Punjab Province Of Pakistan Research Articles

Economic Violence against Women in Punjab: Dimensions, Determinants and its Implications on Women Social Status in Society

Purpose: Women are almost half the population of the world while their poor social status and limited participation in society is a serious issue of their deprivation specifically in developing countries like Pakistan. This study was attempted to investigate economic violence against women and its influential factors on women's social status in society.
 
 
 
 
 Design/Methodology/Approach: 
 
 
 
 
 The study used multiple regression analysis for empirical estimation of cross-sectional data of 840 married men from three low socio-economic districts Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh from Punjab province of Pakistan.
 Findings: Empirical estimates of the study indicated among men above secondary school education, agricultural occupational status, emotional health status, childhood violence experience and witness are significant factors that impact women's economic violence.
 
 
 
 
 Implications/Originality/Value: 
 
 
 
 
 There is a need for adequate legislation and policy measures for free and easy access to schooling, particularly in rural areas. In reducing gender disparity and violence’s regarding women social media, electronic media and print media can play a significant role by providing productive and positive messages in discussions and programs.

Coronavirus Genomes and Unique Mutations in Structural and Non-Structural Proteins in Pakistani SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variants during the Fourth Wave of the Pandemic

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 is imperative to explore the transmission, evolution, and also pathogenicity of viruses. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern posed a severe threat to the global public health efforts. To assess the potential consequence of these emerging variants on public health, continuous molecular epidemiology is of vital importance. The current study has been designed to investigate the major SARS-CoV-2 variants and emerging mutations in virus structural and non-structural proteins (NSP) during the fourth wave in September 2021 from the Punjab province of Pakistan. Twenty SARS-CoV-2 positive samples have been collected from major cities were subjected to next-generation sequencing. Among the 20 whole genomes (GenBank Accession SRR16294858-SRR16294877), 2 samples failed to be completely sequenced. These genome sequences harbored 207 non-synonymous mutations, among which 19 were unique to GISAID. The genome sequences were detected: Delta 21I, 21J variants (B.1.617.2). Mutation’s spike_F157del, spike_P681R, spike_T478K, spike_T19R, spike_L452R, spike_D614G, spike_G142D, spike_E156G, and spike_R158del have been detected in all samples where K1086Q, E554K, and C1250W were unique in spike protein. These genomic sequences also harbored 129 non-synonymous mutations in NSP. The most common were NSP3_P1469S (N = 17), NSP3_A488S (N = 17), NSP3_P1228L (N = 17), NSP4_V167L (N = 17), NSP4_T492I (N = 17), NSP6_T77A (N = 17), NSP14_A394V (N = 17), NSP12_G671S (N = 18), and NSP13_P77L (N = 18). The mutation, F313Y in NSP12, detected in the current study, was found in a single isolate from Belgium. Numerous other unique mutations have been detected in the virus papain-like protease (NSP3), main protease (NSP5), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NSP12). The most common non-synonymous mutations in the spike protein were subjected to stability analysis, exhibiting a stabilizing effect on structures. The presence of Delta variants may affect therapeutic efforts and vaccine efficacy. Continuous genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Pakistan may be useful for better management of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Comparison of aggression in married men and women.

To examine aggression in married men and women in comparison to each other. The comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from January to September 2017 in Jinnah, Lyallpur, Madina and Jaranwala towns of Faisalabad in the Punjab province of Pakistan, and comprised an equal number of married men and women. Data was collected using a demographic information form and the Aggression Questionnaire. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. Of the 300 subjects, 150(50%) each were men and women. Among the men, 90(60%) and 110(73%) among the women were in the 31-40 years age bracket. The men showed significantly higher tendency towards physical aggression while verbal aggression was found more in women (p<0.05). The difference was non-significant with respect to anger and hostility (p>0.05). Married men were found to be more involved in physical aggression than married women. Conversely, married women were found to be more involved in verbal aggression than married men. Anger and hostility were traits common in both genders.

Prevalence of child malnutrition and household socioeconomic deprivation: A case study of marginalized district in Punjab, Pakistan.

