Search

Pakistan is endowed with abundant fisheries resources that have significant economic potential. Capture fisheries contribute a comparatively vital role to the national economy. However, poverty, environmental degradation and political instability are major problems for the Pakistani people, and no effective steps have been taken to handle this socio- economically important sector efficiently in the past. Furthermore, the fisheries sector faced its own set of challenges, including the emergence of small-scale artisanal fisheries, the nonexistence of technologies, deficiency of institutional development, an absence of infrastructure, insufficient human resource skill, and a lack of responsiveness among fishing societies, all of which contributed to the sector's demise. The National Fisheries Policy (NFP) was formulated to address these problems in the fisheries sector. Potential efforts have been made by the Government of Pakistan to solve these constraints under various plans of objectives and strategy axes of the policy. Our findings indicate that despite these efforts, the fisheries sector does not show significant growth to achieve the policy goals. So, it is necessary to re-evaluate and re-orient this policy for further development of this sector. It is also essential to achieve the aim of Government of Pakistan Vision 2025 to become one of the 25th largest economies in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barramundi, (Lates calcarifer) is one of the most commercially important fish species. In Pakistan, farming of this species is relatively new. Article delivers the economic analysis of Barramundi and its fishery resources in Pakistan. The analysis includes the capture production, aquaculture production and market price. The Capture production of Barramundi in Pakistan has shown a declining trend by average at 18 t y-1 from 605 t in 1986 to 121.2 t in 2018. Similarly, wholesale and retail market prices witnessed an increase from 2003 to 2018. During this period, the wholesale price rose to 384.3 PKR/kg from 69 PKR/kg, while the retail price surged to 395.2 PKR/kg from 97 PKR/kg. On the other hand, the increasing operational fishing fleets from 15513 (1990) to 30000 (2018) has reduced Fishery resources of barramundi i.e. from 312 ton to 130 and its body weight from 13.42 kg to 3.5 kg during the period from 1990 to 2018. On the contrary, aquaculture production registered a rising trend by average of 0.5 t y-1 from 05 t in 2009 to 8.2 t in 2018. The rise in aquaculture production of Barramundi is not satisfactory when compared to its growth rate in other countries like Bangladesh, Thailand, Australia, China, India etc. In this study, we find out the major causes of non-satisfactory rise in aquaculture production by the using AGR model. Results show that the main reasons beyond decline in the growth included inaccessibility of Barramundi Seed, unavailability of Barramundi Hatcheries and lack of government Support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, catch statistics of mullets are first time evaluated to know their exploitation status and ongoing economic implications. Catch and effort (CE) figures of mullets acquired from Sindh, Pakistan was statistically evaluated by employing surplus production models (SPMs), non-equilibrium versions, through two famous fishery related software, viz., catch and effort data analysis (CEDA) and a stock production model incorporating covariates (ASPIC). In total three SPMs, i.e., Fox, Schaefer and Pella-Tomlinson were used to investigate CE statistics, 1995 to 2012. Obtained results reveal that catch per unit effort (CPUE) has considerably dropped from 0.206 (1995) to 0.055 (2012). CEDA estimates of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) remained conservative as they were calculated between 5100 to 6500 t against ASPIC for which estimates of this parameter remained between 5800 and 7600 t. Considering the results, it can be concluded that mullet fishery is experiencing overexploitation (OE). This OE is an indicator of economic losses by increasing costs and decreasing profits. Thus, mullet resource conservation is necessary for its long-term economic utilization. Therefore, it is suggested that the target reference point (TRP) with respect to harvest should be between 5100 to 5500 t. However, this study is a preliminary study, hence; further in-depth studies are suggested before making and implementing any management plan for mullet fishery in Sindh, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is a common observation that the aortic size of Pakistani population is relatively less as compared to western population. Till now there is no study which has measured the dimensions of abdominal aorta in local population.The standard diameter of an artery across the body is critical for clinicians to recognize when an artery has become aneurysmal. This study aims to present the results of a local population's normal diameter of an infrarenal aorta and how it varies by age, gender, weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA)., Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Vascular Surgery Department, at Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Peshawar, from July 2020 to November 2021.Participants in the study included all patients who underwent a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen for any reason other than cardiovascular disease.The infrarenal abdominal aorta's mean internal diameter (anteroposterior and transverse diameter) was assessed. SPSS v 23 was used to analyze the data and present it as frequency and percentages. The Pearson correlation coefficient assessed the correlation between aortic diameters, weight, height, BMI, and BSA., Results: Recruitment of a total of 250 patients was done in this study. Males were 194 (77.6%), while the rest were female patients. The patients' mean age was 39.6±12.8 years. The mean anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the infrarenal aorta was 16.13±2.32 mm. The mean transverse diameter (TD) was 15.96±2.34 mm. The infrarenal diameter of the aorta was smaller in women when compared to men, and the calibre of the aorta increased with the increasing age of the patients. There was a statistically significant positive relationship between their age and the average diameter of the infrarenal aorta (p<0.001) among both men and women., Conclusions: Clinicians and vascular surgeons will benefit from the findings in diagnosing and treating abdominal aortic aneurysms. Hence, thoughtful consideration should be made before formulating intervention protocols.

