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This study examined the relationship of a sense of belongingness with forgiveness and gratitude among Muslim students and the mediating role of a collectivistic orientation. We also studied the moderating role of religiosity/spirituality between a sense of belonging and collectivism. Using publicly available data, quantitative responses about values collected from students in secondary schools and higher education institutions (n = 13,023) of 15 countries with majority Muslim populations were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS. The findings reveal that a sense of belonging is positively linked with forgiveness and gratitude, and that collectivism mediates both relationships. However, the moderating role of religiosity between sense of belonging and collectivism is not in accord with our prediction. Policy implications and future direction are discussed.

The complex engineering problems (CEPs) are characterized by challenges such as: a) involving extensive or inconsistent, incompatible data from engineering and other offshoots, b) unable to be solved in the absence of in-depth engineering knowledge. The engineering teachers are not found successful in the design of a CEP because it does not touch the real issues from industry and / or environment. Therefore, the expertise of applicable skill cannot be evaluated and the reason behind this failure is the lack of or poor intellectual perception of the attributes of CEPs among the teachers. In order to help teachers, the relation between attributes, knowledge profiles and CEPs is elucidated in this work by giving examples. The main objective of this article is to establish an understanding of the student’s level of perceiving a complex engineering problem with respect to the learning domain. The Survey was conducted among 70 participants and the quantitative approach employed, utilizing a questionnaire survey and interviewing teachers to gather data from respondents selected through random probability sampling. It is concluded that Industrial training (like apprenticeships), laboratory practices and final year design project are good tools for the complex engineering activities/ exercises. The results obtained in the case study were found promising, therefore, it is recommended to extend this study by using various engineering institutions to ascertain a framework on CEP solving. skills.

Abstract The plant-available soil phosphorus rate and methods for applying phosphatic fertilizer and soil P-fixation capacity are critical factors for lower cotton productivity in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Hence, a two-year study was conducted in Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI), Multan, Pakistan, to examine the effects of various P rates and application methods on cotton crop output during the growing seasons of 2014 and 2015. Phosphorus was applied in four rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha−1 P2O5) using broadcast, band application, and fertigation methods. Results indicated that the impact of P rates was statistically significant on plant height, the number of nodes, monopodial and sympodial branches, leaf area index, harvest index, and seed cotton yield. The greater P application (120 kg P2O5 ha−1) had a better effect on cotton productivity than the lower application rates (0, 40, and 80 kg P2O5 ha−1). The band application responded better on nodes plant−1, sympodial branches plant−1, boll weight, leaf area index, lint yield, and harvest during the growing season 2015. Therefore, by adopting the band application coupled with 120 kg P2O5 ha−1 rather than the conventional method of broadcast, productivity of cotton crops could be increased.

Abstract To improve the efficacy of organic solar cells (OSCs), novel small acceptor molecules (CTD1–CTD7) were designed by modification at the terminal acceptors of reference compound CTR. The optoelectronic properties of the investigated compounds (CTD1–CTD7) were accomplished by employing density functional theory (DFT) in combination with time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). The M06 functional along with a 6-311G(d,p) basis set was utilized for calculating various parameters such as: frontier molecular orbitals (FMO), absorption maxima (λ max), binding energy (E b), transition density matrix (TDM), density of states (DOS), and open circuit voltage (V oc ) of entitled chromophores. A red shift in the absorption spectra of all designed chromophores (CTD1–CTD7) was observed as compared to CTR, accompanied by low excitation energy. Particularly, CTD4 was characterized by the highest λ max value of 685.791 nm and the lowest transition energy value of 1.801 eV which might be ascribed to the robust electron-withdrawing end-capped acceptor group. The observed reduced binding energy (Eb) was linked to an elevated rate of exciton dissociation and substantial charge transfer from central core in HOMO towards terminal acceptors in LUMO. These results were further supported by the outcomes from TDM and DOS analyses. Among all entitled chromophores, CTD4 exhibited bathochromic shift (685.791 nm), minimum HOMO/LUMO band gap of 2.347 eV with greater CT. Thus, it can be concluded that by employing molecular engineering with efficient acceptor moieties, the efficiency of photovoltaic materials could be improved.