Better socioeconomic status and well-being in households decrease malnutrition and health risks in children. The objective of the present study is to assess the current nutritional status of pre-school children and to correlate the prevalence of malnutrition with Household Deprivation Status (HDS) in one of the deprived districts of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Using primary data collected from 384 households through a proportional purposive random sampling technique, this study calculates the z-scores of weight-for-age (WAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ), and height-for-age (HAZ). The study has used a cut-off point which is -2 standard deviations below the median of the WHO/NCHS reference population for each anthropometric indicator. The results indicate that the underweight, stunting, and wasting prevalence rates are 46.1%, 34.83%, and 15.49% respectively in district Rahimyar Khan. Also, the expected tendency of malnutrition is worst for HDS-1 and HDS-2 which are the most deprived segments of the population. As the household shifts from HDS-1 to HDS-2 and further to HDS-3, the rates of stunting (HAZ) and underweight (WAZ) decreases but wasting (WHZ) does not. The study concludes that the high prevalence of malnutrition in the district is correlated with overall socio-economic deprivation.

Emotional Neglect, Self-Deception, and Unethical Workplace Behavior: Moderating Effect of Machiavellianism

Based on ethical faded theory, this paper examines the relationship between emotional neglect and unethical behavior via self-deception under the influence of employee Machiavellianism. A two-phased survey involving 253 managerial employees of various private sector service organizations was conducted in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Data showed sufficient reliability and validity of existing measures used in this study. The conditional process analysis revealed that employees emotionally neglected at work indulged in unethical behavior and that self-deception by such employees explained this mechanism. Employee Machiavellianism moderated the relationship between self-deception and unethical behavior, indicating that the indirect effect of emotional neglect on unethical behavior would be more robust for employees with high levels of Machiavellianism in their personalities. Findings help understand the antecedents and conditions that promote unethical behavior at work and warrant the need for effective managerial strategies to prevent it. Implications of these findings have been discussed.

Genetic diversity of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) infecting cucurbits

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), a well-known Tobamovirus, infects cucurbits across the globe. To determine its current status, molecular characterization, genetic recombination, gene flow and selection pressure, 10 districts from Punjab province of Pakistan were surveyed and a total of 2561 cucurbits samples were collected during 2019–2020. These samples were subjected to virus-specific double antibody sandwich-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) for the detection of CGMMV. The results revealed that viral disease was prevalent in all surveyed districts of Punjab with an overall 25.69% disease incidence. ELISA positive samples were further confirmed through RT-PCR and sequencing of coat protein (CP) cistron. Sequence analysis showed that the present studied CGMMV isolates have 96–99.5% nucleotide and 94.40–99.50% amino acid identities with those already available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis also revealed that understudied isolates were closely related with South Korean (AB369274) and Japanese (V01551) isolates and clustered in a separate clad. Sequence polymorphisms were observed in 663 bp of sequence within 31 CGMMV isolates covering complete CP gene. Total number of sites were 662, of which 610 and 52 sites were monomorphic and polymorphic (segregating), respectively. Of these polymorphic, 24 were singleton variable and 28 were parsimony informative. Overall nucleotide diversity (π) in all the understudied 31 isolates was 0.00010 while a total of 1 InDel event was observed and InDel Diversity (k) was 0.065. Haplotype diversity analysis revealed that there was a total 29 haplotypes with haplotype diversity (Hd) of 0.993458 in all the 31 isolates which provide evidence of less diversity among Pakistani isolates. The statistical analysis revealed the values 2.568, 5.31304 and 4.86698 of Tajima's D, Fu, & Li’s F* and D*, respectively, which witnessed the population of CGMMV was under balanced selection pressure.

Psychological Effects of COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers, and How They Are Coping: A Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Study During the First Wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan.

The aim of this study is to ascertain the psychological impacts of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among the Pakistani health care workers (HCWs) and their coping strategies. This web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs (N = 398) from Punjab Province of Pakistan. The generalized anxiety scale (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Brief-COPE were used to assess anxiety, depression, and coping strategies, respectively. The average age of respondents was 28.67 years (SD = 4.15), with the majority being medical doctors (52%). Prevalences of anxiety and depression were 21.4% and 21.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in anxiety and depression scores among doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. Females had significantly higher anxiety (P = 0.003) and depression (P = 0.001) scores than males. Moreover, frontline HCWs had significantly higher depression scores (P = 0.010) than others. The depression, not anxiety, score was significantly higher among those who did not receive the infection prevention training (P = 0.004). The most frequently adopted coping strategies were religious coping (M = 5.98, SD = 1.73), acceptance (M = 5.59, SD = 1.55), and coping planning (M = 4.91, SD = 1.85). A considerable proportion of HCWs are having generalized anxiety and depression during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings call for interventions to mitigate mental health risks in HCWs.

