High flood likely in next 24 hour

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has said that a peak of high to very high flood level is expected in River Jhelum at Mangla (Inflow) and high flood in River Chenab at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad during the next 24 hours.The River Chenab is in very high flood level at Marala and Khanki head-works in districts Sialkot and Gujranwala respectively with a flow ranging between 3,80,000 cusecs and 4,00,000 cusecs , Flood Warning Centre Lahore told Business Recorder here on Sunday .It said the River Chenab at Qadirabad is also likely to attain High to Very High Flood Level ranging between 380,000 to 410,000 cusecs during the period from 2359 PST of 07th August-2016 to 1400 PST of 08th August-2016..The Flash Flooding in river Chenab has cut of more than 150 villages from rest of the country and brought vast areas under water while administrations of districts Sialkot and Gujranwala declared emergency and put the rescue and reliefoperation in motion The FWC said that according to latest Hydrological situation, the River Indus at Tarbela Guddu and Sukkur is in Low Flood Level. Heavy rainfall may generate Flash Flooding in the Nullahs of Rivers Ravi & Chenab along with Hill Torrents of D.G.Khan and Kohat Divisions. Sharp peaks of High to Very High Flood Level are expected in River Jhelum at Mangla (Sharp peak at Upstream).It further warned that scattered thunderstorm/rain with isolated heavy falls and one or two very heavy falls is expected over the upper catchments of Rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej. Scattered thunderstorm/rain is expected over the upper catchments of River Indus along with Sindh, Northeast Balochistan Punjab, Peshawar, Kohat & D.I. Khan Divisions.Weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday:Rain-thunderstorm (with isolated heavy falls) is expected at a number of places of Islamabad, upper Punjab (Rawalpindi Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha divisions) and Kashmir; scattered places of KP (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, D.I Khan, Bannu divisions), FATA Lower Sindh and eastern Balochistan; while at isolated placesof upper Sindh, south Punjab and Gilgit-BaltistanHeavy falls may generate flash flooding and landslides in the vulnerable areas of Punjab, KP and Kashmir.Weather past twenty four hrs:Rain-thunderstorm occurred at scattered places of Sindh, upper Punjab while at isolated places of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Quetta division, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Weather remained hot and humid elsewhere in the country.Heavy rainfall was recorded at Hyderabad.Rainfall recorded in MM:Hyderabad(City=112 and Airport=77), Kotli=58, Mirpur Khas=39, , Karachi(Masroor=38,North Karachi=22 ,Gulshan-e-Hadeed=10,Airport=08 and Landhi=01),Sialkot (Cantt=37 and Airport=01), Balakot=34, Palandri =29, Muzaffarabad=26,Risalpur and Garhidupatta=25(each), Noorpur Thal=23, Mangla=22, Murree=21, Lahore(Johar Town=18,Township=07, Airport=01 and City=Trace), ShaheedBenazirabad=18, Kasur=17, DG Khan( Zain Sanghar=15,Fort Minro=05 & Mari=01), Chakwal and Hattian Bala=15(each),Aik Nullah (Ura), Domel and Chhor=14(each), Chattar Kallas=13,Talhatta=11, Mandibahauddin and Thatta=08(each), Shinkiari=07, Sehrkakota & Dadu=06(each), Phulra=05,Marala and Oghi=04(each), Barkhan & Parachinar=03(each), Zafarwal, Kakul, Lasbela, Mithi and Faisalabad=02(each), Dratian, Jassar, Padidan, Moen-jo-Daro and Rawalakot=01(each), Gilgit, Islamabad(Zeropoint), Jhelum, Jaharabad, Larkana & Quetta(Samungli and Sheikh Manda)=Trace(each).News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy www.brecorder.com

