The Pakistan Development Review
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Impact of Farm Households’ Adaptations to Climate Change on Food Security: Evidence from Different Agro-ecologies of Pakistan
Full text linkThe study used data from 3298 food crop growers in Pakistan.
Potential outcome treatment effects model was applied to evaluate the
impact of adaptations on household food security. A household Food
Security Index (FSI) was constructed applying Principle Component
Analysis (PCA). Adaptation strategies employed by the farmers in
response to climate change were categorised into four groups namely:
changes in sowing time (C1); input intensification (C2); water and soil
conservation (C3); and changes in varieties (C4). Out of 15 mutually
exclusive combinations constructed for evaluation, only 7 combinations
were considered for estimating the treatment effects models because of
limited number of observations in other cases. Results of only two of
the 7 are discussed in the paper, as the other 5 had very small number
of adapters and the impact measures shown either insignificant results
or had opposite signs. The first (C1234) combined all the four, while
the second (C234) combined the last three strategies. The results
suggest that the households which adapted to climate changes were
statistically significantly more food secure as compared to those who
did not adapt. The results further show that education of the male and
female heads, livestock ownership, the structure of house—both bricked
and having electricity facility, crops diversification, and non-farm
income are among the factors, which raise the food security of farm
households and their impacts are statistically significant. The
variables which are significantly negatively associated with the food
security levels include age of the head of household, food expenditure
management, households having less than 12.5 acres of land— defined as
marginal (cultivate 6.25 to
12.5 acres). Farmers of cotton-wheat, rice-wheat, and rain-fed cropping
systems are found to be more food secure as compared to the farmers
working in the mixed cropping systems where farm holdings are relatively
small and high use of tube-well water adding to salinity of soils. It is
crucial to invest in the development of agricultural technological
packages, addressing issues of climate change relevant to different
ecologies and farming systems; improve research-extension-farmer
linkages; enhance farmers‘ access to new technologies; improve rural
infrastructure; development of weather information system linking
meteorological department, extension and farmers; and establishment of
targeted food safety nets as well as farm subsidy programs for marginal
farm households
Impact of Macroeconomic Variables on Capital Structure Choice: A Case of Textile Industry of Pakistan
Full text linkThe financing decision of a firm is influenced by both
internal (firm specific) and external (macroeconomic) factors. However,
most of the empirical investigations have focus on internal factors
whereas the impact of macroeconomic variables on capital structure
decisions is somewhat under researched particularly in the context of
developing countries. The aim of the study is to analyse the impact of
macroeconomic variables on the capital structure decisions of all listed
textile firms in Pakistan for the period 2004-2013. Panel data
regression (fixed effects model) was used to estimate the effect of
macroeconomic variables on capital structure. The findings of the study
reveal that public debt, exchange rates and interest rates are
negatively related whereas corporate taxes, stock market development,
inflation rate and GDP growth rate are positively related with economic
leverage. Moreover, the relationship of corporate taxes, stock market
development and exchange rates is significant with the economic
leverage. JEL Classification: E44, E52, E62, F31, G32 Keywords: Capital
Structure, Interest Rates, Inflation, Public Debt, Exchange Rates, GDP
Growth Rate, Stock Market Development, Pakista
Do Workers’ Remittances Boost Human Capital Development?
Full text linkThis study examines the influence of workers’ remittances
along with the economic governance system on human capital development
in 17 countries having low income, lower middle, upper middle and high
income levels by using the annual panel between 1996 and 2013. Overall,
results of fixed-effects model reveal that workers’ remittances have
significantly positive impact on the human capital development. Results
also reveal the positive and significant impact of all selected
variables of economic governance system on human capital. It is
concluded that the strong economic governance system strengthens the
association between workers’ remittances and human capital during the
aforementioned time period. JEL Classification: F24, J23 Keywords:
Remittances, Economic Governance System, Human Capital
Developmen
Impact of Global Food Price Escalation on Poverty in South Asian Countries
Full text linkThe objective of this paper is to examine the impact of global
food price escalation on poverty in South Asian countries since 1990 to
2011. Panel data procedure has been applied for empirical analysis.
Panel unit root tests have been utilised before the application of panel
co-integration. Poverty is measured through revealed behaviour approach
which is considered better than other approaches, as it is based on the
actual consumption made by the households. The present study uses actual
average household consumption to measure poverty. Empirical results
reveal that global food price escalation and per capita income
positively and significantly affect average household consumption, which
is the clear indication of poverty decline. International oil prices and
interest rate significantly but negatively affect the average household
consumption in South Asian countries. Findings of this study will be
helpful for formulating effective public policies for poverty reduction
in the era of trade liberalisation. JEL Classification: E31, F410, I32
Keywords: Food Price Escalation, Poverty, Oil Prices, Per Capita Income,
South Asi
The Nexus of Foreign Direct Investment, Economic Growth and Environment in Pakistan
Full text linkThis paper estimate the impact of sectoral FDI on economic
growth and carbon dioxide emissions in Pakistan. To this end, it uses
time series secondary data from 1972 to 2011 and applies Auto Regressive
Distributed Lag (ARDL) models. The results showed that FDI inflows in
manufacturing, transport, storage and communication sectors and energy
consumption have positive effect on the GDP growth of Pakistan. Besides,
FDI inflow in manufacturing, transport, storage and communication sector
and population density are responsible for the CO2 emissions in
Pakistan. The results also validate Environmental Kuznet Curves in both
long and short run. JEL Classification: E2, O4, Q5 Keywords: Sectoral
FDI, CO2 emissions, Environmental Kuznet Curves, Gross Domestic Product
Growt
Reforming a Broken System: A New Performance Evaluation System for Pakistan Civil Servants
Full text linkExtant literature informs that the modern state requires a
civil service whose performance is accurately measured, evaluated and
subsequently rewarded (or punished). In this paper we use Pakistan as a
case study of a country in which the performance evaluation system is
obsolete and resistant to change. After analysing literature on the
importance of performance management systems in bureaucracies, we
evaluate the present structure of the Pakistani performance evaluation
system of civil servants and identify its major weaknesses. We then
present the results of a unique survey of senior civil servants which
informs on how they viewed potential reforms of the current system.