Abstract Due to the high solubility of Cd in water, it is considered a potential toxin which can cause cancer in humans. In plants, it is associated with the development of oxidative stress due to the generation of reactive oxygen species. To overcome this issue, the roles of different plant hormones are vital. Strigolactones, one of such natural plant hormones, show promise in alleviating cadmium toxicity by mitigating its harmful effects. Acidified biochar (AB) can also effectively mitigate cadmium toxicity via ion adsorption and pH buffering. However, the combined effects of strigolactone and AB still need in-depth investigations in the context of existing literature. This study aimed to assess the individual and combined impacts of SLs (0 and 25 µM) and AB (0 and 0.75% w/w) on radish growth under Cd toxicity, i.e., 0 and 20 mg Cd/kg soil. Using a fully randomized design (CRD), each treatment was administered in four replicates. In comparison to the control under 20 mg Cd/kg soil contamination, the results showed that 25 µM strigolactone + 0.75% AB significantly improved the following: radish shoot length (~ 17%), root length (~ 47%), plant fresh weight (~ 28%), plant dry weight (~ 96%), chlorophyll a (~ 43%), chlorophyll b (~ 31%), and total chlorophyll (~ 37%). It was also noted that 0.75% AB was more pronounced in decreasing antioxidant activities than 25 µM strigolactone under 20 mg Cd/ kg soil toxicity. However, performing 25 µM strigolactone + 0.75% AB was far better than the sole application of 25 µM strigolactone and 0.75% AB in decreasing antioxidant activities in radish plants. In conclusion, by regulating antioxidant activities, 25 µM strigolactone + 0.75% AB can increase radish growth in cadmium-contaminated soils.

This research reported the utilization of novel adsorbent from the de-oiled waste material of orange seeds for preparing simple charcoal (SC) and iron oxide/activated charcoal (Fe2O3/AC) nanocomposites. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out to evaluate the optimized conditions of the experiment. The results obtained indicated that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model best fitted the adsorption data (R2 > 0.99) and that the Freundlich isotherm model best explained the adsorption of dye on Fe2O3/AC. The adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic in the temperature range of 293–333°K, as explained by calculated thermodynamic parameters, e.g., ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results publicized that carboxyl and amine functional groups are present on the surface of adsorbents, which are responsible for the attachment of dye. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that Fe2O3/AC has a porous surface and textual structure, which can efficiently adsorb dye molecules. A zetasizer was utilized for determining the size of the composites, and the thermal stability was determined by performing a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The findings of the comparative experiment indicated that Fe2O3/AC are more promising than raw activated carbon for the adsorption of Congo red (CR). The impregnation of iron oxide nanocomposites on an adsorbent resulted in an increased surface area-to-volume ratio, magnetic properties, and excellent reusable capacity. Overall, it can be reported as an innovative procedure promoting the recycling of waste products, which aids in protecting environmental and human health and in the development of the economy.

Objective: The present research was conducted to evaluate the negative effects of nicotine powder on the blood physiology, and biochemical and histological alterations of Labeo rohita. Materials and Methods: Fish were divided into four groups (1–4). Fish groups 2, 3, and 4 were exposed to different concentrations of nicotine, such as 0.75, 1.25, and 1.75 mg/l, while group 1 acted as a control. To find out the long-term impact of nicotine on body physiology, we conducted a 42-day experiment. After the completion of the experiment, hematology, biochemical assays, and histology were done. Results: Results revealed a considerable increase in HGB, red blood cells, WBCs, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width -SD, procalcitonin, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein, alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, globulin, thyroid stimulating hormone, BUN, creatinine, and blood glucose levels, whereas mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, RDW, platelet, high-density lipoprotein, albumin, total proteins, and T3 levels were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased in exposed fish as compared to control group fish. Histological alterations showed that exposure to smokeless nicotine causes deleterious and degenerative effects in the liver, kidney, and gills of exposed fish. Conclusion: Nicotine administration in fish results in adverse effects on different biochemical and hematological parameters and causes histological alterations in some vital organs of exposed fish. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2024; 11(2.000): 463-473]

This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis and science mapping of the publications emerging from the COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Pakistan. Bibliometrics and visualization techniques were used in this study. The data were collected from the Web of Science database with the "COMSATS University Islamabad" query in the affiliation category.A total of 26,841 documents were retrieved. VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, ScientoPy, and MS Excel software were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the number of publications, particularly articles, has progressively increased. COMSATS had the most national collaborations with Quaid-e-Azam University, and China was identified as the top-ranked country for international collaborations. Furthermore, Engineering was the most attractive area for the CUI authors. This study would guide the researchers regarding important research areas while conducting, collaborating, and submitting their research in international databases.