7 Reasons Why Now Is The Best Time To Start AnOnline Business

1. Technology has come to a point where anyone can doitTake building a website. Never before has it been cheaper and easier to build your own website. Where this was solely a job for expert programmers in the near past, WordPress and building software like Divi have made it possible for anyone with a bit of creativity and determination to build a professional website.The amount of tools, systems and training that is available (for free or low-cost) is truly staggering. You need something? Look for it online and it's most likely that someone made it for you to use in your business. Don't be set back by thinking that there's no use for you in this abundance of online presence. There's always room for one more.Can't find what you're looking for? Great! You've found a business opportunity.2. You can open shop 24/7 and 365 days per yearWhen setting up shop online, you do not have the typical offline hurdles of renting shop space, buying inventory, attracting staff and more of all that overhead. Even when you would open a physical shop in a prime location (with sky-high rent), you could probably not have it open 24/7 alldays of the year. Nor would you want to. Your online business, however, can simply be open all of the time. It doesn't cost extra to do so. Whenever we're sleeping on the Northern hemisphere, people in the Southern hemisphere are wide awake and are looking for your businessto help them get what they need.3. You've got over 7 billion potential customersYou'd have to translate your website for some people and quite a few others might not be of ageto have a credit card, but putting that aside, the potential reach of your business is incredible. You're not limited to people who happen to be physically nearby your shop. People who can be physically anywhere in the world are able to enter your shop through their mobile phone or laptop and can buy your products and services to improve their lives.4. Your marketing can be done with laser precisionAdvertising on television, radio or print is like a shot of hail, fired while you're drunk. You might hit something, but it's not very likely you'll hit yourtarget full-on. Maybe the bigger companies with huge target markets and even bigger marketing budgets still benefit from this type of advertising, but they are now also shooting with laser precision through for example YouTube advertising. For you as a (solo) entrepreneur, online marketing is simply the only way to go. With the added benefit of creating valuable free content which can be shared by people.Once you know how, you can measure exactly what you marketing efforts are doing, how peopleare behaving in your shop (your website) and where to make improvements. Compare that to feeling around in the dark with a physical business.5. You can leverage systems to work for youThere is a lot of power in creating systems that do work for you. Like creating advertisements that will bring traffic to your website while you sleep. And once people do visit your website, handing them a nice free bonus (at no additional cost to you!) in exchange for their contact info so you can follow-up with them, maybe even throughan automated email responder. You could have several emails set up, providing your (potential) customer with additional value. Once you've set itup, it's a matter of fine-tuning and keep adding value.6. Marginal costs are low and potential for passive income is highYou're making costs once, say for writing and developing an e-book, but after those costs, it willcost you nearly nothing for each additional sale. This is phenomenal! All of the income of additional sales, after costs have been paid, is pure profit. Whether you sell 10, 1000 or 100.000 copies. Same holds for the time you put in. Once you've created this item or service of value, you can repeat the process without you having to be actively be involved in it. The first time this idea entered my mind, I was stunned by it.7.There is still ample opportunity to connect with the real worldWe're still living in a physical world and I'm probably speaking for you when I say that I love to be in the physical world and I love to connect with other human beings. First of all that makes me realize that I always deal with a real person, just like me, when doing business online. It's not just an email address, there's a real person behind it! And also, I'm using the online world as a platform to grow my business into the offline world. From e-book and webinar to real-life coaching and events.Paying it forwardI feel very grateful to have been able to take the leap into online marketing and business.While these 7 reasons are very valid in my view, itcan be a quite daunting undertaking because of the sheer size and number of possibilities out there. We were lucky to find a system with mentors and a community that helped us to start marketing online and monetize products and services. And that's only the starting point for bringing our own unique gift to the world, throughour own brand.To your personal and business success,MickRawwwLiving inspires and enables you to Unleash Your Inner Beast: to live your potential and to give your gift to the world. We are focused on providing training, education and mentorship to people who want to learn a proven step-by-stepapproach to online marketing, personal development and brand building. Visit our website to receive a free video bootcamp:http://www.RawwwLiving.com.Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mick_Janssen/2317010

Flexible Focus Helps You Find Time When You Need It Most

Finding time to develop flexible focus increases youragility and responsiveness because it helps you select the right tools for each situation you face.If you've wondered exactly where flexible focus can help you, here are some classic scenarios where this skill set can give you a timely boost:*.Training new employees.*.Starting a new job.*.Collaborating closely with a colleague who has a different work style.*.Introducing/Integrating new people or projects into busy schedules.*.Balancing work and home demands.Do you face any of these challenges now? Or, do any of the situations on this list bring to mind other times when you have been stretched too thin and felt like you were spinning your wheels inmud? The more your stress balloons, the more your wheels spin. It's a terrible feeling!As you reflect on your own experience, take special note of the situations that stand out for you. Write them down. This is an important first step, because challenges become much more manageable when you move them out of your head and onto a page. You begin to see their true size and shape, and they lose some of their power.Next, take these two key and timely steps:*.Internalize the power:Take time to travel within and create a heart-based approach to the personal challenge that you are facing; and*.Externalize the tasks:Do some brainstorming about what systems you can develop to keep things running smoothly.You start to benefit as soon as you realize that certain situations call for Flexible Focus. And the more you practice using this timely skill, the moreyou'll experience its power and practicality.Mindfulness during these times will also broadenyour perspective. The more you're able to focus on the present moment and what it holds, the easier you'll find it to let go of urgency and bring patience and compassion to yourself and to others, as well. From that warm and solid base, you are freed up to brainstorm creative solutions and responses to whatever challenges you face.Finally, at the end of the day, give yourself a few moments to reflect. Envision how using flexible focus has sent ripples of fresh energy to you throughout your day, and take a deep, relaxing breath of gratitude!Are you feeling ready to start using flexible focus to find time when you need it most?What does that process look like for you? Picture it, make it real, and drop me a line - I'd love to hear how it goes!Let's explore time together...And to move toward your Heart-Based Time Success, sign up for our free gift, The Finding Time Success Kit, which includes "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" Using a workbook format this powerful and practical time template helps you progress beyond disappointment and frustration. Discover that 24 hours really are enough!Just click this link to get started:http://thetimeschool.com/SuccessArticle Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Paula_Eder/40911

What Can Happen When Someone Is No Longer Willing To Put Up With Other People's Projections?

