Accurate prediction of rainfall events is vital for agriculture, hydrology, flood preparedness, and climate-adaptive strategies in regions of Pakistan susceptible to monsoons and droughts. Increasing climate variability highlights the need for reliable data-driven forecasting systems capable of precisely representing nonlinear atmospheric dynamics across different forecast intervals. This study introduces an extensive hybrid machine learning-deep learning (ML-DL) framework designed to classify daily rainfall events (rain vs. no rain) and predict several horizons (RainDay0-RainDay5) by utilizing 130,230 daily meteorological data collected from 10 geographically diverse cities in Pakistan between 1990 and 2025. Machine learning models, such as Extra Trees classifier, Histogram Gradient Boosting, Ridge Classifier, and Gaussian Naïve Bayes, underwent evaluation using leakage-free TimeSeriesSplit validation with SMOTE applied only to training folds using various seeds.To improve the quality of sequence representation, Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) was utilized to extract band-limited intrinsic mode functions from meteorological signals, while Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was employed for adaptive hyperparameter tuning and genetic algorithms were used. Experimental findings indicate that ensemble ML models delivered robust baseline classification results across various cities, while VMD-augmented deep learning frameworks enhanced robustness and temporal learning consistency throughout different forecast horizons. Specifically, VMD-LSTM demonstrated robust performance in Hyderabad (Acc = 0.862, F1 = 0.871, AUC = 0.941), whereas VMD-GRU exhibited dependable discrimination ability in Jamshoro (AUC = 0.918), Quetta (AUC = 0.867), and Thatta (AUC = 0.896).The enhanced VMD-PSO-GRU (VPG) framework demonstrated superior rainfall classification performance across various cities, particularly excelling in Hyderabad (AUC = 0.912), Jamshoro (Acc = 0.882), and Thatta (Acc = 0.878). In multi-horizon forecasting, a proposed multi-head VMD-GRU-Attention model, improved by hybrid PSO-GA, provided the most reliable results across forecast lead times RainDay0-RainDay5. In short-term forecasting, the system achieved an Accuracy of 0.872 (RainDay0) in Hyderabad, while maintaining steady medium-term performance at RainDay3 (approximately 0.819 for Hyderabad; about 0.808 for Thatta) and long-term predictions near 0.80 at RainDay5 across Gharo, Thatta, and Mirpur Khas, showcasing resilience despite increasing forecast uncertainty. The proposed hybrid framework demonstrates improved stability in temporal learning, robustness against noise, and capacity to generalize across areas, validating its effectiveness for operational rainfall early-warning systems in various climatic settings of Pakistan.

The role of women’s entrepreneurship in achieving a gender-inclusive society and economic growth is undeniable. However, women entrepreneurs in Pakistan, despite several supporting initiatives by the government and NGOs, continue to face numerous socio-political and economic challenges, hindering their participation in business activities. This study aims to uncover these multifaceted challenges and the strategies to overcome them. Drawing on Liberal Feminist Theory and McClelland’s Need for Achievement Theory, this qualitative, phenomenological study captures the voices of 36 women entrepreneurs across major metropolitan cities in Pakistan. Findings reveal that participants struggle with entrenched patriarchal norms, gender discrimination, limited mobility, restricted access to finance, and other barriers. Despite these constraints, they demonstrate resilience through networking, mentoring, skill enhancement strategies, social media engagement, and innovative business practices. This study sheds light on how women entrepreneurs transform adversity into opportunity, offering valuable insights for policymakers and scholars seeking to promote gender equity and entrepreneurial inclusivity in emerging economies.

The emergence of TikTok as a trendy social networking platform has created great alarm with regard to the behavioral impact of the content that is provided by the site especially in the case of conservative societies such as Pakistan. This research explores the connection between viewing explicit content on TikTok. Like provocative dance trends, vulgar language, body-centered images, and influencer behavior and the emergence of sexual misconduct behaviors in the context of the four major cities in Pakistan: Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Peshawar. A quantitative methodology that was based on the survey was used to collect data on 500 adolescents aged between 13 and 19. High levels of exposure to and involvement of TikTok content were revealed by descriptive statistics. Inferential tests, such as correlation, regression, and independent samples t-tests, revealed significant positive correlation between such exposure and sexual permissiveness, normalization of sexual behavior, and tendencies of misconduct. There was also a significant gender difference, as males reported more tendencies of misconduct. These results highlight the necessity of digital literacy interventions, content regulation, and parenting engagement to curb the potentially detrimental impact of content on social media platforms on the vulnerable adolescent groups. ‎