Assessment of PERSIANN-CCS, PERSIANN-CDR, SM2RAIN-ASCAT, and CHIRPS-2.0 Rainfall Products over a Semi-Arid Subtropical Climatic Region

This study compares the performance of four satellite-based rainfall products (SRPs) (PERSIANN-CCS, PERSIANN-CDR, SM2RAIN-ASCAT, and CHIRPS-2.0) in a semi-arid subtropical region. As a case study, Punjab Province of Pakistan was considered for this assessment. Using observations from in-situ meteorological stations, the uncertainty in daily, monthly, seasonal, and annual rainfall estimates of SRPs at pixel and regional scales during 2010–2018 were examined. Several evaluation indices (Correlation Coefficient (CC), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Bias, and relative Bias (rBias), as well as categorical indices (Probability of Detection (POD), Critical Success Index (CSI), and False Alarm Ration (FAR)) were used to assess the performance of the SRPs. The following findings were found: (1) CHIRPS-2.0 and SM2RAIN-ASCAT products were capable of tracking the spatiotemporal variability of observed rainfall, (2) all SRPs had higher overall performances in the northwestern parts of the province than the other parts, (3) all SRP estimates were in better agreement with ground-based monthly observations than daily records, and (4) on the seasonal scale, CHIRPS-2.0 and SM2RAIN-ASCAT were better than PERSIANN-CCS and PERSIANN. In all seasons, CHIRPS-2.0 and SM2RAIN-ASCAT outperformed PERSIANN-CCS and PERSIANN-CDR. Based on our findings, we recommend that hydrometeorological investigations in Pakistan’s Punjab Province employ monthly estimates of CHIRPS-2.0 and SM2RAIN-ASCAT products.

Challenges for groundwater-irrigated agriculture and management opportunities in Punjab province of Pakistan

Pakistan has one of the world’s largest contiguous irrigation canal networks which was initiated by the British during the early nineteenth century, and its continuous expansion significantly altered the hydrological balance of the Indus River Basin (IRB) in Pakistan. During the pre-irrigation era, the water table in the IRB was very deep which rose up with the introduction of canal network. Seepage from the earthen canals caused the dual menace of waterlogging and salinity and different Salinity Control and Reclamation Projects (SCARPs) were implemented. With the growing food and fiber requirements, use of groundwater increased over the time. Currently, in Punjab province groundwater is contributing about 45-50% towards irrigation through 1.2 million tube-wells, putting the aquifer under stress. As water table deepens, the cost of extraction increases. Besides its use for irrigation, groundwater is used for drinking, industrial and commercial requirements. In many areas, the unplanned and over-pumping has caused intrusion of saline water into fresh groundwater areas. This paper describes the historical development and current challenges for sustainable use and management of groundwater. Some initiatives by the Government are described, with available opportunities. A new research project that considers the potential of artificial aquifer recharge as part of the management has also been discussed.

An evaluation of farmers’ perception, awareness, and adaptation towards climate change: a study from Punjab province Pakistan

ABSTRACT: Globally, all environmental sectors are threatened by climate change, most especially to the food and agriculture sectors. Pakistan is a developing country that is most vulnerable to extreme and harsh climatic conditions, especially in Southeast Asia. Climate change has often adverse effects on Pakistan because it is often affected by severe weather conditions. Although, some studies have reported on farmers’ perceptiveness regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation, there is still insufficient awareness among Pakistanis’ farmers. Key knowledge is very important for farmers to overcome the harsh climatic conditions for harvesting and saving crops. To bridge this gap, this research discovered the awareness level of climate change, weather conditions, and related factors among Pakistani farmers. Through a stratified random sampling technique, 500 structured questionnaires were distributed among the farmers in four districts of Punjab Pakistan for study analysis. The probit model was used to analyze the farmer’s perception regarding climate change, socio-demographic and economic variables. The findings of this research showed that 75% of farmers are aware of climate change. Perception of climate change between farmers was directly associated with agriculture experience, farmers’ age, land ownership status, level of education, information sources, and access to extension. Also, our research showed that farmers’ assessment of adaptive behavior showed that farmers are actively implementing crop diversification, irrigation, and other adaptation strategies. Results of this study will help government agencies and policymakers in Pakistan and other regions to develop sustainable adaptation measures in the framework of climate change.