Although some people have the tendency to take responsibility for what takes place within them, there are others who don't.Due to this, it can be normal for someone to believe that what is takingplace externally has nothing to do with what is going on internally.It is then not going to be challenge for them to see when something 'out there' is not the problem. Even so, it doesn't mean that they will find it hard to attract people into their life.The VictimsWhen it comes to the people who are in their life, they could simply take on what one is not willing to own. This can then mean that they will believe that it belongs to them, and there will then be no reason for them to do anything about what is taking place.Through being around people who are like this, there is going to be no reason for one to change. Their environment will give them the support that they need to carry on doing the same thing.ResistanceBut if the people around them are not willing to go along with what one sees in them, it doesn't mean that they will get very far. This is because one could dismiss or ignore what they come out with.During the moments when they speak up about what is taking place, one could say that they are getting defensive and that this proves they are in the wrong. What this will then show is that it doesn't matter what they say, as their interactionsare unlikely to change.Keeping the PeaceSo based on what takes place when they speak up, they may prefer to go along with how things are. And while this will cause them to deny their own truth, it will stop them from having to experience unnecessary 'drama'.It could then be said that this will allow one to avoid pain in the shot-term, but it will set them up to suffer in the long-term. As not only will they deny their own truth, they can also end up feeling completely worthless.How Does This Look?When one is in a position where they are unable to own what is taking place within them, they will be convinced that what they see in others has nothing do to with them. The parts of themselves that they have disowned will then end up being projected onto others.For example, one could feel as though they are incapable, but instead of being able to face how they feel they could end up perceiving other people in this way. Or one could say that that other people only think about themselves, when this could be how they are.A ReflectionWhen this takes place, it is not going to be possible for them to know what someone else is like; the only thing they will see is their own reflection. Therefore, although one can believe that they know someone; this is going to be nothing more than an illusion.What they will primarily know about another is what they have disconnected from within themselves. However, as it is too painful for themto connect to themselves, they are unlikely to realise what is taking place.ValidationYet if one is surrounded by people who put up with what they are not willing to take responsibility for, then there is going to be no reason for them to change. One can then continue to live on the surface of themselves, andthey can believe that they are simply observing reality.As a result of this, there is unlikely to be a lot of growth involved in their relationships, and this is because they need the people around them to carry what they are unwilling to take responsibility for. Therefore, the only way they can stop themselves from facing how they feel is to make sure the people around them play a certain role.StuckThe people in their life can then feel trapped in their presence, but this will be what allows one to feel a sense of control. Without controlling what is taking place around then, they may have to face how they feel.If someone who spends time with them was to get to the point where they are no longer willing to take on what doesn't belong to them, they may be able to walk away. There is also the chance that they may need to build themselves up first.The Time Has ComeThis could then be a time where they will start to develop a sense of themselves, and this will allow them to create boundaries. Through doing this, they will be able to see where they begin andend and where other people begin and end.This will then make it a lot easier for them to know when someone is projecting their issues onto them, and they will feel safe enough to standtheir ground. And if someone tries to undermine them, they will also be able to walk away without feeling as though a though their life is under threat.Drawing the LineAs they begin to change, it is going to mean that it will be harder for other people to project their issues onto them. There is then the chance that someone in their life will come on even stronger, and this will show that it will be in their best interest to cut their ties with them.The reason they could come on stronger is that when one is no longer willing to carry their issues, it can be a lot harder for them to avoid themselves. It can then be vital for them to do everything they can to force one back into the role they used to play, as this will them to keep their feelings at bay.AwarenessUltimately, it will be clear that the other person can't (or won't) take responsibility for how they feel and one will have no choice but to move on. By doing this, they will soon start to feel better about themselves.If one has people in their life who behave in this way and they want to move on, they may need to work with a therapist. This will allow them to develop the strength that they need in order let goof people who have no place in their life.Prolific writer, author, and coach, Oliver JR Cooper, hails from England. His insightful commentary and analysis covers all aspects of human transformation, including love, partnership, self-love, and inner awareness. With over one thousand in-depth articles highlighting human psychology and behaviour, Oliver offers hope along with his sound advice. His current projects include 'A Dialogue With The Heart' and 'Communication Made Easy'.To find out more go to -http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/Feel free to join the Facebook Group -https://www.facebook.com/OliverJRCooperArticle Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Oliver_JR_Cooper/818466

Humans Are Naturally Selfish, Study Finds

It's an undeniable fact that all humans have a selfish side whether they accept it or not.Psychological data obtained from previous researchers suggested that humans tend to be selfish because they like the attention.Altering the Prisoner's Dilemma which is a classic matchup theory, selfish strategy, somehow, proved to be more productive.In this game, both participants get equally rewarded if they co-operate.However, if one cooperates but the other refuses to do so, then the participant who cooperated gets the smallest profit and the player who refused to cooperate gets the largest profit. In a scenario, where they both cooperated, both get anequal share of the profit but still less than what they could have gained if they both would have cooperated. So the whole concept behind the game is that the selfish participant gets the largest profit, so this game promotes the quality of selfishness in the subjects.Last Year University of Pennsylvania researchers Alexander Stewart and Prof Joshua Plotkin published a mathematical explanation for why cooperation and generosity have evolved in nature.Recent researches have shown that providing more freedom in such games can further aid in making selfish strategies more productive. This whole project depicts how selfishness and cooperation balance each other out in nature.Prof Plotkin said: "It's a somewhat depressing evolutionary outcome, but it makes intuitive sense."We had a nice picture of how evolution can promote cooperation even amongst self-interested agents and indeed it sometimes can, but, when we allow mutations that change the nature of the game, there is a runaway evolutionary process, and suddenly defection becomes the more robust outcome." In the previous trials, the same participants were permitted to compete against each other and the victorious players passed on their successful strategies to the next generation. As cheaters couldn't triumph against each other, forgiving andcooperative strategies succeeded as well.In the new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the participants not only had the freedom to alter their strategies but they could also vary the playoffs they would get for cooperating or not cooperating.This gives a more realistic notion of how reward and risk are interlinked in nature, where organisms have the freedom to cooperate and control the extent of how much they want to cooperate.Initially, these studies gave a lot of success but Mr. Stewart added "when cooperative strategies predominate, payoffs will rise as well."With higher and higher payoffs at stake, the temptation to defect also rises." In a sense, the cooperators are paving the way for their own demise."After this study, we end up with a less sunny view of the evolution of cooperation. But it rings true that it's not the case that evolution always tends towards happily ever after."Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Maryam_Nasrullah/2270838

