January 2024 Edition
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January 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#1141
Which Pakistani official served as the Vice President of the OIC-CFM during the 2024 Banjul Summit?
(a) The Prime Minister
(b) The Foreign Minister
(c) The Chairman of the Senate
(d) The Permanent Representative to the UN
Explanation: As a leading member, Pakistan's Foreign Minister frequently holds leadership positions within the Council of Foreign Ministers. During the Gambia summit, Pakistan played a key role in drafting the final communiqué and coordinate the OIC's stance on global humanitarian issues.
#1142
Which international body's 'Loss and Damage' fund, operationalized in 2024, highlights Pakistan's role as the voice of the OIC and G77?
(a) NATO
(b) UNFCCC (COP28/COP29)
(c) World Bank
(d) WHO
Explanation: The operationalization of the fund in 2024-2025 is a result of Pakistan's consistent advocacy. By leading the OIC and G77 nations at the UN climate talks, Pakistan successfully bridged the gap between the Global South and the Global North, ensuring a financial mechanism for climate disaster victims.
#1143
The 26th Constitutional Amendment (2024) in Pakistan was discussed in SAARC legal forums as an effort to:
(a) Abolish the parliament
(b) Institutionalize judicial efficiency and Constitutional Benches
(c) Ban regional languages
(d) Declare war on neighbors
Explanation: The 26th Amendment was a significant internal reform. In regional dialogues on 'Rule of Law,' Pakistan presents such reforms as steps toward modernizing its legal system, which is essential for attracting regional and international investment.
#1144
Which Pakistani official visited the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu in late 2024 to reiterate Pakistan's commitment to the organization?
(a) The Chief of Army Staff
(b) The Foreign Minister
(c) The Mayor of Islamabad
(d) The head of NADRA
Explanation: Pakistan's Foreign Minister or senior diplomats frequently engage with the SAARC Secretary-General to emphasize that Pakistan remains ready to host the 19th Summit and that regional cooperation should not be held hostage to bilateral issues.
#1145
The 2024-2025 future outlook for SAARC, according to Pakistani diplomacy, depends on:
(a) Increasing military spending
(b) Shifting the focus to 'Geo-economics' and reviving the stalled summit process
(c) Dissolving the organization
(d) Merging with the European Union
Explanation: Pakistan maintains that for SAARC to be effective, it must overcome its current political paralysis. The future strategy involves focusing on 'low-politics' areas like trade, climate change, and health where all members have a shared interest in cooperation.
#1146
What is the total value of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) approved by the IMF for Pakistan in September 2024, supported by regional economic stability?
(a) $3 Billion
(b) $5 Billion
(c) $7 Billion
(d) $9 Billion
Explanation: In September 2024, the IMF Executive Board approved a 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for Pakistan worth approximately $7 billion (SDR 5,320 million). This program aims to stabilize the macroeconomy and foster structural reforms necessary for long-term growth.
#1147
Pakistan’s 2024-2025 economic doctrine of 'Geo-economics' prioritizes SAARC as a platform for:
(a) Military conquest
(b) Regional connectivity and transit trade
(c) Total isolation
(d) Abolishing local taxes
Explanation: Pakistan's current foreign policy shift towards Geo-economics aims to utilize SAARC for regional trade connectivity. This includes developing corridors that connect Central Asia to the Arabian Sea, benefiting the landlocked members of the organization.
#1148
The 26th Constitutional Amendment (2024) in Pakistan was presented to SAARC legal forums as an effort to:
(a) Abolish the judiciary
(b) Institutionalize judicial efficiency and Constitutional Benches
(c) Ban regional languages
(d) Increase the term of military officers
Explanation: The 26th Amendment was a significant reform that established Constitutional Benches. In regional legal dialogues, Pakistan presented this as a step toward modernizing its legal system and ensuring the separation of powers while maintaining judicial efficiency.
#1149
What is the primary export of Pakistan to the SAARC region as of 2024-2025?
(a) Crude oil
(b) Textiles, Rice, and Surgical Goods
(c) Heavy tanks
(d) Automobiles
Explanation: Pakistan remains a leading supplier of agricultural commodities (rice), textile products, and specialized surgical instruments to its South Asian neighbors, though trade volume is often hampered by the lack of direct land routes to certain members.
#1150
Pakistan hosted which major SCO gathering for the first time in October 2024?
(a) Council of Heads of State (CHS)
(b) Council of Heads of Government (CHG)
(c) RATS Annual Conference
(d) SCO Business Forum
Explanation: Pakistan hosted the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024. This was a significant diplomatic milestone for Pakistan, as it brought together leaders including the Chinese Premier, the Russian Prime Minister, and the Indian External Affairs Minister to discuss regional trade, digital economy, and climate change. It marked the first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in nine years.
#1151
Which landmark document was issued at the conclusion of the October 2024 SCO summit hosted in Islamabad?
