Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, previously known as the Frontier Women University, is located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It was formed as result of an order from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 2004 and the university has been functioning since 2005.
Polyindole@silver oxide (PIN@Ag2O or PIN@SO) composites were synthesized via a simple, green-assisted chemical oxidative route and evaluated as photocatalysts for the rapid degradation of malachite green (MG) dye under natural sunlight and ambient light. The synthesized materials were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), and UV-Vis spectroscopy, confirming the formation of semi-crystalline, porous composites with reduced optical band gaps compared to pristine polyindole. The photocatalytic performance of the PIN@SO composites was investigated in aqueous media in the presence of potassium persulfate (1.6 mM) at neutral and acidic pH. Under natural sunlight, complete degradation of 0.4 mM MG was achieved within approximately 10 min at neutral pH and 7 min under acidic conditions (pH 1) using 0.7 mg of the PIN@SO-3 catalyst. Kinetic analysis revealed that the overall degradation of MG follows a 2.5-order reaction, comprising 0.5 order with respect to MG, second order with respect to persulfate, and zero order with respect to the catalyst, under optimized conditions. The temperature dependence of the reaction was evaluated using Arrhenius and Eyring analyses, revealing an endothermic activation process. Degradation intermediates were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and a plausible degradation pathway was proposed based on the observed intermediates and relevant literature, indicating extensive MG breakdown without confirmed complete mineralization. The composites exhibited good stability over five successive reuse cycles with only a minor decrease in activity. Furthermore, the optimized system was successfully applied to a real textile wastewater sample under sunlight, demonstrating substantial dye degradation and practical applicability. While the catalyst synthesis follows an environmentally benign approach, the requirement for acidic conditions and persulfate addition represents a trade-off that should be considered when assessing overall process sustainability.
This study proposes a novel logarithmic-type estimator for the finite population variance. We derive the mean square error (MSE) expressions, approximated to the first order, along with the associated efficiency conditions for the proposed estimator, as well as for several existing estimators from the literature. A comprehensive simulation study is conducted to compare the efficiency of the new estimator against these established methods. Based on the analysis of a real dataset, the results demonstrate that the proposed estimator achieves the minimum mean square error and satisfies all relevant efficiency criteria. Consequently, it is concluded that the proposed estimator outperforms the other considered estimators in terms of efficiency.
Zoonotic bacterial pathogens impose a substantial and unevenly documented burden on public health, animal health, and food safety. South Asia is home to roughly a quarter of the world's people, and one of the densest livestock populations on earth, yet the epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and genomic diversity of its zoonotic bacteria remain poorly characterized. This mini-review synthesizes published evidence from 2000 to 2026 on six pathogen groups of regional priority: Brucella spp., Listeria spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Leptospira spp., Bacillus anthracis, and Salmonella spp., with Campylobacter spp. considered alongside Salmonella across Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Evidence is distributed unevenly across these five countries. Brucellosis seroprevalence ranges from 2.0–18.75% in Pakistani livestock, 15% in Nepalese sheep, and 8.4% among Sri Lankan adults. Human leptospirosis in Sri Lanka is estimated at 300.6 per 100,000 population, with a 7.0% case fatality rate. In Bangladesh, 26 cutaneous anthrax outbreaks produced 1,210 suspected human cases between 2013 and 2016. Resistance is severe where measured: 73.5% of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from a referral hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, were multidrug-resistant (MDR), and 97.1% of Campylobacter isolates from Bangladeshi chicken farms met MDR criteria. Sequencing capacity exists in the region and has been applied to typhoidal Salmonella in Bangladesh and Nepal, to Brucella melitensis and Listeria monocytogenes in India, to Leptospira in Sri Lanka, and to clinical Klebsiella collections. However, every such study is a discrete research output; no country operates whole-genome sequencing-based surveillance spanning the human, animal, food, and environmental sectors for the pathogens reviewed here. The gap is therefore one of integration and governance rather than of technology alone. A staged, costed roadmap is proposed, with priority actions, responsible institutions, and indicative timelines, drawing on models from other low- and middle-income regions where genomic surveillance has been established under comparable constraints.
To tackle the increasing issue of water contamination caused by industrial dye discharges, a highly efficient, visible-light-active quaternary nanocomposite photocatalyst, KNbO3/CoxN/Co3O4/C3N4, was synthesized via a single-step calcination route. Characterization techniques including EDX, SEM, XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis DRS, XPS, BET, TGA, and DSC confirmed the structural properties and thermal stability. The nanoflake-like composite exhibited excellent optical properties, a high surface area (78.98 m & sup2;/g), and a narrow bandgap (similar to 2.9 eV), contribute to enhanced visible-light absorption. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated against crystal violet (CV) and malachite green (MG) dyes. Under optimized conditions, degradation efficiencies reached 97.21% for CV (pH 10, 7 mmol H2O2) and 99.2% for MG (pH 9, 5 mmol H2O2) within 90 min. Kinetic analysis followed a pseudo-second-order model (R & sup2; = 0.99). Quantum efficiencies were calculated as 1.59 & times; 10(-6) (CV) and 1.81 & times; 10(-6) (MG) molecules/photon, with corresponding space-time yields (STY) of 1.59 & times; 10(-8) and 1.81 & times; 10(-8) molecules/photon/mg. The total number of dye molecules degraded was estimated at similar to 1.48 & times; 10 & sup1;(8) for CV and similar to 1.64 & times; 10 & sup1;(8) for MG under the given experimental conditions. Reusability tests over three cycles showed consistent performance with negligible structural change, confirming long-term stability. These results demonstrate the potential of KNbO3-based quaternary composites for efficient and sustainable pollutants removal in wastewater treatment.
Religious education in Pakistan has long served as a central mechanism for shaping moral and civic identity. Through the dual systems of mad & amacr;ris (seminaries) and public schools, the state has sought to forge a unified national identity grounded in Islamic morality and patriotism. This paper critically reassesses that project, arguing that the instrumentalization of religious education for ideological purposes has produced mixed outcomes. While it has reinforced a shared moral vocabulary, it has also deepened sectarian divisions and limited civic pluralism. Drawing on historical policy analyses and curriculum studies, the paper reveals how both mad & amacr;ris and state curricula perpetuate exclusionary narratives that marginalise religious and cultural diversity. It concludes by exploring emerging reform discourses that envision religious education as a space for critical inquiry, ethical reasoning, and civic inclusion - integrating faith with democratic values in a pluralistic and globally connected Pakistan.