Investment Ideas For College Students

You have heard it from Mom and Dad all ofyour life right? Go to high school, get good grades so you can get into a stellar college. Mom and Dad are not that far off base. They both know the value of a college degree. With a college education and degree, your chances of getting a higher paying job are increased and you can earn around $17,500 or more per year that your peers who only have a high school diploma. Now, that might not soundlike a lot of money but, that is the average, in many cases it is higher. Time and time again, if you talk to a person who has takenthe time to earn their degree, they will tell you without a doubt that they do not regret getting the college education. Most peopleagree that it is worth the effort to get the college education. What everyone forgets to tell you is how much that college education is going to cost per year. Many people already know that the cost of an education is costly, but, still many people do not understand the figures involved in getting a degree. The average cost to go toa private university is around $48,000. However, upon further research we soon see that $48,000 is a low number. This figure is for a university that might be located a hop, skip and a jump away from the high school that you graduated from.If you want to go to a top college, with a little more opportunity for advancement, that will cost way over the $60,000 a year mark. That figure of sixty thousand dollars per year does not include other things that are needed for college life. Things like living off campus, some learning materials,food, personal and transportation expenses, entertainment and more are not included in that cost. Now, before you give up on a college education because of the sticker shock price, please remember that there are a number of ways to pay for all these college related expenses. One nice thing about going to college is that most ofthe students qualify for student loans. Yes,there are places that will loan the student money to help with their education. The down side to this is, regardless of how much the student is able to borrow, it will not be enough to cover everything and they will still be paying off the loan long after they have graduated. Can you imagine paying off a loan years after you have graduated? The fact is, many university students suffer to pay the bills long into their working years.The cost of living in a university town is another thing to give some thought to. Let's say you or someone you know, wanted to go to the University of California,the cost of living there could be higher or lower than another university, like, the University of Michigan. So, the big question is: How do people get and pay fora college education and manage stress at the same time? It is a fact that many college students struggle to make ends meet. The average college student attendsclasses, stays up all night doing their school work and cramming for that examination that they hope they will pass. If that stress was not enough for them, they also worry over the mounting cost of education. As a result of financial issues, they often look to a well off or at least better than they are, father figure to help them with their tuition money and even repaying their loans.Most people agree it feels great to be able to give back to these college students and take away some of their financial pain. Guardians and mentors can be very helpful. These university students often make arrangements to provide their guardian/mentor with an in-site into their personal life.There are so many things that a college student go without simply because they cannot find the money to purchase them. Often the issues these college students are dealing with are more than money too, some of them have daddy issues and needthe comfort of an older man to talk to and get advice from. Therapy can come in many forms and often starts with open conversations. Getting these college aged students to open up is easy once you show them that someone like you cares about their needs.These university students are trying their best to get good grades and get the skills they need to enrich the society in which weall live, work and play. With this enormous amount of pressure and stress comes the need to leave off a little steam and have some fun.Often these students are stuck at their dorm or living area for days on end. There is no telling how helping to touch their lives through some financial support and these life changing therapy sessions.There are many university aged students who are seeking arrangements that are rewarding and beneficial for both parties. An upfront and honest arrangement is something that can be hard to find in today's world, however it is easy to find an arrangement when you redefine the expectations. Let's face it, everyone has hardships and they often put an university student in a rough spot because they don'talways have someone they can talk to.According to several scientific studies over the years, self esteem has a lot to do with how the brain works and how students learn. As we look at the many teaching methods, it is easy to see that praise is often giving freely to university students because it builds up their confidence. We can all agree that building a university student's confidence is important in today's fast paced world.Can you picture the struggles and other personal issues? Put yourself in the shoes of a university student who is struggling toget by, burdened with all of these pressing issues. Who would you turn to? You would most likely do what every university student does, turn to a father figure who has the ability to help you out. It is a great privilege to be able to help another person.It makes the person who is helping feel empowered just as much as it helps to build the self esteem and reduce stress onthe college student.Think of it this way, every single person has a duty to help another human being. Helping one or more college students secure their education and pay off their student loans, as well as buying the things they need in life is a great responsibility and privilege.Adopt a Brat. Foster a Brat. Look in to the lives of the most interesting and sexy sugar babies in the world. Visit:https://www.adoptabrat.comArticle Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Larry_Sasa/2313506

Crashed Pak helicopter transported to Kabul

ISLAMABAD: Afghan authorities transported the chopper, which had crashlanded in Logar, toKabul on Friday as efforts for the recovery of the crew continued. Sources said that the chopper was expected to be handed over to Pakistan through the Torkham border crossing sometime today (Sunday), reported Geo News.The Punjab government’s helicopter, en route to Russia for a routine overhaul, crash-landed in the restive Logar province in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday.“Formal and informal channels are being used to ensure safe recovery of the entire crew,” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement from his office.Meanwhile, the Afghan defence ministry said it had launched a probe into the incident. “We have launched an investigation into the incident and the government has instructed security forces to spare no efforts to secure the release of crew members,” the Afghan defence ministry said ina statement.The fate of the passengers on board the aircraft was still unclear, but a Taliban commander claimed the seven were “in safe hands” with the militants.A senior Afghan Talibancommander, talking on condition of anonymity, told a news agency thatthe passengers — six Pakistanis and a Russian technician — were in their custody and that negotiations for their release were ongoing. “They are being looked after, being provided tea, food, everything,” he said. “We are in touch with the Pakistani officials. We conveyed to them that they are in safe hands.”He added that it was of no use to seek help from the Afghan government or the US military because the Taliban were in full control of the district.