Malaria and dengue are the two common mosquito infections that are very important and cause high risk for many patients around the world. Malaria and dengue fever are the leading cause of illness in Pakistan. These both diseases have caused severe loss of life in every city of Pakistan. The objective of this study is to determine the demographic, clinical and haematological aspects of malaria and dengue fever. This study was carried out from 2023-2024 on 120 dengue fever and 120 malaria patients. This study shows that majority of the malarial cases were diagnosed with Plasmodium vivax. Dengue fever cases were diagnosed by NS1 antigen test. In demographic characters of both the cases, males were more effected than the females. Dengue fever patients showed more mean age ratio than the malarial patients. Most of the affected malarial cases were in age 1-10 years while most of the dengue fever cases were in age 21-30 years. Fever and headache were common clinical symptoms in both cases. Significant differences were noticed in blood cell parameters.

In today’s media-saturated world, where romantic media rapidly shapes perceptions of intimate relationships, understanding its influence on mate selection preferences has become a critical area of inquiry. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between romantic media usage, idealization of romanticism and mate selection preferences among young adults. A convenient sample of young adults (N=250) with the age range from 18-24 (M = 20.83, SD = 1.68) years was collected from the different cities of Pakistan. Measures including Genre-Specific TV Viewing Scale (GSTVS), Romantic Belief Scale (RBS) and Essential Characteristics of a Spouse Scale (ECSS) were used. Results of Pearson product revealed a significant positive association between romantic media usage, idealization of romanticism and mate selection preferences in young adults. Structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that idealization of romanticism significantly mediated between romantic media usage and mate selection preferences, indicating that an increase in romantic media usage, in turn, increases the idealization of romanticism, which subsequently enhances the preference of mate selection. There was a significant difference among male and female young adults on mate selection preferences. These findings show that romantic media shapes how young adults choose partners, highlighting the need for promoting more realistic relationship expectations.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the influence of diversity climate and workgroup inclusion on employee cynicism, empowerment and self-efficacy. This study further examined the relative effects of diversity climate and workgroup inclusion on these outcomes. Finally, this study examined the moderating role of gender in these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from individuals (n = 220) using field and online surveys in two major metropolitan cities in Pakistan. Findings The findings revealed that workgroup inclusion had more pronounced effects on employee outcomes than diversity climate. The findings also indicated that females may be more sensitive to diversity climate and workgroup inclusion compared to men. Originality/value This study makes three main contributions to the literature. First, it demonstrates that workgroup inclusion matters more than a supportive diversity climate in terms of its role in enhancing employee empowerment and self-efficacy, and reducing cynicism. Second, it also demonstrates that gender plays a role, with women being more responsive to diversity and inclusion efforts. Finally, by focusing on Pakistan – a society with strong hierarchies and traditional gender norms – the study provides a unique context to examine these relationships and concepts predominantly developed and tested in Western work settings.

The process of uncontrolled urbanization has significantly changed the way the modern cities look, and, in many cases, at the expense of the quality of the environment, urban forms and, eventually, human health. The increasing scope of growth of cities with such a high rate, often without holistic planning, means that the physical structure of the urban environment has a greater impact on the physical well-being of the inhabitants, their psychological comfort, and their quality of life in general. In that regard, the issue of how architecture, urban structure, and psychological well-being are interconnected requires a serious academic and professional consideration. This paper aims at critically discussing the environmental qualities of the built environment that are relevant to the well-being of cities and determining the design-oriented interventions that can be used to increase or re-instill a sense of physical and psychological comfort in urban areas. The study is premised on an empirical study of the Abbottabad city in Pakistan on the subject of public spaces with a mixed methodology that is composed of field surveys, structured questionnaires, and systematic on site observations. The approaches enabled the complete comprehension of how citizens feel and see their daily urban experiences. The image of a wellbeing city assessment is the parameter that is determined by a set of well-defined indicators- both strengths and deficiencies ingrained in the current built environment. The ratings were done with the help of a research based questionnaire, which was filled by the people living in the area, so that the results obtained are an actual reflection of the user perception and experience in the area. The results of the study can be useful to architects, urban designers and planners, as it provides people-centered approach to the aspect of well-being in urban design and policy-making. Predicting human experience and mental health, the study helps to create more functional and efficient cities, however emotionally supportive, inclusive and supportive of holistic well-being in the future.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between knowledge-based human resource management (KHRM) practices and project performance (PP) in information technology (IT) project-based organizations. Specifically, it examines how exploitative and exploratory innovations mediate this relationship and the role of knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional design was adopted, with data collected from 300 IT project employees in major cities in Pakistan. The sample was surveyed using structured questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis to validate the measures, followed by regression analysis to test the hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that KHRM practices significantly enhance project performance, with exploitative and exploratory innovation serving as mediators. Furthermore, KOL moderates the relationship between KHRM practices and innovation, thereby further enhancing project outcomes. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the impact of KHRM practices on project performance, focusing on the role of innovation and leadership. The findings offer practical insights and recommendations for human resource (HR) managers in IT organizations, emphasizing the importance of fostering a culture of innovation to improve project results.