Based on this, we present a revised instrument to more accurately
measure the performance of Pakistani civil servants, which both adapts
the existing instrument while being cognizant of the international best
practices. Finally we look at some of the significant political economy
factors that could hinder the introduction of a new performance
management system. Keywords: Performance Evaluation, Political
Manipulation, SMART, Political Alignment Performance Management, Civil
Servic
Indebtedness and Poverty: The Case of Pakistan
Full text linkSince the advent of Neolibralism, debt has been construed as
means of policy reforms to achieve stability, liberalisation and
recovery from shocks. However, the other side of the picture has been
either ignored or underappreciated. That is the human cost of
indebtedness. Whether internal or external, indebtedness may have
significant implications for the living conditions of the masses, as it
leads to substantial deviation of resources towards debt management.
This paper attempts to assess the impact of indebtedness on poverty for
Pakistan. The impact of total, internal and external debt on poverty has
been evaluated separately. Using the data from 1973 to 2013, Johansen
Co-nintegration test reveals long run relationship between debt and
poverty. The results remain consistent when domestic and external debt
is taken separately. The long run impact of total, internal and external
debt on poverty is positive. Which means that for Pakistan debt leads to
increase in poverty. Further, it is evident that domestic debt has more
severe poverty implications as compared to external debt. These results
have two important policy implications; firstly, the overall levels of
debt have to be reduced and secondly, the issue of domestic debt
reduction takes priority. JEL Classification: I30, I38, F34, H36
Keywords: External Debt, Domestic Debt, Poverty, Johanson
Cointegratio
Pakistan‟s Governance Goliath: The Case of Non-Professional Chairman, FBR
Full text linkThe governance crisis of Pakistan‘s public sector is wide,
deep and historically imbedded. There are a host of factors which
contribute at varying degrees towards the extant of governance mess. The
body of scholarship created to analyse the underlying factors of public
sector management mess of Pakistan is not only scant but also deficient
in quality, coverage and construct validity. In the entire
administrative morass of Pakistan, the quagmire of Federal Board of
Revenue (FBR)—house of the state‘s extractive function—is by far the
most sombre and serious one. The paper picks up FBR as the unit of
analysis and there too, only one variable, that is, appointment of a
non-professional generalist as its Chairman to analyse below par
performance of Pakistan‘s revenue function—by far the lowest in the
world. It posits that appointment of non-professional Chairman, FBR, is
a compelling exposition of a collusive duopoly arrangement between
elites and generalist cadres of Pakistan civil services—both
symbiotically pursuing their perverse particularistic interests at the
expense of citizenry at large. The paper develops a theoretical
framework within which it attempts to analyse domination of Pakistan‘s
extractive function over history from various dimensions. It argues
that, since the entire institutional infrastructure of the state has
fallen hostage to elitesgeneralist duopoly paradigm, the control of its
extractive function is only a logical consequence thereof, and that a
non-professional generalist chairman is imposed on the revenue function
only to precisely, and fully control the extractive policy formulation
process as well as the extractive operations on the ground—to the
ultimate advantage of the duopoly. JEL Classification: H1 Keywords:
Public Sector Management, Federal Board of Revenue, Civil Service of
Pakistan, Inland Revenue Service, Chairman, FBR,
Institutionalis
Impact of Climate Change on Electricity Demand: A Case Study of Pakistan
Full text linkThe energy sector is sensitive to changing weather patterns
and Pakistan is one of those countries where temperature rise induced by
climate change is expected to be above the world average. In this
backdrop the present study aims at finding the impact of climate change
on electricity demand in Pakistan at the regional and national level.
Using monthly data on temperatures to find heating and cooling degree
days, the relationship between monthly electricity demand and
temperature is explored which is then used to find the impact of
projected climate change on electricity demand. The results suggest
surging peak loads in summer season due to climatic effect which calls
for capacity instalments over and above that needed to cater to rise in
electricity demand attributable to economic growth. JEL Classification:
Q47, Q54 Keywords: Energy, Climate Change, Electricity Demand, Degree
Days, Pakista
Kamran Asdar Ali. Communism in Pakistan: Politics and Class Activism 1947- 1972. London, U.K.: I. B. Tauris & Co. Ltd./Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd. 2015. 304 pages. £ 59.00.
Full text linkThe book is divided into two parts consisting of eight
chapters, including the introductory and concluding chapters, and an
epilogue. It is a 304 page book including notes and references, which
are not only interesting but are very helpful for any reader interested
in the topic. The introductory chapter sets the stage for the reader,
introducing her to the diversity of nations living in the geographical
boundaries of Pakistan and points to the failure of their integration in
the state project. The author also touches upon the ethnic and
nationalistic struggles played out in Pakistan throughout history and
their relationship with the politics of the left. Furthermore, he
reiterates that mainstream discourse on Pakistan’s history presents the
struggle for separate nation in unified India as a struggle of a
monolith Muslim nation in the sub-continent largely ignoring the ethnic,
cultural and linguistic diversity of these Muslims, thereby undermining
their aspirations for freedom, self-determination and autonomy. The
Bengali and the Baloch freedom movements have been cited as examples of
what he calls the “collective amnesia” of the nation and notes that
resistance, or left-leaning, movements have also been largely ignored in
mainstream discourses on the history of Pakistan