(a) Lahore Declaration
(b) Islamabad Declaration
(c) Astana Vision 2030
(d) Jeddah Communiqué
Explanation: The 23rd SCO-CHG meeting concluded with the signing of the 'Islamabad Declaration.' This joint communiqué emphasized the need for a more equitable global economic order, rejected unilateral sanctions and 'protectionist' trade measures, and called for enhanced cooperation in the fields of transport, energy security, and digital trade. It served as a roadmap for regional cooperation during Pakistan's tenure as the host.
#1152
The 26th Constitutional Amendment passed in Pakistan in 2024 was discussed in regional legal forums as an effort to:
(a) Abolish the parliament
(b) Institutionalize judicial efficiency and Constitutional Benches
(c) Ban regional languages
(d) Declare war on neighbors
Explanation: The 26th Amendment was a landmark reform that established Constitutional Benches in the Supreme Court and High Courts. Within SCO-linked legal and administrative dialogues, Pakistan has presented such domestic reforms as efforts to modernize its judicial system and ensure the separation of powers. Such institutional stability is viewed as a prerequisite for attracting the large-scale regional investment envisioned in the SCO charter.
#1153
Which high-ranking Russian official visited Islamabad in October 2024 to participate in the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting?
(a) Vladimir Putin
(b) Mikhail Mishustin
(c) Sergey Lavrov
(d) Dmitry Medvedev
Explanation: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Islamabad for the 2024 SCO summit. His visit included high-level bilateral talks where both nations discussed the 'Pakistan Stream' gas pipeline, the trade of discounted crude oil, and the use of local currencies for bilateral trade. This engagement highlighted the warming ties between Islamabad and Moscow facilitated by their shared membership in the SCO.
#1154
What is the total value of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) approved by the IMF for Pakistan in September 2024, supported by economic assurances from SCO partners?
(a) $3 Billion
(b) $5 Billion
(c) $7 Billion
(d) $9 Billion
Explanation: In September 2024, the IMF Executive Board approved a 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for Pakistan worth approximately $7 billion (SDR 5,320 million). Economic diplomacy with SCO members like China and Russia was crucial in securing the external financing assurances required for this program to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomy.
#1155
Which high-ranking Russian official visited Islamabad in October 2024 for the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting?
(a) Vladimir Putin
(b) Mikhail Mishustin
(c) Sergey Lavrov
(d) Dmitry Medvedev
Explanation: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin visited Islamabad in October 2024 for the SCO-CHG meeting. His visit included high-level bilateral talks where both nations discussed the 'Pakistan Stream' gas pipeline and the trade of discounted crude oil. This engagement highlighted the warming ties between Islamabad and Moscow facilitated by their shared membership in the SCO.
#1156
The first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in nine years occurred during the 2024 SCO summit. Who was the official?
(a) Sushma Swaraj
(b) S. Jaishankar
(c) Narendra Modi
(d) Ajit Doval
Explanation: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Islamabad in October 2024 to attend the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting. This was the first such visit since 2015. While the visit focused on the multilateral SCO agenda, it was seen as a significant protocol-level engagement between the two nuclear neighbors.
#1157
In late 2024, Pakistan and China signed an agreement to upgrade which railway project under the CPEC-SCO connectivity vision?
(a) Orange Line
(b) Main Line-1 (ML-1)
(c) Karachi Circular Railway
(d) Bolan Express
Explanation: The ML-1 project is the most critical railway infrastructure project in Pakistan, aimed at upgrading the track from Karachi to Peshawar. In 2024 and 2025, Pakistan and China fast-tracked this project to ensure that the transport corridor can effectively handle the projected surge in transit trade from Central Asian SCO members.
#1158
Which SCO member is Pakistan's largest supplier of discounted crude oil as of late 2024 and early 2025?
(a) China
(b) Russia
(c) Kazakhstan
(d) Uzbekistan
Explanation: Following the global shift in energy markets, Pakistan began importing discounted crude oil from Russia in 2023. By 2024 and 2025, this has become a key pillar of Pakistan's energy security strategy. The SCO provides a diplomatic framework for the two nations to settle payments and navigate international logistics challenges.
#1159
Which specific 'evil' does the SCO-RATS prioritize, which Pakistan has addressed through Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in 2024?
(a) Environmental pollution
(b) Terrorism
(c) Corruption
(d) Inflation
Explanation: The SCO Charter identifies the 'three evils' as terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Pakistan launched Operation Azm-e-Istehkam in June 2024 to combat the re-emerging threat of militancy. Pakistan's progress in this domestic operation is regularly shared with the SCO-RATS to emphasize its role as a stable regional security partner.
#1160
The 'Islamabad Declaration' issued at the end of the 2024 SCO summit emphasized which new area of cooperation?
(a) Nuclear weapons research
(b) Digital Trade and E-commerce
(c) Building more dams
(d) Abolishing local taxes
Explanation: The Islamabad Declaration of the 23rd SCO-CHG meeting highlighted the need for a more equitable global economic order and focused on digital trade, e-commerce, and the integration of digital payment systems. Pakistan championed this agenda to leverage its growing IT sector and to link its startups with the massive SCO market.