Detection of basmati rice using microsatellite markers

Basmati rice is a fine and aromatic rice grown mainly in certain areas of Punjab province in Pakistan. It has high demand in the international market and a source of earning foreign exchange via export. Adulteration of non-basmati rice grains is a major challenge to secure its export standards. Hence, the development of a simple and cost-effective method is necessary to screen the basmati and non-basmati rice samples. In this study, we have validated the efficiency of different molecular markers by screening seven unknown rice samples. Our results demonstrated that three markers namely RM1, RM19 and RM225 proved to be efficient microsatellite molecular markers that could be used to screen basmati and non-basmati rice samples. Further, these results are validated based on expression pattern of Badh2 gene among the basmati and non-basmati rice. Thus, this study provides a contribution towards development of a simple and cost-effective method for rapid screening of basmati rice.

Factors Contributing To Absenteeism In Undergraduates Nursing Students.

Absenteeism is an act of being excessively away from educational institute which is a major indiscipline problem among students globally. Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Data was collected by using by self-administered questionnaire from nursing students of 13 nursing colleges offering 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in Punjab province of Pakistan after taking care of all the ethical considerations. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select 130 participants from nursing institutes offering 4 year BSN program. Most influential factors for absenteeism identified were ‘not joined nursing studies as per choice’ (mean=3.77), ‘awaking up late for college’ (mean=3.62), ‘impending assignments’ (mean=3.),‘feel bored with certain subjects’ (mean=3.46),‘when teachers teaching skills are not up to mark’ (mean=3.67), ‘Lack of proper guidance in clinical area’ (mean=3.94), ‘shortage of staff in clinical area’ (mean=3.88), ‘Not want to be treated as workforce in clinical area’ (mean=3.82) very exhaustive and rigid or irregular timetable’ (mean=3.81). Nursing student’s absenteeism is interplay of multiple modifiable factors. Hence, necessary steps may be taken to overcome these modifiable factors to improve the quality of nursing education.

(2021) Volume 2, Issue 4 Cultural Implications of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC Authors: Dr. Unsa Jamshed Amar Jahangir Anbrin Khawaja Abstract: This study is an attempt to highlight the cultural implication of CPEC on Pak-China relations, how it will align two nations culturally, and what steps were taken by the governments of two states to bring the people closer.

(2021) Volume 2, Issue 4 Cultural Implications of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC Authors: Dr. Unsa Jamshed Amar Jahangir Anbrin Khawaja Abstract: This study is an attempt to highlight the cultural implication of CPEC on Pak-China relations, how it will align two nations culturally, and what steps were taken by the governments of two states to bring the people closer.

Pattern of medication utilization in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in three District Headquarters Hospitals in the Punjab province of Pakistan

PurposeIn Pakistan, a wide range of repurposed drugs are recommended to manage hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the pattern of utilization of repurposed drugs and other potential therapeutic options among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Pakistan. MethodsThis retrospective, multicenter, descriptive study enrolled consecutive hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who were admitted between March 1, 2021, and April 30, 2021, from three District Headquarter Hospitals in the Punjab province of Pakistan. We described patient and clinical characteristics and medications, stratified by COVID-19 severity during hospitalization: mild, moderate, and severe. In addition, an analytical study of drug utilization was conducted. FindingsA total of 444 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were included. Remdesvir, corticosteroids, antibiotics, and antithrombotics were administered to 45.0%, 93.9%, 84.9%, and 60.1% of patients, respectively. Specifically, dexamethasone was the most commonly used corticosteroid among the included patients (n = 405; 91.2%), irrespective of their clinical severity. Only 60.1% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in our cohort received antithrombotic therapy, and the prevalence of use was especially low (27.8%) in patients with mild illness. Of 444 patientsscreened, 399 (89.9%) patients had been discharged, and 45 patients (10.1%) died. ImplicationsWe provided an important glimpse into the utilization patterns of several medications of interest for the treatment of COVID-19 in Pakistan, which had not been entirely evidence-based, especially concerning systemic corticosteroids and antibiotics.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC: DIFFICULTIES FACED BY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS DURING EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING THROUGH ONLINE LEARNING AND THEIR OPINIONS