Objective:   To identify utility of chest computed tomography severity score (CT-SS) as an additional tool to COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification in assessing severity of COVID-19., Study Design: Descriptive analytical study Place and Duration of Study: Armed Forces Institute of Radiology and Imaging, (AFIRI) Rawalpindi, from April 2020 to June 2020., Methodology: Five hundred suspected COVID-19 cases referred for high resolution computed tomography - chest were included in the study. Cases were categorised by radiological findings using COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification, proposed in the radiological society of North America expert consensus statement on reporting chest CT findings related to COVID-19. CT-SS was calculated for all scans. Patients were clinically classified according to disease severity as per 'Diagnosis And Treatment Program of Pneumonia of New Coronavirus Infection' recommended by China's National Health Commission. The relationships between radiological findings, CT-SS, and clinical severity were explored., Results: Based on the radiological findings, 298 cases were graded as typical, 34 as indeterminate, 15 as atypical, and 153 as negative for pneumonia. The apical and posterior basal segments of lower lobes were most commonly involved. The CT-SS showed higher values in patients of severe group as compared to those in moderate group (p < 0.05). CT-SS threshold for recognising severe COVID-19 was 18.5 (area under curve, 0.960), with 84.3% sensitivity and 92.5% specificity., Conclusion: In coherence with COVID-19 pneumonia imaging classification, CT-SS may provide a comprehensive and objective assessment of COVID-19 severity. Key Words: COVID-19, COVID-19 pneumonia, CT-SS, High resolution computed tomography.

Background: Pakistan being the 6th populous country with a population of 207,774,520, and a growth rate of 2.6%, if left unchecked can reach 335 million by 2050. The total demand of family planning in Pakistan is 55% while the contraceptive prevalence rate is 35% with an unmet need for family planning is 20%., Methods: The contraceptive prevalence rate and frequently used contraceptive method in an area with Lady Health Worker services versus an area without Lady Health Worker services of union council Pat Baba were compared over a period of 6 months. 322 households were selected, 161 from LHW covered and 161 from LHW uncovered area of union council Pat Baba District Mardan., Results: The knowledge of contraceptive methods was 98.1% in the women of covered area and this knowledge was 90.1% in the uncovered area in union council Pat Baba. The source of information for the women in the covered area was mostly LHWs 87% and in uncovered area 25.5% of the women were informed by the LHWs, followed by elderly family members 7.5% in the covered, and 37.9% of the women in uncovered area. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 59% in covered areas and in uncovered areas it was 51.6%. The most frequently used contraceptive method in covered area was condom 16.8% and in the uncovered area it was withdrawal method 26.1%., Conclusions: There was a significant association between the LHWs presence on knowledge scores and contraceptive prevalence rate.