April 2024 Edition
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April 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#881
The 26th Constitutional Amendment, passed in October 2024, primarily focused on which area of governance?
(a) Local Government reforms
(b) Judicial reforms and the appointment of the CJP
(c) Economic emergency powers
(d) Education sector devolution
Explanation: The 26th Amendment significantly altered the process of appointing the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and established constitutional benches. It introduced a parliamentary committee to select the CJP from the three most senior judges, shifting away from the previous 'seniority-only' principle.
#882
Who is the current Leader of the House in the 16th National Assembly (elected in March 2024)?
(a) Asif Ali Zardari
(b) Shahbaz Sharif
(c) Nawaz Sharif
(d) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
Explanation: Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif was elected as the Prime Minister (Leader of the House) for a second term in March 2024. He represents a coalition government comprising the PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, and other smaller parties.
#883
Who was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan to be ousted via a successful 'Vote of No-Confidence' in April 2022?
(a) Nawaz Sharif
(b) Yousaf Raza Gillani
(c) Imran Khan
(d) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
Explanation: Imran Khan made history in April 2022 when he became the first Prime Minister in Pakistan's history to be removed from office through a vote of no-confidence. 174 members voted against him in the 342-member house of that time.
#884
Which political party formed the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) following the 2024 elections?
(a) JUI-F
(b) PML-N
(c) PTI (represented by Sunni Ittehad Council/Independent bloc)
(d) ANP
Explanation: In KP, candidates backed by the PTI won a landslide victory. After the elections, they joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) as a bloc and elected Ali Amin Gandapur as the Chief Minister of the province.
#885
Which Provincial Assembly elected Maryam Nawaz Sharif as the first female Chief Minister in Pakistan's history in 2024?
(a) Sindh Assembly
(b) Punjab Assembly
(c) Balochistan Assembly
(d) KP Assembly
Explanation: In February 2024, the Punjab Assembly elected Maryam Nawaz Sharif as the Chief Minister of Punjab. This was a historic event as she became the first woman to lead a provincial government in Pakistan.
#886
Who was the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan during the 2024 General Elections?
(a) Sikandar Sultan Raja
(b) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim
(c) Sardar Muhammad Raza
(d) Justice (R) Nasim Sikandar
Explanation: Sikandar Sultan Raja was appointed as the CEC in January 2020. He oversaw the 2024 General Elections, which were notable for the use of the 2023 Digital Census data for delimitation and the significant challenges regarding the allocation of symbols and election delays.
#887
What is the security deposit for a candidate contesting a seat in the National Assembly (as of the 2024 elections)?
(a) Rs. 10,000
(b) Rs. 20,000
(c) Rs. 30,000
(d) Rs. 50,000 (increased by recent amendments)
Explanation: The security deposit for the National Assembly was historically Rs. 30,000, though recent legal discussions and amendments have proposed increases. This deposit is forfeited if a candidate fails to secure a minimum percentage of the total votes polled in the constituency.
#888
Which census was used as the basis for the delimitation of constituencies for the 2024 General Elections?
(a) 1998 Census
(b) 2017 Census
(c) 2023 Digital Census
(d) 2021 Interim Census
Explanation: After the Council of Common Interests (CCI) approved the results of the 7th Population and Housing Census (Digital Census) in August 2023, the ECP was constitutionally required to carry out a fresh delimitation of constituencies, which was a primary reason for the delay of elections to February 2024.
#889
In the 2024 General Elections, the majority of PTI candidates contested as 'Independents' because:
(a) The party voluntarily chose to do so
(b) The Supreme Court upheld the ECP's decision to revoke their 'Bat' symbol
(c) The party was formally banned
(d) Independent candidates do not have to pay tax
Explanation: Due to a legal dispute over intra-party elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) revoked PTI's election symbol (the Bat). This decision was upheld by the Supreme Court, forcing PTI-backed candidates to contest as independents with various individual symbols.
#890
In the 2024 elections, which party formed a coalition government at the center with the support of PPP and MQM-P?
(a) PTI
(b) PML-N
(c) JUI-F
(d) IPP
Explanation: After the 2024 elections resulted in a split mandate, the PML-N formed a coalition government with the PPP and other allies, with Shahbaz Sharif being elected as Prime Minister.
#891
Who is the current Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami (elected in 2024)?