The objective of this study was to explore the difficulties faced by special education teachers during emergency remote teaching through online learning to special needs students during covid-19 pandemic and discuss their opinions. Population of study was special education teachers who were teaching to special needs students of secondary level at government special education institutions Faisalabad division of Punjab province Pakistan. The sample of the study was 15special education teachers were selected through random sampling technique. Phenomenology pattern was used in this research as a method of research. Semi structure interview was used as a tool of research. Results of the study clearly showed that almost all the special education teachers were motivated towards providing emergency remote teaching to their special students through online learning system. They have practiced a variety of strategies to provide online education to their students but they face a lot of difficulties in this regard. As majority of special students were from low socio economic background, so they have a lack of online learning facilities i.eandroid cell phones, laptops and internet connection etc. It was interesting to know that all the students who have sufficient facilities of online learning were not utilizing this for constructive purpose and to overcome their academic problems. They were merely wasting it over social media and gadgets are not utilizing for constructive purpose which was creating anxiety for their parents.&#x0D; Key Words: Covid-19, pandemic,special needs students, special education teacher, emergency remote teaching, online learning

Analysis and Exploitation of the Condensed Water of Chillers

Energy resources are going to be exhausted in the near future. It is essentially required to use the energy in an organized manner. Therefore, the chiller’s condenser water has been focused to utilize the maximum of the input energy of the machine. This water can be categorized as distilled water if the contamination level is zero. The low-graded distilled water can be used in steam generators; acid-based Batteries, chemical dilution and even can be used in vehicle radiators to avoid blockades of pipes. Generally, the production of distilled water requires a lot of energy. In the present work condensed water of domestic chillers has been analyzed for contaminants to decide its future use. Five samples were collected from chillers installed in the city of Gurrah Mohallah Mandi Bahauddin, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Using the ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) titrimetric method,a small amount of Ca, Mg, Pb, and SO4 were detected that confirmed the conductivity of water around 81μS/cm. The magnitude of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) was 54 mg/L, pH was 6.2 and total hardness was recorded about 0.576 mg/L.

Hydrogen production potential from agricultural biomass in Punjab province of Pakistan

Depleting resources and popping environmental concerns instigate the development of sustainable and clean energy solutions. Amongst others, Hydrogen (H2) is an imperious alternative due to the lowest emissions, higher calorific value, and usability. It has great relevance in Pakistan due to sequester Agricultural biomass potential that can be used as feedstock for H2 production. So, this study estimates the H2 production potential from agricultural biomass (rice, sugarcane, cotton, wheat, and maize) of Punjab, Pakistan. In doing so, simulations are performed using Aspen Plus under various conditions to derive an optimal value of H2 output. The results indicate significant heterogeneity across districts and crop residues types. Therefore, the Geographic Information System (GIS) is used to draw the spatial distribution of optimal H2 production across crops and districts. The simulated results reveal that Punjab province has the potential to produce 2619.90 × 103 Metric tons (MT)/year H2, and the highest potential derives from sugarcane trash (1012.77 × 103 MT/year), followed by maize straw (433.67 × 103 MT/year). The estimated H2 potential (2.62 million MT/year) can be used in industries, transportation, and urea production as a sustainable alternative in Pakistan.