‘Blacklisted’ US citizen arrested in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: An Ameri­can citizen, blacklisted and deported from the country in 2011 on charges of espionage, was arrested hours after his arrival at Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Saturday morning, the interior ministry said.Interior Minister Chaud­hry Nisar Ali Khan has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the grant of a Pakistani visa to Matthew Craig Barrett, the US citizen who was expelled from the country after he was allegedly caught spying on sensitive installations.Barrett was picked up by FIA and police officials in a joint raid on a guest house in the capital. A case has been registered against two FIA immigration officials, Sub-Inspector Raja Asif and his son Ehteshamul Haq. Ehte­sham has been arrested, while raids were being conducted toarrest his father, police sources said.The minister has already suspendedan assistant director of the Federal Investiga­tion Agency (FIA), as well as immigration staff that were on duty when Barrett was cleared by authorities at the airport. An interior ministry statement said that action would also be initiated against officials at the Pakis­tani consulate in Houston, who were responsible for issuing him a visa.Matthew Barrett was deported from Pakistan in 2011 on charges of espionageThe minister issued directions for the formation of a joint investigationteam for a thorough probe into the matter. The team, which will be headed by Superintendent of Police (Investigation) retired Captain Mohammad Ilyas, will consist of officers from the Inter-Services Intellige­nce, Intelligence Bureau and FIA.According to documents seen by Dawn, Barrett was issued a multiple-entry visa, stamped by Sajida Altaf Qazi, vice consul at the visa section in Pakistan’s mission in Houston. The visa was issued on June 22 and is good up to June 30, 2020, allowing Barrett to stay in the country for up to one year at a time. Barrett’s passport, which is valid for 10 years, would have expired on June 30, 2020, a week after his visa ran out.Strike twoThe last time Barrett came to Pakistan, things did not go well for him. On June 10, 2011, he was arrested at a residence in Islamabad’s Sector E-11 for overstaying his visa.Police from the Fateh Jhang area charged him under Section 123 of the Pakistan Penal Code — which deals with ‘Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war’ — claiming that he had been spotted ina high-security zone where civilians were not allowed. They claimed thatphotographs and maps were recovered from his possession.He was subsequently deported and barred from entering Pakistan again.At the time, Barrett had claimed he had a Pakistani wife and two children, and had been living with her family in Islamabad for at least three years. Advocate Abdul Rehman, the man who clai­med to beBarrett’s father-in-law and represented him in court at the time,could not be reached for comment.When asked to comment on the matter, a spokesperson for the US embassy in Islamabad said the Privacy Act prohibited him from releasing any information about an American citizen without his consent.Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2016