This research study looks at using the cutting-edge object detection algorithm YOLOv8 to detect potholes on a road surface. Potholes make roads and infrastructure unsafe; thus, effective and precise ways of detecting potholes are required to act on them in time. The paper focuses on the optimization of the YOLOv8 parameters to address better pothole detection capability of the model in diverse environmental conditions. A dataset of potholes created is used to train YOLOv8. The photos that are used to build the dataset are composed of those of various cities in Pakistan. When using the model, many variables of the model, such as Batch size, Epochs, learning rate, and optimizer, are systematically investigated and optimized. The outcome received of the 32 parameters of the batch size is 0.87% precision, 0.82% recall and 0.88% detection accuracy. Regarding epochs, the model achieved 0.87 precision, 0.84 recall, and 0.89 detection accuracy in 200 epochs. The model parameter test learning rate was performed at four more learning rates. These findings indicate that the learning rate of 0.001 was the best to achieve the best performance of our model to a maximum 0.85 precision, 0.82 and 0.88 recall and detection accuracy, respectively, with respect to optimizer. The findings of the experiment indicated that AdamW was more successful than the other optimizers to train the model in precision, recall, and accuracy. As noted in the research, parameter adjustment is important to optimize the performance of YOLOv8 when used to detect potholes.

Purpose This study examines how well-being-oriented human resource management (WBHRM) practices influence organizational citizenship behavior, with employee happiness as a mediator. It further evaluates the moderating role of engaging leadership in the WBHRM–happiness relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from employees in the textile sector using a stratified sampling technique. The final sample included 305 usable responses from three major cities in Pakistan: Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS 21.0 was employed to test the study hypotheses. Findings Results indicate that WBHRM practices significantly enhance employee happiness and organizational citizenship behavior. Happiness at work partially mediates the relationship between WBHRM practices and organizational citizenship behavior. Engaging leadership also exerts a significant moderating effect; however, the interaction reveals that the positive influence of WBHRM on workplace happiness is stronger when engaging leadership is low. Originality/value The study contributes new insights into HRM and leadership literature by jointly examining employee happiness as a mediator and engaging leadership as a contextual moderator. Focusing on Pakistan's textile industry, it offers context-specific evidence from a developing economy where empirical research on WBHRM and happiness at work remains limited.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major respiratory pathogen responsible for severe infections worldwide, with rising antibiotic resistance posing a significant clinical challenge. This study aimed to assess the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of S. pneumoniae isolates collected from clinical respiratory samples in different cities of Pakistan between 2022 and 2024. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the disc diffusion method and PCR was employed to detect resistance genes and PCV10/13 serotypes. High resistance rates were observed against ofloxacin (68.8%), oxacillin (66.9%) and amoxicillin (66.0%), while the lowest resistance was noted to doxycycline (8.4%), cefotaxime (7.5%) and ceftriaxone (3.7%). Genotypic analysis revealed that 68.8% of isolates were positive for the ermB gene, 55.6% for cats and 50.9% for tetM. Additionally, 18.8% of isolates carried the mefA gene and 9.4% exhibited resistance potentially linked to the pbp2b gene. Serotype analysis showed that 66% of isolates belonged to PCV10/13 vaccine-type serotypes, with serotype 19A being the most prevalent (18.9%), followed by 19F (13.2%) and 14 (9.4%). These findings underscore the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae in Pakistan and highlight the urgent need for enhanced antimicrobial stewardship, improved surveillance systems and preventive measures to address the rising threat of resistant strains and shifting serotype distribution.