Abstract The deleterious impact of osmotic stress, induced by water deficit in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a formidable challenge to cotton production. To protect cotton farming in dry areas, it’s crucial to create strong plans to increase soil water and reduce stress on plants. The carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), gibberellic acid (GA3) and biochar (BC) are individually found effective in mitigating osmotic stress. However, combine effect of CMC and GA3 with biochar on drought mitigation is still not studied in depth. The present study was carried out using a combination of GA3 and CMC with BC as amendments on cotton plants subjected to osmotic stress levels of 70 (70 OS) and 40 (40 OS). There were five treatment groups, namely: control (0% CMC-BC and 0% GA3-BC), 0.4%CMC-BC, 0.4%GA3-BC, 0.8%CMC-BC, and 0.8%GA3-BC. Each treatment was replicated five times with a completely randomized design (CRD). The results revealed that 0.8 GA3-BC led to increase in cotton shoot fresh weight (99.95%), shoot dry weight (95.70%), root fresh weight (73.13%), and root dry weight (95.74%) compared to the control group under osmotic stress. There was a significant enhancement in cotton chlorophyll a (23.77%), chlorophyll b (70.44%), and total chlorophyll (35.44%), the photosynthetic rate (90.77%), transpiration rate (174.44%), and internal CO2 concentration (57.99%) compared to the control group under the 40 OS stress. Thus 0.8GA3-BC can be potential amendment for reducing osmotic stress in cotton cultivation, enhancing agricultural resilience and productivity.

Saccharomyces cervisceae mutants lacking the major potassium trasnporters trk1 and trk2 show hypersensitivity to aminoglycoside antibiotic hygromycin (hyg). This study demonstrates that expression of the inward K+ transporter LfHKT2;1 can suppress this hygromycin sensitivity in the trk1, trk2 double mutant strain. Growth complementation was performed on solid yeast peptone dextrose (YPD) media supplemented with hygromycin B. Both, wild type and trk1 trk2 yeast strains exhibited growth inhibition in the presence of hygromycin. However the potassium uptake-deficient trk1 trk2 strain (control) showed complete growth arrest when exposed to hygromycin, while expression of LfHKT2;1 resulted in growth recovery. Increased sodium concentrations caused cellular toxicity in the trk1 trk2 strain, which was exacerbated by the addition of hygromycin to the media. The hypersensitivity of trk1 trk2 mutant yeast cells expressing LfHKT2;1 to sodium suggested the presence of an additional sodium uptake system on the membrane, which was further confirmed by transient GFP expression assays. These results provide conclusive evidence that heterologous expression of LfHKT2;1 confers both sodium and K+ uptake capabilities in hygromycin supplemented YPD media, thereby rescuing the growth of K+ transport-deficient S. cerevisiae mutants. This highlights the potential of plant gene expression in yeast as a valuable tool for studying ion transport mechanisms and gene function under stress conditions.

ABSTRACTThe acceleration of materials discovery has gained paramount importance due to its potential to overcome constraints in emerging technologies. Extensive exploration has been undertaken into three pivotal approaches: combinatorial synthesis, high-throughput characterization, and computational techniques, all aimed at unveiling new materials. This review article delves into recent progress in these domains. Combinatorial synthesis, especially in the development of thin-film materials libraries, emerges as a potent method for efficiently generating comprehensive multinary materials systems and composition gradients spanning the entire spectrum of required compositions. High-throughput characterization techniques play a pivotal role in assessing the compositional, structural, and functional attributes of materials within these libraries, yielding multidimensional datasets. Concurrently, recent advancements in computational materials science have notably expedited the discovery process by enabling high-throughput calculations and simulations of potential materials systems. These collective endeavors foster a more robust correlation between composition, processing, structure, and properties, facilitating the forecast and design of future materials through data-driven materials discovery. This approach allows for efficient optimization of newly identified materials. Furthermore, materials informatics, an integral element of this process, plays a crucial role in managing and extracting valuable insights from the vast data generated during materials discovery.