Potential role of agriculture and agro-industry

There is so much talk of possible large-scale Chinese investment being planned to support developing national economic corridor that would open door of economic fortunes for the country.Yes it might be an economic game changer if we position ourselves with appropriate investment decisions to make most out of these opportunities if and when they come.In the past our record has been so poor to miss these opportunities by promoting either self-interest or regional political economy than that of what is good for the national.Of many examples, two are highlighted.Firstly, we missed the opportunities to produce cheap and environmentally friendly energy by not investing in medium tolarge size dams and store extra water during peak flows. India increased its total dam capacity from 166 in 1990 to 224 Km^3 in 2005 and during the same period Pakistan capacity remained at 27 Km^3.Secondly during post-WTO quota abolition regime for cotton exports, we did not bring the needed reforms to prepare the sector for new competitive regime with the result we failed not only to produce sizable raw cotton, but also to add value in comparison to Bangladesh and India.The available data indicates that in year 1990 India and Pakistan were producing almost equal amount of seed cotton around 33 million tons, in the year 2013 Pakistan is producing around 40 million ton and India production has increased to 122 million tons, three times more than us.Further, we produce this cotton using valuable irrigation water where in India most of it is produced under rained conditions. Again we missed the opportunity of providing the right policy environments for strategic commodity like cotton.The new economic opportunity or so-called new growth trigger is being discussed without profound research or factsas to which sectors or sub-sectors provide better returns on investments and to address the problems of poverty alleviation and improved livelihood for large section of population living in the rural areas and in the past neglected provinces.A case is being made in this brief note that developing agriculture and ago-based industry through identification of potential areas and adopting a cluster approach in the proposed corridors provides a prudent investment options and opportunities.The prospects for continued growth in demand for value-added food and agricultural products provides an incentive for increased focus on agro-industries development within the context of economic growth, food security and poverty-fighting strategies.The corridor development should not be looked as a passageprovided to those economies that are well developed and arequite competitive to trade and take larger share of the expected benefits.Rather it also is looked as an opportunity to provide backbone and supporting infrastructure to Pakistan's agriculture and agro-processing industry, which has the potential to grow.Promoting rural economy in high potential areas would result in fast track rural economic growth as it carries forward and backward linkages, have high multiplier effects in terms of job creation and value addition.Because of the generally perishable and bulky characteristicsof agricultural products, many agro-industrial plants and smaller-scale agro-processing enterprises tend to be located close to their major sources of raw materials.Consequently, their immediate socioeconomic impacts tend to be exerted in rural areas (FAO). Further it is suggested to equally direct these efforts to rural economies especially in Balochistan and KPK for a shared prosperity.If we look at successful agriculture and rural development growth models - four common features are present.Firstly, the countries/regions have to carry natural comparative advantage with suitable land and soils, appropriate climatic conditions and a reliable supply of water.All four provinces provide natural resource base to support a very diversified production base with seasonal window of opportunity.Secondly, agriculture and rural development needs an adequate access to agriculture-supporting infrastructure, among others, two are important, linking farm and non-farmer sector to markets through agriculture or feeder roads and, in drier climates like Pakistan, irrigation powered by reliable energy sources (grid electricity) at competitive prices.The case is made that sizable investment have been made on mega projects for developing backbone infrastructure butinvestment on last mile infrastructure (feeder roads, irrigation management) has to be given equal priority.Thirdly, in order to translate above comparative to competitive advantage, there is need to develop clusters of commercially viable farming, processing and service firms located in specific geographical areas.By achieving economies of scale the clusters can help to drive down production and marketing costs for all actors in the value chain.As mentioned above the rural economies carry huge comparative advantage in producing high value commoditiesbut this comparative advantage has not fully being translatedinto competitive advantage due to lack of good farming and marketing practices meeting international standards.To address the issue an innovative approach is needed in developing appropriate infrastructure and its financing to spur the rural growth.Finally, there is a clear and specific government policy dedicated to actively supporting sustainable agriculture and recognizing the important role the private sector has to play to implement such a policy.The agriculture and rural growth centers and corridor model is a way of addressing and channeling large volumes of private investment and enabling high potential agricultural regions to become internationally competitive. The most common way to achieve this is through:-- Identification of areas with high agricultural potential and reasonable access to existing backbone infrastructure such as ports, roads, railways and inland waterways.-- Analysis of the constraints on commercial agriculture and how these can be ad dressed. A value chain approach is often proposed to look at the constraints all along the value chain.-- Making small farmers and enterprises inclusive, provision of support to the commercial agriculture sector through new types of financing mechanism, on the condition that smallholder and emergent farmers/entrepreneur are included and benefits from potential increase in income and livelihood.-- Designing an appropriate business model to develop reforms in our outdated markets. Global experience indicatesthat nucleus plus out grower model ensures better incentive to small farmers than our traditional model which revolves around middle man (arhti) and processors who dominate financing the small farmers at very high cost, and this model does carry any demonstration effects.-- Realizing that role of public sector is important, recognition of the important roles of different public- and private sector players in successful implementation of the Agricultural Growth Centers and Corridor development.The proposed corridor development -- elements of possible actions needed as we move along-- Logistic of supply chain: that plans, implements and controls efficient and effective flow and storage of goods, services and related information from the point-of-origin to the point-of-consumption in order to meet customer requirements.-- Cool Chain System including pack houses, cold storage andrefers: especially to market and transport perishable goods like horticulture, dairy, fishery and pharmaceutical products.-- Feeder roads and markets: in the past larger emphasis placed on building costly motorways and ring roads, whereasthe rural feeder road network away from the main road are often in a very poor shape and a major constraint in providingmarket access to small farmers and rural enterprises.-- Energy and Water availability: Reliable water and energy supply is critical for agriculture and rural development to run irrigation systems, processing facilities, cold storage units and so on. A conducive water and energy and investment policy need to put in place to provide sustainable supply at least-cost.-- Policy Environments: The goal of a rural and agriculture growth strategy/policy may not necessarily to maximize the growth of production in any particular sub-sector/commoditybut to create the necessary, and sufficient conditions for the rural economy to adjust to a more competitive environment.Rural development and agriculture corridor - a broader frameworkIn Pakistan, the idea of developing economic corridor is at the conceptual levels. A strategy needs to be put in place to develop an indicative program of development to sequencing and coordination. At this stage the need is to:1. Developing a consensus on alternative routes being planned, with clear and transparent priorities and time lines. At this stage little details are available on the mix of intended investment plan. Make sure the proposal is inclusive of areas deprived of past investment opportunities to uplift social andeconomic development.2. Picking first the "low-hanging fruit" in order to achieve quick paybacks by improving local rural economies in these potential economic corridors (see figure below). Pakistan being agriculture-based economy is well placed to position itself to improve the competitive of the sector in developing a modern and commercial agriculture. Picture based on rural growth model highlighting the needed building blocks in developing at selected points agriculture and rural growth centers/ corridor in Pakistan.3. Once backbone and supportive infrastructure being developed, stage is set to establish special economic zones investment from private sector from local and Chinese firms can develop a competitive industry.Such a strategy would not only support developing a competitive and sustainable commercial agriculture but also create a sound industrial base operating under low labor costs, a factor to be instrumental in bringing FDI from manufacturers looking for a low-cost locations to build products for exports to emerging markets in the region and beyond.4. Propose to organize a series of workshops at national and provincial levels to educate the decision makers and society at large and to bringing awareness about the benefits of agriculture and rural growth corridor within the umbrella of national corridor.February 2015Source:Business Recorder