Purpose This study investigates how functional value-quality (FVQ), functional value-price, social value, conditional value, emotional value and epistemic value influence consumers' perceived environmental responsibility and repurchasing behaviour of green products in Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A purposive sampling with a survey method was used to collect data from consumers who had experience purchasing green products in the past six months in a metropolitan city in Pakistan. Finally, a total of 440 valid questionnaires were returned and used to perform descriptive analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), whereas confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were performed to test the hypotheses. Findings The findings showed that FVQ, social value, emotional value, conditional value and epistemic value positively influence perceived environmental responsibility and green product repurchase behaviour. Perceived environmental responsibility positively influenced green repurchase behaviour. In addition, perceived environmental responsibility mediates the relationship between FVQ, social, conditional, emotional and epistemic value, and green product repurchasing behaviour, respectively. Originality/value Previous studies did not frequently include all five value dimensions in predicting consumers' green repurchase behaviour, particularly in developing countries. This study investigates the full structural effects of multidimensional consumption values on consumers' repurchasing behaviours of green products in a developing country. The empirical findings provide a comprehensive understanding of repurchasing green products among developing consumers in green marketing.

ABSTRACT This study employed an experimental pre-test–post-test design without randomised control or paired-control groups to assess the effectiveness of a single-session counselling in reducing self-stigma-seeking psychological help and distress symptoms (depression and anxiety) in students transitioning from school to college and from college to university during their educational career. The intervention was conducted in a well-known private clinic for mental health located in a big city in Pakistan on a sample of 76 students in transition phases (newly admitted to college or university) from various colleges and universities in Pakistan. Participants completed the Self-Stigma of Seeking Help Scale (SSOSH) and the Kessler psychological distress scale (k6) for distress symptoms. The single-session counselling resulted in significant reductions in self-stigma and distress symptoms as indicated by changes in SSOSH and K6 scores before and after the counselling session. Future research should consider randomised controlled trials to validate these findings.

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics among individuals with bipolar disorder in Pakistan - a gender-focused analysis.

ObjectivesMetabolically associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a growing health issue of concern and is frequently associated with cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to establish the association between MASLD and cardiovascular risk scores among urban adults.Materials and MethodsThe study involved 300 adults recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey at community health centres and outpatient clinics in different cities of Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, which included demographics, the Fatty Liver Index (FLI) to assess MASLD, and the INTERHEART Modifiable Risk Score (IHMRS) to evaluate cardiovascular risk. The statistical tests were conducted using SPSS v.26, which included descriptive statistics, Spearman correlations, the Mann-Whitney U-test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, the chi-square test, and multiple linear regression.ResultsThe majority of participants were men (N = 210, 70%), and the majority were between 40 and 49 years old (N = 90, 30%). FLI was positively associated with cardiovascular risk (r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Both FLI and IHMRS were much more common among men (p < 0.01). The prevalence of fatty liver and cardiovascular risk was highest in participants aged 40-49 years (p < 0.05). The results of triglycerides, GGT, BMI, and FLI (B = 0.065, p < 0.001) were found to be significant predictors via regression analysis.ConclusionsMASLD was strongly associated with cardiovascular risk, particularly in men and middle-aged adults. Incorporating liver health screening into cardiovascular screenings can aid in early detection and prevention.

The widespread integration of digital technologies has heightened employees' exposure to incessant connectivity and information overload, increasing the risk of digital fatigue and compromising sustainable work performance. Utilizing Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, this study investigates the impact of digital fatigue on workplace thriving via the sequential mediating roles of cognitive depletion and digital recovery self-efficacy. We gathered time-lagged survey data from 245 employees who worked in four- and five-star hotels in major cities in Pakistan. We then used PLS-SEM to look at the data. The findings reveal that digital fatigue negatively affects workplace thriving and positively anticipates cognitive depletion. Cognitive depletion consequently reduces employees’ digital recovery self-efficacy, while digital recovery self-efficacy positively correlates with workplace thriving. Crucially, the results validate an important sequential mediation pathway that reduces recovery-related beliefs and cognitive depletion, which are two ways that digital fatigue undermines thriving. In addition to highlighting digital recovery self-efficacy as a crucial psychological resource for maintaining employee vitality and learning, this study applies JD-R theory to digitally intensive work contexts.

