوان یہ سمجھے کہ دنیا میں وہی پہلی مرتبہ جوان ہوا ہے، تو وہ کیسا احمق ہے، اسی طرح آج کے نئے ادیب و شاعر جو ادب کو زندگی سے وابستہ کرنا چاہتے ہیں، اگر وہ سمجھتے ہیں کہ وہی پہلی دفعہ یہ راگ الاپ رہے ہیں، تو اُن کے اس خیال کو حماقت کہتے ہوئے تو ڈرتا ہوں،مگر پھر کیا کہوں۔ آج جس مرحوم کی یاد کے مزار پر دو آنسو بہانا چاہتا ہوں وہ کبھی اپنے دور میں نیا اور نرالا شاعر تھا، اردو ادب کے تجدیدی دور میں بیسویں صدی کا پہلا سال ۱۹۰۱ء اس حیثیت سے یادگار ہے کہ شیخ عبدالقادر کے مخزن کا جلوس انگریزی و عربی خوانوں کے جلو میں اسی سال نکلا تھا، اسی رسالہ نے اقبال کے نام کو اچھالا، خوشی محمد ناظر کو پبلک میں پیش کیا اسی میں ابوالکلام کا پہلا مضمون اخبار چھپا، حسرت موہانی نے شعر و ادب پر دادِ سخن پہلے اسی میں دی، خود راقم الحروف کا پہلا مضمون ’’وقت‘‘ اسی میں شائع ہوا، اور اس زمانہ کے کتنے بوڑھے ادیب و شاعر سب سے پہلے اسی کے صفحات پر ظاہر ہوئے۔ ناظر کا وطن پنجاب میں لائل پور کے ضلع میں چک جھمرا ایک گاؤں تھا، ابتدائی اور ثانوی تعلیم دیہات کے سرکاری مدرسہ میں پائی، مگر ساتھ ہی اپنے گاؤں کے فارسی مکتب...
Confucius was born on September 28, 551BC. He was a teacher, writer, politician, philosopher and ideologue of the ancient China. The philosophy of Confucius emphasizes personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. He championed strong family loyalty and ancestor worship. He also recommended family as a basis for an ideal government. His thoughts received official sanction and were further developed into a system known as Confucianism. Confucius' principles found the basis of the common Chinese traditions, beliefs and culture. Confucianism is often followed in a religious manner by the Chinese, but the arguments continue over whether it is a religion or not. The opponents argue that its values are secular, therefore, it is not a religion, while its supporters argue that despite the secular nature of Confucianism, it is based on a worldview that is religious, and, thus, can rightly be called a religion. Confucianism discusses elements of the afterlife and views concerning Heaven, but it is relatively unconcerned with some transcendental matters, often considered essential to a religious thought. This article provides an outlook of the Confucianism regarding the universe and the humanity and its comparison with the Islamic viewpoint of the same.
Acinetobacter baumannii is considered one of the most portentous pathogens which showed resistance against various classes of antibiotics and chemical disinfectants, enabling it as one of the notorious nosocomial bacteria. The present study was planned with the objective to isolate and identify A. baumannii from various clinical isolates of hospitalized patients for the determination of antibiotic resistance profile against commonly used antimicrobial agents also to examine the function of armA in aminoglycoside resistance. A total of 460 clinical samples from different sources (pus, urine, blood, etc.) were collected from various tertiary referral healthcare of Lahore. 218 belonged to gram-negative bacteria.A. baumannii were identified initially based on culture characteristics on blood agar and MacConkey agar, microscopic morphological features followed by biochemical confirmation using slide catalase, tube catalase, and DNase test. Isolates were further analyzed for sensitivity against different antibiotics through Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique in accordance with the CLSI guidelines 2014. The MIC of Amikacin and Gentamicin was evaluated with the E-strips? (bioM?rieux, France). Isolates were screened for A. baumannii using A. baumannii Chrom? agar initially and by cefoxitin disk method. Later genetically confirmed by molecular typing of recA gene through PCR. Out of 218 clinical specimens, 68% (n=148) were found to be positive for A. baumannii, and the high rate of A. baumannii infections was found among male patients with a male to female ratio of 3 to 1 and within 21 to 40 years age group. All A. baumannii isolates exhibited a variable resistance pattern against Cefepime, Cefotaxime, Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone, Ciprofloxacin, Imipenem, Amikacin, Meropenem, Tobramycin, Doxycycline and Gentamicin except Colistin and Tigecycline. armA was present among 37 isolates which represent a high-level of resistance against the antimicrobials. In the present study, we concluded that A. baumannii is highly prevalent among patients hospitalized in Lahore and males were more vulnerable to A. baumannii infections. The isolates of A. baumannii showed greater resistance against the commonly utilized antimicrobial agents. Tigecycline along with colistin was observed as the most effectual drugs against the clinical specimens.