AbstractMunicipal organic waste (MOW) compost is considered a sustainable and environmental friendly fertilizer management system throughout the world for hybrid maize production. It can enhance the production of maize by using MOW compost as a soil amendment. Therefore, two field trials were executed during November 2021–March 2022 and November 2022–March 2023 to study the consequences of compost treatments derived from MOW, MOW added with vermiculite, MOW added with cow manure, and combination of 150 kg/ha NPK fertilizer and MOW compost on maize yield and yield components. The MOW compost was applied at three levels (5, 10 and 15 t ha−1) in the maize field. The statistical design was a split plot with three replications. Compost levels were in the main plots, and sub-plots were four treatments (MOW, vermiculite + MOW, cow manure + MOW and a combination of 150 kg/ha NPK fertilizer with MOW compost). Each plot was 6 m2, with 50 cm line to line and 30 cm plant to plant distance. MOW compost with NPK fertilizer significantly affected the yield and yield-contributing characters, followed by vermiculite and cow manure-added composts. These effects were more pronounced at the rate of 15 t ha−1 compost than 10 t ha−1. In conclusion, MOW mixed with NPK at the rate of 15 t ha−1 was found to be the best for all studied traits of maize. This qualitative and quantitative assessment will not only provide new information about the MOW conversion methods to compost in the arid land agriculture but also will open new avenues for maize production in a significant and worthwhile way.

The pursuit of renewable fuels for the transportation sector, particularly for combustion engines like diesel, is crucial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study introduces an innovative strategy for biodiesel production utilizing marine macroalgae Ulva lactuca as the primary feedstock, emphasizing sustainability and resource efficiency. Lipids were extracted from the macroalgae via a Soxhlet process and characterized using GC–MS and FTIR to ascertain fatty acid composition and functional groups. The Cu–BTC@AC catalyst, synthesized from the lipid-extracted algae residue via pyrolysis and hydrothermal treatment, underwent characterization using SEM–EDS, XRD, and FTIR techniques. Subsequently, the Cu–BTC@AC catalyst was employed in the transesterification process to efficiently convert the extracted algal lipids into biodiesel, achieving a high yield of 92.56 % under RSM-optimized conditions: 65 °C temperature, 3.96 wt% catalyst amount, 15:1 methanol-to-lipid ratio, and 140 min reaction time. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for biodiesel production were calculated as follows: Ea = 33.20 kJ mol−1, ΔH# = 30.39 kJ mol−1, ΔS# = –165.86 J mol−1 K−1, and ΔG# = 86.48 kJ mol−1. GC–MS analysis identified a significant FAME content in the biodiesel, comprising 98.12 % of its composition. Notably, the Cu–BTC@AC catalyst exhibited excellent reusability, maintaining 80.21 % biodiesel yield after the third cycle. Moreover, physicochemical analysis of the biodiesel confirmed its compliance with ASTM D6751 specifications, underscoring its potential as a viable alternative fuel for the transportation sector.

Purpose: Despite growing access to e-government services, people must learn how to use them. Previous studies have engrossed mainly on the motivations for using e-government but the reasons why such services may not be used, have not been researched much. Therefore, this study aims at identifying the impediments to e-government services’ adoption in Pakistan. Design/Methodology/Approach: Semi-structured interviews with the Pakistani citizens were conducted to develop an understanding of how individuals appraise e-government and what inhibits its acceptance. Findings: The research identifies eleven main hurdles to e-government’s adoption, the most significant of which are a lack of need for occasional use of government services, a lack of a personal adviser, and a lack of trust. The findings imply that the quality of service is vital in the decision to utilize e-government. In contrast, technical problems such as data security or a lack of usability have little influence. Implications/Originality/Value: The uniqueness of this study lies in the exploration of how people in Pakistan perceive the barriers they face while utilizing e-government services.