Purpose This study aims to examine how individual values, institutional climate and peer influence jointly shape food waste reduction behavior (FWRB) in higher education institutes. Extending the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, the study incorporates green psychological climate (GPC) and student citizenship behavior for the environment (SCBE) as external norm-activating factors. The moderating role of social media celebrities, particularly food vloggers, is also assessed to address the norm–behavior gap. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 523 students enrolled in public and private universities across major cities in Pakistan. A structured questionnaire measured the proposed constructs, and partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze direct and moderating effects. Findings The results confirm that both individual-level factors (environmental values and ecological beliefs) and institutional factors (GPC and SCBE) significantly contribute to the development of pro-environmental personal norms (PEPN), which in turn drive students’ FWRB. Furthermore, food vloggers significantly moderate the relationship between PEPN and actual behavior by reinforcing moral intention through digital influence. Originality/value This study contributes to the theoretical deepening and broadening of the VBN framework by introducing institutional and peer-level drivers that shape PEPN, and by incorporating food vloggers as context-specific digital moderators. These extensions offer a more comprehensive understanding of sustainability behavior in higher education and address the intention–behavior gap through socially and institutionally embedded mechanisms.

Rapid Urbanization has accelerated in Lahore, exacerbating serious issues such as housing shortages, traffic congestion, and inadequate urban services. This research focuses on Bahria Town Lahore, a privately developed satellite city, and assesses its contribution to alleviating pressure on the parent city while maintaining the livability of its residents. A mixed-methods research design combined quantitative household interviews (n = 400) with expert interviews and field observations to investigate physical, social, and governance aspects. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified four influential factors: Built Environment and Infrastructure Quality, Social Cohesion and Inclusivity, Accessibility and Utilities, and Community Amenities and Environmental Quality that accounted for more than 70 percent of the total variance. Regression analysis also supported the built environment as the most significant predictor of overall satisfaction, with social and accessibility dimensions having moderate yet positive influences. Expert interviews supported these findings by citing infrastructural excellence but cautioning against affordability, exclusivity, and poor metropolitan integration. The research concludes that Bahria Town embodies the virtues and paradoxes of private urbanism, characterized by excellent infrastructure but limited inclusivity. Policy suggestions stress integrating affordable housing, multimodal connectivity, and inclusive governance in the development of future satellite cities in Pakistan.

The present research investigates the relationship between mental health and exposure to natural environments among 250 participants aged 18 to 65 years from Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad, three major cities in Pakistan. Within a quantitative framework, mental health outcomes over a six-month period were surveyed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Nature Exposure Scale (NES) translated into Urdu. The researchers asked respondents to keep weekly diaries to record the amount of time they spent in natural environments, including public parks, riversides, botanical gardens, and in the mountains. Results from SPSS demonstrated that exposure to nature is associated with a decrease in anxiety, depression, and stress. The study attempted to offset the effects of socioeconomic status, physical activity, cultural background, prior mental health issues, and other depression/anxiety disorders using multiple regression. Notably, the study's psychological findings were corroborated by cortisol level tests. Qualitative data from 30 respondents, who were interviewed using semi-structured guides, enriched the quantitative findings. Respondents who spent 120 minutes or more in a week in natural environments reported greater mental health improvements than those who had little or no time spent in nature. This demonstrates the need for nature intervention strategies to be included in mental health management in Pakistan.

In terms of air pollution-related mortalities, Pakistan comes in third place globally, with aerosol mass concentrations (PM2.5) continuously significantly higher than the WHO air quality guidelines. However, regulation relies on inadequate ground data and a limited network of air quality monitoring stations. This study describes and ranks the air pollution scenarios and pollution features of four chosen cities in Pakistan using long-term PM2.5 measurements. One of the datasets utilized is CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service). The findings indicate that the type of pollutant considered and the metric employed determine which cities are the most polluted. For instance, Lahore was named Pakistan's most polluted city in terms of PM2.5. According to the findings, the average annual PM2.5 concentration in Pakistan from 2018 to 2023 was 54.7µgm-3, indicating that the entire population has been exposed to elevated levels of PM2.5 for a long time. This number surpasses both the air quality guidelines (AQG) (mean annual PM2.5 < 15µgm-3) and National Environmental Quality Standards, i.e., < 15µgm-3 annual mean for ambient air as specified by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA). All four cities showed statistically significant negative (falling) trends in PM2.5. In most cities, humidity had the greatest impact on PM2.5 concentrations, followed by temperature, wind speed, and precipitation, despite the variations in climate. There was a negative correlation between PM2.5 and weather in many cities. This is the first study of its sort to examine PM2.5 in detail, including its spatiotemporal properties, trends, and relationship to meteorological parameters across four Pakistani cities.