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 body monitors the implementation of the NFC Award twice a year?
Answer:
The Federal Ministry of Finance
The Federal Finance Ministry is required to present a biannual monitoring report on the implementation of the NFC Award to the National Assembly and Provincial Assemblies. This ensures transparency in how the funds are being collected and transferred.
32
The term 'Straight Transfers' in Pakistan's fiscal system refers to:
Answer:
Royalties on gas and oil and excise duty paid directly to the provinces of origin
Straight Transfers are revenues like Royalties on Natural Gas, Surcharge on Natural Gas, and Royalty on Crude Oil. These are not part of the divisible pool; they are collected by the center and transferred directly to the province where the resource is located, minus a small collection fee.
33
What is the 'Horizontal Share' of Balochistan in the 7th NFC Award?
Answer:
9.09%
Balochistan receives 9.09% of the provincial pool. A unique feature of the 7th NFC was that Balochistan's share was based on its projected population and area, and the federal government agreed to pay Balochistan's share from its own portion if provincial collections fell short.
34
What is the 'Horizontal Share' of Sindh in the 7th NFC Award?
Answer:
24.55%
Sindh is allocated 24.55% of the horizontal provincial pool. This is based on its population, revenue generation capacity (largely due to Karachi), and other multi-criteria factors defined in the 2010 Award.
35
Under the 7th NFC Award, what is the 'Horizontal Share' of Punjab?
Answer:
51.74%
Punjab's share in the provincial pool is 51.74%. Although it has more than 50% of the population, its share was voluntarily reduced during the 2010 negotiations to accommodate the needs of smaller provinces, facilitating the historic consensus.
36
Which of the following is NOT a part of the 'Divisible Pool' of taxes?
Answer:
Petroleum Development Levy (PDL)
The PDL is currently treated as a federal non-tax revenue and is not part of the divisible pool shared with the provinces. This has often been a point of contention as provinces argue that such levies should be shared to increase their fiscal space.
37
How often is the National Finance Commission supposed to be constituted by the President?
Answer:
Every 5 years
Article 160(1) states that the President shall constitute an NFC at intervals not exceeding five years. If a new award is not reached within five years, the existing award is typically extended through presidential orders until a consensus is achieved.
38
Before the 1973 Constitution, which award governed the distribution of resources in Pakistan in 1951?
Answer:
The Raisman Award
The Raisman Award of 1951 was the first major fiscal arrangement in Pakistan. It was named after Sir Jeremy Raisman and laid the groundwork for sharing sales tax and income tax proceeds between the center and the then East and West Pakistan wings.
39
What is the current vertical share of the 'Provinces' in the divisible pool as per the 7th NFC Award?
Answer:
57.5%
The 7th NFC Award significantly increased the provincial share from roughly 47% to 57.5%. The federal government retains the remaining 42.5% to manage national expenses like defense, debt servicing, and federal administration.
40
Which province receives an additional 1% of the total divisible pool as a 'War on Terror' grant under the 7th NFC?
Answer:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Recognizing that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the frontline province in the fight against terrorism and suffered massive infrastructure and economic losses, the 7th NFC Award allocated an additional 1% from the total divisible pool specifically to KP before the vertical split.