Pakistan Studies/Affairs MCQs
Topic Notes: Pakistan Studies/Affairs
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
31
Which of these is a subject in Part II of the Federal Legislative List (managed by the CCI)?
Answer:
Electricity
Electricity is listed in Part II of the Federal Legislative List. This means that while the Federal Government handles it, the policies must be regulated and formulated by the Council of Common Interests, where provinces have a say.
32
The 'Residuary Powers' in the 1962 Constitution were technically vested in:
Answer:
The Provinces
While the 1962 Constitution was centralized, Article 132 stated that the Provincial Legislature had power to make laws with respect to any matter other than those enumerated in the Central List. However, central overriding powers made this autonomy largely theoretical.
33
Which constitutional amendment in Pakistan merged the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
Answer:
25th Amendment
The 25th Amendment, passed in 2018, was a major structural change in Pakistan's federation. it merged FATA into the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing the tribal areas into the mainstream legal and political framework of the province.
34
In the context of Pakistani federalism, what does the term 'Vertical Distribution' refer to?
Answer:
Division of funds between the Federal Government and the Provinces
Vertical distribution refers to the percentage of the 'Divisible Pool' that is kept by the Federal Government versus the percentage that is distributed to the provinces collectively. In the 7th NFC, the provinces' vertical share was increased to 57.5%.
35
The 'Zameerdar' system and 'Provincial Autonomy' were key themes in the 1930s. Which British-era act first introduced the concept of provincial autonomy in the subcontinent?
Answer:
Government of India Act 1935
The Government of India Act 1935 was the first to formally introduce 'Provincial Autonomy' by ending the dyarchy system in provinces and providing a clear division of powers through federal, provincial, and concurrent lists, which became the blueprint for Pakistan's later constitutions.
36
Which province was the first to establish its own 'Revenue Board' to collect Sales Tax on Services after the 18th Amendment?
Answer:
Sindh
Sindh was the pioneer in asserting its constitutional right to collect Sales Tax on Services by establishing the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB). This move significantly increased the province's own-source revenue and was later followed by the other provinces (e.g., PRA in Punjab).
37
Who chairs the Council of Common Interests (CCI)?
Answer:
The Prime Minister of Pakistan
According to Article 153, the Prime Minister is the chairperson of the CCI. The council also includes the Chief Ministers of the four provinces and three members from the Federal Cabinet nominated by the Prime Minister.
38
The 'Federal Legislative List' in the 1973 Constitution is divided into how many parts?
Answer:
Two parts (Part I and Part II)
The Federal Legislative List is divided into Part I (subjects handled exclusively by the Federal Government) and Part II (subjects over which the Council of Common Interests has policy control). The 18th Amendment moved several key subjects from the Concurrent List into Part II.
39
Under the current 7th NFC Award formula, which province receives the largest share of the provincial pool?
Answer:
Punjab
Despite the introduction of multi-criteria, population remains the most heavily weighted factor (82%). Because Punjab is the most populous province, it continues to receive the largest share of the divisible pool, followed by Sindh, KP, and Balochistan.
40
Which article of the 1973 Constitution guarantees that the share of provinces in a future NFC Award cannot be less than the share given in the previous Award?
Answer:
Article 160 (3A)
Added via the 18th Amendment, Article 160 (3A) prevents the federal government from reducing the provincial share of the divisible pool below the percentage established in the previous award. This provides fiscal security to the provinces and ensures that devolution remains financially viable.