(a) Siraj-ul-Haq
(b) Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman
(c) Liaquat Baloch
(d) Munawar Hasan
Explanation: Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman was elected as the Emir of Jamaat-e-Islami in April 2024, succeeding Siraj-ul-Haq following the party's performance in the general elections.
#892
The 'Sunni Ittehad Council' (SIC) became politically significant after the 2024 elections because:
(a) It won a majority on its own
(b) PTI-backed independent candidates joined it to claim reserved seats
(c) It formed the government in Punjab
(d) It was banned by the government
Explanation: Following the 2024 elections, the PTI-backed independent winners joined the Sunni Ittehad Council as a strategic move to preserve their group identity and apply for the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities.
#893
In the 2024 elections, which party won the second-highest number of seats in the National Assembly after the independents?
(a) PPP
(b) PML-N
(c) MQM-P
(d) JUI-F
Explanation: The PML-N emerged as the single largest party in terms of party-affiliated members after the 2024 elections, followed by the PPP.
#894
The '26th Constitutional Amendment', passed in late 2024, notably changed the process for appointing:
(a) The President
(b) The Prime Minister
(c) The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP)
(d) The Army Chief
Explanation: The 26th Amendment (2024) introduced a significant shift in judicial politics. It replaced the seniority-based automatic promotion of the CJP with a parliamentary committee-led selection from the three most senior judges, and established constitutional benches.
#895
The 'Sunni Ittehad Council' (SIC) became a focal point of constitutional debate in 2024 regarding the allocation of:
(a) General Seats
(b) Reserved Seats for Women and Minorities
(c) Senate Seats
(d) Development Funds
Explanation: In 2024, after PTI-backed independent candidates joined the SIC, a major constitutional dispute arose regarding whether a party that did not win any general seats or contest the election could be allocated reserved seats. The Supreme Court eventually ruled in favor of PTI.
#896
In 2024, the '26th Amendment' was discussed as a way to potentially change the tenure or appointment process of the Chief Justice. How does this affect civil-military relations?
(a) It gives the military control over the High Courts
(b) It re-balances the 'Judiciary-Military-Executive' triangle by giving the Parliament a say in judicial appointments
(c) It makes the PM the Chief Justice
(d) It abolishes the Supreme Court
Explanation: By involving a parliamentary committee in the selection of the Chief Justice (replacing the seniority rule), the 26th Amendment shifted power from the 'judicial brotherhood' to the legislature. Analysts see this as a way for the 'hybrid' setup to ensure a more predictable and less activist judiciary.
#897
The '26th Constitutional Amendment' (2024) significantly impacted judicial activism by establishing:
(a) Military Courts
(b) Constitutional Benches
(c) Federal Shariat Courts
(d) Anti-Terrorism Courts
Explanation: The 26th Amendment introduced Constitutional Benches in the Supreme Court and High Courts to hear matters involving the interpretation of the Constitution. This was seen as a way to separate 'political' constitutional cases from regular litigation and reduce the individual influence of the CJP.
#898
The 'Reserved Seats Case' (2024) saw the Supreme Court intervene to grant seats to which political entity?
(a) PML-N
(b) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
(c) PPP
(d) JUI-F
Explanation: In a major exercise of judicial power, the Supreme Court ruled in July 2024 that the PTI was a political party eligible for reserved seats for women and minorities, overturning the decisions of the ECP and the Peshawar High Court. This was seen as a significant check on the executive and the electoral body.
#899
In the 2024 'Cipher Case' and other political trials, the judiciary faced scrutiny regarding:
(a) The lack of judges
(b) Fair trial standards and the independence of the lower courts
(c) The cost of litigation
(d) The use of artificial intelligence
Explanation: During high-profile political trials in 2024, the judiciary was criticized for the speed and manner of trials in lower courts. High Courts intervened frequently to suspend sentences and order retrials, showcasing 'corrective' activism against perceived executive pressure.
#900
The 'Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Reference' (2024) resulted in the Supreme Court acknowledging that his trial was:
(a) Perfectly legal
(b) Unfair and lacked due process
(c) A military decision only
(d) Irrelevant to modern law
Explanation: In 2024, a larger bench led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa gave an opinion on a reference filed years ago, admitting that the 1979 trial and execution of Bhutto did not meet the standards of a 'fair trial.' This was a form of 'historical' judicial activism to correct past wrongs.