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Viewing Biofuel (Ethanol) Prospects in Pakistan Through a Sustainable Development Prism
The Climate Change 2007 Fourth Assessment Report (FAR) has muffled the sceptics. The current findings replace speculation with scientific certainty -- in fact, the reality has overtaken modelled forecasts. Planet Earth is heating up faster than predicted, with extreme events in their several manifestations spiralling out of control. Glacier retreat, polar ice meltdowns, rises in sea levels, tropical cyclones, storms and hurricanes have triggered natural and human calamities on an unprecedented scale........more ....
In Pakistan, cotton provides livelihoods to millions of people involved in its cultivation, industrial use and trade. Cotton-picking, although a seasonal activity, represents by far the largest share of employment in the sector -- in three to five waves, from August to February, an estimated two million cotton-pickers harvest the fuel for Pakistan's export engine. ........more .....
Jinnah's Vision and the Reality: Revisiting 60 Years of Freedom
The year 2007 is quite significant in the Subcontinent's history. It is 150th anniversary of the 'War of Independence 1857', the centenary of prominent freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, and the sixtieth anniversary of the colonisers' departing the Subcontinent. One might have assumed that the partition of India and the departure of the British Raj in 1947 would have been a happy ending for the War of Independence. However 60 years down the road it seems that things have not changed much.
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Women’s Land Right Issues in District Swabi: A Brief Sketch
It is clear that significant gender disparities exist in Pakistan. Women’s status is lower than that of men in all spheres of life. Women are underprivileged in getting education, food, health care, freedom of choice and other basic rights. One of the most important aspects of these disparities and discrimination is that of women’s land rights. In January 2007, SDPI sent a team of male and female field researchers to District Swabi, in NWFP, to research the issue in depth.........more ......
In Retrospect
