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During the last three decades, trade barriers have been drastically reduced under obligations of WTO. Due to freedom in trade, competition has increased, forcing industries to improve their productivity to compete in this free market. However there are still some trade barriers which are used to block market access. Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT) is one of such barriers. In this study the impact of TBT on export performance of Pakistan textile industry has been empirically evaluated. A model was framed which represented TBT and export performance as variables. Primary data was collected from top textile firms of Pakistan. Multiple regression analysis was applied on the primary data. Results indicated that TBT has positively affected the performance of Pakistan textile industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the habits of betel quid use and areca nut chewing among school-aged children in Karachi, Pakistan. Areca nut (betel nut) is chewed by itself, in various scented preparations, and in betel quid (containing betel leaf, areca nut, slaked lime, condiments, sweeteners and sometimes tobacco) in various parts of Pakistan and India. It is associated with carcinogenesis, foreign body aspiration in children and oral submucous fibrosis, and may aggravate asthma.Methods: We selected a stratified random sample of 160 primary school children between 4 and 16 years of age in Baba Island, Karachi.Results: Seventy-four per cent of the children (118/159) used areca nut and 35% (55/159) used betel quid daily. More boys chewed areca nut than girls (72% vs 30%). The proportion of areca nut users increased by grade (from 48% in first grade to 90% in fifth grade). Most areca users first tried it with a family member (42%) or a friend (26%), and most (68%) consumed three or more packets a day. Children with fathers with three or fewer years of education were more likely to use areca nut (OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.2-8.4), and children whose mothers helped with homework less likely (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.2-0.91; P = 0.027) to use it. Boys (OR 6.6; 95% CI 2.3-18.7) and areca nut users (OR 8.8; 95% CI2.8-27.0) were more likely to use betel quid.Conclusion: To reduce the use of areca nut, the Pakistan Government should consider imposing taxes on it, limiting advertising and actively communicating its health risks to the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate cultural practices need to be determined for enhancing crop yields with low inputs under rainfed conditions. A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of tillage practices and fertilizer levels on yield, nitrogen (N) uptake and carbon (C) isotope discrimination in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown under semi-arid conditions at three sites in north-west Pakistan: NIFA, Urmar and Jalozai. Two fertilizer levels, 60kgNha−1+30 kg P ha−1 (L1) and 60kgNha−1+60 kg P ha−1 (L2), were applied to wheat grown under conventional tillage (T1) and no-tillage (T0) practices. Labeled urea having 1% 15N atom excess at 60 kg N ha−1 was applied as aqueous solution in microplots within each treatment plot. A pre-sowing irrigation of 60 mm was applied and during the growing season, the crop relied entirely on rainfall (268 mm). Biomass yield, N uptake and stable C isotope composition (δ13C) of plants were determined at maturity. Yield of wheat was improved by tillage at two sites (Sites 1 and 2), while at the third site yield was reduced by tillage as compared with the no-tillage treatment. At Sites 1 and 2, nutrient addition (L2, 60kgNha−1+60 kg P ha−1) increased the yield of all plant parts (straw, grain and root) in contrast to Site 3 where only grain yield was increased significantly. Maximum grain yield of wheat was observed with tillage under nutrient level L2 at all sites. Generally, the tillage treatment did not affect the N content in plant parts compared with no-tillage (T0) treatment at all three sites. However, fertilizer N uptake by wheat was variable under different fertilizer levels and tillage practices. Nitrogen derived from fertilizer (Ndff) for grain at Site 2 was higher in tilled plots but was not affected by tillage practice at the other sites. The C isotope (δ13C) values varied from −28.96 to −26.03‰ under different treatments at the three sites. The δ13C values were less negative indicating more effective water use at Sites 2 and 3 compared to Site 1. The C isotope discrimination (Δ) values were positively correlated with yield of wheat straw (r=0.578∗), grain (r=0.951∗∗) and root (r=0.583∗). Further, the Δ in grain had significant negative relationship (r=0.912∗∗) with Ndff (%). The tillage practice exerted a positive effect on yield, N uptake and plant N derived from fertilizer by wheat compared to no-tillage. The positive correlation of Δ with grain, straw and root yields and negative correlation with the Ndff (%) by wheat suggest that this value (Δ) could be used to predict these parameters. However, further studies on different crops under varied environmental conditions are necessary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]