Stop ignoring small-scale farmers

Although urbanisation is on the rise, around 75 per cent of the world’s poorest people still live in rural areas, and are involved in agricultural activities.Which comprise the major source of their livelihoods.The need to pay more attention to small-scale farmers is thusevident.However, in the era of globalisation, contending with problems facing small-scale farmers across the so-called developing world requires cognisance of production relationsat not only the national, but also at the international level.The reliance on larger farmers to help boost agricultural production in developing countries, combined with the emphasis on liberalisation of agricultural processes through powerful entities like.The WTO, the IMF and the World Bank have been undermining locally-based, agro-ecological approaches towards farming since decades.Consider, for instance, how the introduction of ‘Green Revolution’ technologies back in the 1960s tried addressing the problem of lacklustre agricultural growth by investing in high-yielding varieties of food grain and focusing on larger farmers, who had the money to buy the necessary agricultural inputs.Join us on FacebookSmaller landowners could not keep pace with the high-cost requirements of intensive farming, and many of them began to lease their land out to capitalist producers with the economic resources to do so.Due to mechanisation of agriculture, such as the increasing use of tractors, smaller farmers, especially sharecroppers, began to be evicted from the farming sector.The dynamics of agribusiness and corporate farming being emphasised across developing countries nowadays are no different, since they are exacerbating agricultural land scarcity for smaller farmers,And their capital-intensive approach to agricultural production provides meagre employment opportunities to the rural workforce, except for rural women who are compelled to work for meagre daily wages, as their menfolk migrate to cities in search for other work.Join us on TwitterShifting the predominant agricultural production model towards more ecological approaches would also imply abandoning conventional, monoculture-based and high-external-input-dependent industrial production.Such a shift would be challenged by powerful vested interests within both developing and developed countries.But the looming threat of climate change, including water scarcity and recurrent bouts of food insecurity, necessitate transformative changes in the global agricultural system.The Trade and Environment Review Report published over a year ago by the UN’s Commission on Trade and Development(UNCTAD), including contributions from more than 60 experts around the world, convincingly argued for such a shift.Some of the relevant practices identified by UNCTAD expertsto encourage more sustainable agricultural process included more emphasis on organic farming, better integration between crop and livestock production,And increased incorporation of agro-forestry and wild vegetation within agricultural policies and forest and grassland management.There is also need for optimisation of organic and inorganic fertiliser use, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions oflivestock production, in turn requiring changes in dietary patterns towards climate-friendly food consumption.Adoption of sustainable and regenerative agricultural production systems, suited to diverse rural settings, will also considerably help improve the existing productive capacity of small-scale farmers.Unfortunately, there is little evidence of such changes taking place.It is necessary for national policymakers, as well as the international trade and development agencies, to begin taking agro-ecological approaches towards farming more seriously.Sporadic NGO efforts to encourage more sustainable agricultural practices will not be able to achieve the scale needed to make any real difference.February, 2015Source:The Express Tribune

Flood warning for nullahs of Chenab, Ravi

According to latest Meteorological & hydrological conditions,medium to high Flooding is expected in the Nullahs of River Chenab and Ravi during next 24 hours. Low to Medium Level Flooding is also expected in the Hill Torrents of D.G. Khan Division. Flood Warning Centre said on Tuesday that, River Indus at Kalabagh, Chashma and Taunsa is in Low Flood Level. River Chenab is also in low flood at Marala head works near Sialkot. River Kabul is also in low flood at Nowshera.Weather forecast for today:Rain-thunderstorm with few heavy falls are expected at scattered places in Punjab (Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, R.Y. Khan divisions), KP (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat, D.I. Khan divisions), Islamabad, FATA and Kashmir, while at isolated places in Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Zhob and Kalat divisions. Light rain/drizzle is also expected along Sindh-Makran coast.Rivers position:Indus at Tarbela-Inflows 229,500 cusecs and outflows 200,000 cusecs, Kabul at Nowshera: Inflows 41,900 cusecs and outflows 41,900 cusecs, Jhelum at Mangla-Inflows 35400 cusecs and outflows 10000 cusecs, Chenab at Marala- Inflows 69900 cusecs and Outflows 54300 cusecs.Barrages:Jinnah-Inflows 26200 cusecs and Outflows 257400 cusecs, Chashma -Inflows 266400 cusecs and Outflows 220000 cusecs, Taunsa- Inflows 280,000 cusecs and Outflows 253,300 cusecs, Panjnad- Inflows 73,300 cusecs and Outflows 57,400 cusecs, Guddu- Inflows 200,100 cusecs and Outflows 166,500 cusecs, Sukkur- Inflows 145,500 cusecs and Outflows 89,400 cusecs, Kotri- Inflows 92,700 cusecs and Outflows 53,300 cusecs.Reservoirs level and storage:Tarbela- Minimum operating level 1,380 feet, present level 1521.40 feet, maximum conservation level 1550 feet, live storage today 4.756 million acre feet (MAF). Mangla- Minimum operating level 1040 feet, present level 1234.30 feet, maximum conservation level 1242 feet, live storage today 6.801 MAF. Chashma- Minimum operating level 637 feet, present level 648.50 feet, maximum conservation level 649 feet, live storage today 0.264 MAF.The inflows and outflows of River Indus at Tarbela and Chashma, River Kabul at Nowshera and River Jhelum at Mangla have been reflected as mean flows of 24 hours, whereas the other flows have been gauged at 6.00 am.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy www.brecorder.com