Prevalence of Anaplasma marginale in cattle blood samples collected from two important livestock regions in Punjab (Pakistan) with a note on epidemiology and phylogeny of parasite

Anaplasmosis, caused by intracellular gram-negative bacteria Anaplasma marginale is one of the most frequently reported tick-borne disease (TBDs) in tropical and sub-tropical countries, including Pakistan. In the present study, a total of 428 cattle blood samples were collected to examine the prevalence and phylogenetic origin of A. marginale in two important livestock regions of Punjab Province in Pakistan, i.e. Lodhran and Dera Ghazi Khan Districts. In addition, association between occurrence of A. marginale in cattle blood and selected epidemiological factors has been also investigated. The presence of A. marginale genetic material was confirmed in 9% of the tested blood samples taken from cattle in Lodhran and in 17% from Dera Ghazi Khan. Prevalence of A. marginale was significantly higher in cattle from Dera Ghazi Khan. All the cattle breeds from both districts were equally susceptible to A. marginale infection. We reported higher prevalence of A. marginale in cattle living indoors or with other dairy animals in Dera Ghazi Khan district. However, no such relationship was observed in the Lodhran district. Sequencing of the msp1b gene shows 96–99% similarity of A. marginale in the study area to those reported from other parts of Pakistan, South Africa, and Israel. We recommend that large scale tick and tick-borne disease control strategies must be implemented in both districts.

Ethnopharmacological Study of Medicinal Plants in Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary, District Sialkot, Punjab Province of Pakistan.

Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary is a complex riverine ecosystem and is unique because of the presence of river Chenab, various seasonal streams, lakes, and Head Marala barrage. These ecogeographic conditions provide diverse natural habitats for various plant and animal species to grow uninterrupted and have undocumented ethnopharmacologically important medicinal flora. The present study involves the first-ever extensive investigation to document the ethnopharmacological knowledge on medicinal plants of local healers and inhabitants of the Bajwat Wildlife Sanctuary to treat ailments. The unstructured and semistructured interviews of the local healers and inhabitants were conducted that included 130 individuals. The ethnomedicinal formulations, their method of preparation, mode of administration, parts of the plant used, diseases cured, and their categorization along with species use report (UR) were analyzed. The ethnopharmacological study led to the enlisting of 114 medicinal plant species belonging to 97 genera and distributed among 47 plant families. 2029 URs were collected with 42 general disease categories. Each plant species was reported 18 times to cure various diseases (∼18 UR), while ∼48 URs were collected on each disease category by local informants. Digestive issues (290 URs, ∼14.29%) and skin infections (279 URs, ∼13.75%) were found most commonly among the occupants of the area. The oral administration (69%) of herbal drugs and the preparation of plant extracts (32%) were the most common ethnopharmacological strategies. Inhabitants of the area were well aware of the limited use of poisonous plants. 8 (∼7%) out of the total 114 medicinal plant species were listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern, while Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. was enlisted as near-threatened. The results of the present investigation show that the occupants of the Bajwat have sound information about the ethnopharmacological consumption of medicinal plants, and some of the novel ethnomedicinal formulations were reported which provide the basic data for further pharmacological research.

Assessing the Formal and Informal Waste Recycling Business Processes through a Stakeholders Lens in Pakistan

With this study, we aim to assess integration possibilities of formal and informal waste management approaches in a low-income country context by using recycling as a tool towards sustainability. Using a holistic approach, this study examines both formal and informal aspects of recycling value chains through a stakeholder lens. Pakistan is far from being a circular economy, as evident from the dismal levels of municipal solid waste collection and recycling. This problem calls for the effective integration of formal and informal recycling business processes to fill the void. With this study, we seek to assess various aspects of formal and informal waste recycling in Pakistan through an inductive qualitative research design by examining the case of one of the most populous cities, Lahore, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Equal representation to various stakeholders is accorded, with 25 interviews each with managers of private companies, public companies, waste pickers and scrap dealers in the target area. The study highlights that recycling sector in Pakistan is completely informal and unregulated with no or little support available due to a lack of funds and systematic planning. The empirical evidence suggests that the formal sector lacks the capacity for proper waste disposal of total waste generated. The recycling aspects are left to informal sector stakeholders who improvise to extract value from MSW in an entrepreneurial manner. The formal sector holds a bias towards informal stakeholders due to the fact that their work also serves as a theft bargain and resale platform under the guise of waste collection and recycling. The study highlights the most and least sought after recyclables, identifies gray channel markets of spare parts, metal recycling and counterfeit products, and practices of adulteration in the target area. This study recommends as a policy input, to overcome bias towards the informal sector, the creation of a central recycling commission to overlook and regulate the affairs of hitherto unregulated and informal municipal solid waste and recycling value chains.