We investigate the Palaeocene succession of the Hazara Basin (Northern Pakistan) to better understand the impact of climate change on marine carbonate-producing organisms. These shallow-water carbonates, deposited during the Late Palaeocene, before the onset of the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, were studied using a quantitative approach to highlight changes in the skeletal assemblage. We recognise a decrease in the abundance of colonial corals and green calcareous algae and an increase in larger benthic foraminifera and red calcareous algae from the early Thanetian to the late Thanetian. Increasing temperatures may represent a plausible cause for the decline of the more sensitive colonial corals in favor of the more tolerant larger benthic foraminifera. A similar pattern is observed in most successions deposited along the margins of the Neotethys Ocean, suggesting a connection with the Late Palaeocene environmental changes that heralded the PETM hyperthermal event. Our stratigraphic analysis of the Hazara Basin strata suggests that the biotic turnovers occurred during the Palaeocene – Eocene transition started already before the onset of the Palaeocene Eocene Thermal Maximum as recorded by the geochemical proxies.

The tropical dry forests (TDF) have an enormously rich flora and fauna that offer various ecological services to the surrounding human societies. Biodiversity assessment is mandatory for implementing any sustainable forest management policy, which is why it is one of the important criteria and indicators currently used. Threats to TDF biodiversity are the primary challenges arising from environmental concerns caused by anthropogenic activity leading to global warming issues. The study aimed to investigate the vegetation assessment and several environmental and anthropogenic variables influencing forest biodiversity from 5 threatened forest sites of District Sialkot (Ghalotian, Kishan Garh, Daburgi Chanda Singh, Pir Kot, and Ghulab Garh), Pakistan. We collected 170 distinct plant species, including 135 dicots, 27 monocots, seven pteridophytes, and one bryophyte, categorized into 138 genera and 62 families, divided into 114 herbs, 32 trees, and 24 shrubs. The phytosociological analysis described the quantitative characteristics, including % frequency, % density, % cover, and importance Value Index (IVI) of all forest areas. Gulab Garh forest has the richest biodiversity forest area, and herbs are the dominant species that have been documented. Environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, organic matter, soil pH, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, Cl−, and electric conductivity (EC) strongly affect forest vegetation investigated by principal coordinate analysis. Shannon and Simpson’s diversity indexes reveal that all sites contain loamy and sandy soil and display a significant relationship between alpha diversity and richness. Increasing trends in temperature and decreasing trends in rainfall suggested that climate significantly affects the Sialkot region’s plant biodiversity. SWOT analysis highlighted that population growth leads to increasing anthropogenic activities such as constructing housing societies and roads, inadequate farming, and excessive grazing, impacting the forest vegetation and altering TDF ecosystem properties/services and functioning. Our findings reinforce the vegetational assessment and importance of local forest biodiversity and significant environmental drivers that influence the plant species diversity in TDF areas. Future conservation strategies are suggested to reduce unlawful resource consumption, restore plant biodiversity in designated protected areas, and conserve rare species locally.

The rapid evaluation of smart cities has revolutionized the research and development field to a very extensive level which presents challenges in handling massive amounts of data. However, the integration of IoT into various aspects of life has introduced various challenges related to the security and privacy of IoT systems. IoT sensors capture large volumes of sensitive customer data, which can potentially make them a target and pose serious threats, including financial loss and identity theft. Strong intrusion detection systems are essential for protecting networked, data-driven ecosystems from potential cyber threats. In this paper, we propose a novel deep learning-based approach that focuses on emerging zero-touch networks that autonomously manage network resources to ensure network security, the proposed approach identifies various network intrusions such as DDoS, Botnet, Brute force, and Infiltration. Our proposed approach presents a major improvement in IoT security. We have used the CICIDS-2018 benchmark dataset and propose a deep learning-based network intrusion detection System for Zero Touch Networks (DL-NIDS-ZTN). The proposed study utilizes convolutional neural networks that correctly identify benign and malicious traffic and achieve 99.80% accuracy with the CICIDS-2018 dataset. By implementing the DL-NIDS-ZTN methodology, we aim to strengthen the security framework of smart cities and ensure the secure and seamless integration of IoT.