3 Dynamic Fat Loss Workouts For Women To Build A Lean Physique

What is the best fat loss workout for women? The quickest way to burn fat and sport a lean and sexy physique is to regularly engage in a workout programof strength training combined with HIIT or high intensity interval training. This fat loss workout program has been a proven technique in melting fat and building lean muscles in the least amountof time. Other than burning calories and building fat-burning muscles, you'll avoid the glitch of a weight loss plateau.Getting into a fat loss workout regime for women doesn't mean that you'll develop a bulky and thickphysique. You'll be lifting heavy weights, yes, but the muscles you'll build will burn calories even if you're at rest. Your muscles become metabolically active and the more you have of it, the more fat you'll melt. Muscles in general are dense and it may appear that you're heavier on the scale, but don't rely on the pounds you see. You'll be surprised to look great in your skinny jeans.Here is a list of strength training-high intensity interval training combos for your fat loss workout:*.For this routine,you need to get a pair of 10-20 lbs. dumbbells and a piece of jumping rope. Do 1 set of exercise using the dumbbells and 1 set of exercise using the jumping rope. Perform thecircuit again for 3 times, but you can do 1 full circuit if you don't have enough time. Do this workout 3 times a week to obtain the best results. As you go along, make it more challenging, add more weight for each of this workouts. This is a good way to build a solid rock core and sexy arms and legs.*.Single leg deadlift- pick up a pair of dumbbells using an overhand grip. Grab the dumbbells andhold them in front of your thighs. The dumbbellsshould be at arms' length. Perform a standing position where your feet at hip-width distance. Slightly bend your knees. While keeping your knees bent, bend at your hips then sink your torso until it becomes parallel to the ground. The weight should be kept close to your body aspossible. Halt and resume to a standing position. As you do this movement, keep your back naturally arched. Perform 8 repetitions of this workout at each side. This is a form of exercise that will define your glutes and hamstrings.*.Split squat jumps- execute a lunge position while bending your knees. Your front knee should be stationed above your ankle. Put your arms at the back and lower down to perform a lunge. Jump off exclusively from the ground and exchange your feet while you're jumping. When you land, softly resume to a lunge position while placing your other foot in front. Consistently switch your feet at a faster rate. Lift your chest and sway your arms in front while you jump. Perform 5 jumps of this routine on each side. This is an exercise that engages all the muscles of your body and at the same time blast calories.These are 3 of the best fat loss workouts for women. You can learn more techniques by askingfor tips from your fitness trainer. Doing a regular routine of the best fat loss for women builds yourmuscles and makes you burn more fat resulting to a lean and fit and healthy physique.Transform your body in 7 days! Build lean muscles and melt the fat. DownloadBurn The Fatto learn scientifically-proven and up-to-date diet and exercise methods for weight loss and keeping a fit and healthy body. This eBook will guide you in making health and fitness a happy lifestyle.Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Walter_H_Menuet/1833556

Message From the Universe: Using Your Time More Efficiently!

"The best way to create more free time, is to take it.You'll see.Love, love -The Universe"Time is a noun (or a verb, depending how you use it) and it is defined as: "the indefinite continued progress of existence and eventsin the past, present, and future regarded as a whole". So how is time relevant to your own existence? You hear many say: "Idon't have time for this or don't have time to relax" or this and that. Is someoneTHAT busy not to be able to just sit and relax? Is it a lack of time in their schedule that stops them from doing what they want OR they do not manage their time properly and can't really take advantage and live the life they want? We all have the sameexact 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in anhour and 60 secondsin a minute. How canyou make sure to utilize the time given to you and be more productive? How canyou efficiently complete your tasks on a daily basis and still have time left to enjoy what you love doing? It can be difficult to master the organization part of your day and learnto be more effective with it. First, you need to sit down and analyze your daily responsibilities at work, hour by hour. Second, estimate thetime that you spend talking to your coworkers about the game last night or what did you do the past week end. Calculate the time spent on social media which in most cases, is not related to actual work and add up these wasted minutes or hours anddetermine how you can use that free time for something that you love doing.It always feel like all through the day, you are doing something very important, for either work or home, which I do not doubt that. For you to create time more efficiently, is to use the time that you already have and compress it into a zip file, just like you would do for large files that you send online and convert it into a .zip or .rar file. Use that extra space that YOU created in your schedule and use it the way you like. You did meet all your responsibilities at work and if you efficiently created more time for yourself, you still canmove ahead at work and do more than is needed. If there is a will, there is a way. If you know what you want out of life, then go out there and be ready to tweak thingsa little to maximize your time and workload. There is no reason why you can't make it and succeed while still enjoy life. It is all about working smart,and avoid putting so many extra hours that aren't required toget the job done.Learn to be more efficient and you will see how much more time you have in yourhand. Don't feel guilty about that, on the contrary. Feel more accomplished, feel like you've done a great job compressing your time and having some available for your leisure. The main purpose is to free up some time for you to enjoy life and spend time with the people that matters the most. Work will ALWAYS be there, but to maintain a healthy relationship with your family and friends requires you to be THERE for them. Family and friends can't be compressed into a.zip file or anything. They are humans just like you that have feelings and requires quality time with the person they love and enjoy being with. Never ignore these requests or you will lose more than just time.Dr Dan Amzallag, PhD, MBA, CLCAuthor/Inspirational Speaker/Life CoachFree Consultation: 301325-1550Website:http://www.lifecoachdanamzallag.comArticle Source:http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Daniel_A_Amzallag/257690