Previously, activated carbon was used as adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals at batch scale and the reported removal efficiency was up to 25 % (while in our technique the efficiency is up to 75%). The large industries operate with continuous processes and discharge large amount of wastewater containing heavy metals. No research was published for continuous operation using fluidized bed adsorption column till now. The novelty of this study is on the mode of operation (continuous operation at large scale under fixed and fluidized bed conditions), Biosorbent activated carbon (AC), and maximum efficiency of arsenic removal (i.e. 75 %). The Biosorbent activated carbon prepared from waste agriculture material. Industrial wastewater consists of many inorganic and organic pollutants which are discharged into water bodies resulting the serious health problems. Now a days, concentration of arsenic has much increased as compared to the permissive concentration level (25mg/L). Therefore, there is need to reduce this concentration up to threshold value (10μg/L). The use of biosorbents for arsenic removal from wastewater has global significance due to its widespread availability and low cost. Biosorption of Arsenic strongly depends on the initial metal concentration, contact time, speed of stirring, pH and temperature. The maximum arsenic as (III) removed at pH-7.5 is 70%, it was improved to 83% by agitation in batch experiments. While in continuous mode experiments (Fixed bed) the bed height and flow rates were varied. At the Fluidized bed experiments, the maximum As (III) removed was 75%. The effects of several factors such as pH, initial solute concentration, biosorbents dose, has been revaluated in this paper. The low cost, easily available biosorbent AC is recommended for removal of arsenic from contaminated wastewaters to bring them in compliance.

Abstract In alkaline soil conditions, the availability of essential nutrients for plant growth becomes limited, posing a significant challenge for achieving optimal maize growth and yield. Exploring the impact of biochar and waste irrigation on soil alkalinity and maize production in arid regions has received limited attention. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of three levels of acidified biochar (0, 5, and 10 Mg ha−1) in two growing seasons of maize—spring and autumn. The treatments were applied following a randomized complete block design with three replications. Biochar was applied only in the autumn season, and its residual effects were evaluated in the spring season. The study found that using acidifying biochar at a rate of 10 Mg ha−1 significantly increased maize yield by 35.8% compared to no application and by 16.4% compared to a rate of 5 Mg ha−1. In the autumn, applying acidified biochar at 10 Mg ha−1 reduced soil pH by 3.65% and 6.41% compared to 0 and 5 Mg ha−1. In the spring, the same application led to a decrease in soil pH by 5.84% and 7.37% compared to the lower rates. Additionally, using 10 Mg ha−1 of acidifying biochar increased soil phosphorus concentration by 87.6% and soil potassium concentration by 38.0% compared to not using biochar, and by 46.2% and 35.0% compared to the 5 Mg ha−1 application. These findings suggest that the reduction of soil pH by applying biochar at a rate of 10 Mg ha−1 facilitated an increase in nutrient availability in the soil, consequently leading to higher maize yield. Notably, no significant differences were observed in maize productivity and soil properties between the spring and autumn seasons. Therefore, this study paves the way for further exploration into the long-term effects of acidifying biochar on maize productivity and soil properties in similar agroecological contexts.

Adopting suitable energy policies that consider the existence of main obstacles could make the development of solar energy systems much smoother. Several obstacles have been placed in the way of solar energy development in Pakistan, which has prevented its growth from reaching a satisfactory level. In order to tackle these issues, it is necessary first to recognize the obstacles that stand in the way of implementing solar energy. So, this research aims to find and rank the obstacles to the expansion of solar power in Pakistan using a novel spherical fuzzy analytical hierarchy process. The results revealed that the economic obstacles category (21.46%) ranks highest among major categories. In contrast, the overall global ranking of sub-obstacles showed that budget constraints (4.68%), lack of access to credit/capital (4.52%), political instability (4.51%), high investment risk and operation cost (4.42%), and partnership issues (4.37%) are the more critical five sub-obstacles than the rest of the twenty-one obstacles within different categories. In addition, recommendations are made for the elimination of the obstacles. The current study has policy implications for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners involved in the solar sector in the country. Furthermore, it may help develop strategies for the smooth deployment of solar energy in Pakistan.