July 2024 Edition
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July 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#941
In 2024-2025, which international issue saw Pakistan and the United States working in close alignment?
(a) CPEC development
(b) Counter-terrorism cooperation against IS-K (Daesh)
(c) Relationship with Russia
(d) Banning the IMF
Explanation: Both Washington and Islamabad view the rise of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) in Afghanistan as a shared threat. This intelligence and security coordination remains a vital pillar of the Pak-US relationship, even as they disagree on other strategic issues.
#942
The 'Look Africa' Trade Forum held in 2024 was hosted in which African city to promote Pakistani goods?
(a) Cairo
(b) Nairobi
(c) Lagos
(d) Johannesburg
Explanation: Nairobi (Kenya) has become a hub for Pakistan's trade engagement in East Africa. These forums are intended to connect Pakistani exporters with African buyers, specifically in the surgical, pharmaceutical, and engineering sectors.
#943
Which country provided a $2 billion liquidity support (rollover) to Pakistan in early 2024 to maintain its reserves?
(a) USA
(b) China
(c) UK
(d) Germany
Explanation: China has frequently rolled over loans and provided liquidity support to help Pakistan meet its external debt obligations. Managing this debt relationship with Beijing is a critical foreign policy and economic task for Islamabad.
#944
The 'Niazi' vs. the State struggle in the media in 2024-2025 has affected Pakistan's foreign policy by:
(a) Increasing exports
(b) Creating concerns among Western partners regarding political stability and human rights
(c) Joining the G7
(d) Ending the debt
Explanation: Internal political polarization often spills over into the foreign policy domain. High-profile cases, arrests, and the crackdown on political workers have led to inquiries and statements from the US State Department and the EU, complicating diplomatic engagement.
#945
Pakistan's 'Economic Diplomacy' doctrine of 2024-2025 is summarized as shifting from:
(a) War to Peace
(b) Geopolitics to Geoeconomics
(c) East to West
(d) Agriculture to Industry only
Explanation: The 'Geoeconomic' shift means that Pakistan wants to be seen as a land-bridge and an economic partner rather than a security surrogate. This policy aims to leverage Pakistan's location for transit, trade, and regional connectivity to ensure long-term national security.
#946
Which agreement was signed in July 1972 to settle the consequences of the 1971 war and define the Line of Control in Kashmir?
(a) Tashkent Declaration
(b) Simla Agreement
(c) Delhi Accord
(d) Lahore Declaration
Explanation: The Simla Agreement was signed between Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi on July 2, 1972. It aimed to establish durable peace between the two nations through bilateral negotiations, led to the release of 93,000 Pakistani prisoners of war, and converted the 1949 ceasefire line into the Line of Control (LoC).
#947
What is the total value of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) approved by the IMF for Pakistan in September 2024?
(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). The program is aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability and enabling sustainable growth.
#948
In October 2024, Pakistan hosted which major international gathering for the first time in nearly two decades?
(a) SAARC Summit
(b) SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) Meeting
(c) OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting
(d) United Nations General Assembly Session
Explanation: Pakistan hosted the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Islamabad on October 15-16, 2024. The event attended by leaders from Russia, China, and Central Asian nations, including the first visit by an Indian Foreign Minister to Pakistan in nine years.
#949
Which neighboring country's President visited Pakistan in April 2024, the first such high-level visit after the 'Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar' tensions?
(a) Afghanistan
(b) Iran
(c) China
(d) Turkey
Explanation: President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran visited Pakistan in April 2024. This visit was diplomatically significant as it aimed to normalize ties and promote economic cooperation following a brief period of border tensions and missile exchanges in early 2024.
#950
In 2024, Pakistan and which country signed a series of MoUs worth $2.2 billion during a high-level investment summit in Islamabad?
(a) China
(b) Saudi Arabia
(c) Russia
(d) Germany
Explanation: During a landmark visit by a high-level Saudi delegation in October 2024, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed 27 MoUs and agreements worth $2.2 billion across various sectors, signaling a major boost in bilateral economic ties.
#951
Pakistan was elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2024 for which term?
(a) 2024-2025
(b) 2025-2026
(c) 2026-2027
(d) 2023-2024
Explanation: In June 2024, Pakistan was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2025-2026 term, receiving 182 votes. This is Pakistan's eighth time serving on the Council, where it advocates for the right of self-determination and regional peace.
#952
Which country provided a 'liquidity support' of $2 billion in March 2024 to help Pakistan meet its external debt obligations?
(a) China
(b) Saudi Arabia
(c) United Arab Emirates
(d) Qatar
Explanation: China rolled over a $2 billion loan in early 2024 to assist Pakistan in maintaining its foreign exchange reserves. Such 'rollovers' from China and Saudi Arabia have been critical for Pakistan's debt management during current economic challenges.
#953
The 2024 SCO summit in Islamabad saw a breakthrough meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and:
(a) India
(b) Ukraine
(c) Israel
(d) USA
Explanation: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad in October 2024 for the SCO summit was the first such visit since 2015. While no formal bilateral talks took place, the attendance was seen as a positive step for regional multilateralism.
#954
In the current 2024-2025 period, Pakistan's relationship with the Taliban-led Afghanistan is primarily strained over the issue of:
(a) Trade through Torkham
(b) The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) safe havens
(c) Water sharing of the Kabul river
(d) The recognition of the government
Explanation: Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have been increasingly tense due to the surge in cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Afghan interim government to stop using its soil for TTP attacks, leading to border closures and security crackdowns.
#955
Which state's Prime Minister visited Pakistan in October 2024 to discuss 'Halal Trade' and economic cooperation?
(a) Malaysia
(b) Indonesia
(c) Singapore
(d) Brunei
Explanation: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Islamabad in October 2024. The visit focused on increasing trade in rice, meat, and palm oil, and both countries agreed to explore the potential of the 'Halal' economy as a major bilateral trade driver.
#956
Pakistan's 'Bilateral Investment Treaty' (BIT) framework was overhauled in 2024 to:
(a) Ban foreign companies
(b) Provide better legal protection to investors while safeguarding national interests
(c) Increase corporate taxes
(d) Abolish the SIFC
Explanation: Learning from the Reko Diq and Karkey cases, Pakistan modernized its BIT model in 2024. The new framework aims to attract investment by offering clearer dispute resolution mechanisms while ensuring that the state is not vulnerable to unfair international arbitration penalties.
#957
The 'Operation Marg Bar Sarmachar' in January 2024 involved Pakistan's retaliatory strikes against militant groups in which country?
(a) Afghanistan
(b) Iran
(c) India
(d) Uzbekistan
Explanation: Following an Iranian missile strike in Balochistan, Pakistan launched retaliatory strikes on January 18, 2024, against hideouts of the 'Sarmachar' Baloch militants in Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran. This was a rare military exchange between the two neighbors, though both sides quickly moved to de-escalate.
#958
Which Gulf nation signed an agreement in 2024 to invest $1 billion in the operations of the Karachi Port Terminal?
(a) Saudi Arabia
(b) United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi Ports)
(c) Qatar
(d) Oman
Explanation: The UAE-based AD Ports Group signed a 25-year concession agreement in 2023/2024 to develop and operate the Karachi Gateway Terminal. This is part of the broader foreign policy shift towards 'investment-not-loans' with GCC partners.
#959
What is the primary objective of Pakistan's 'Economic Diplomacy' initiative launched in 2024?
(a) Building more nuclear plants
(b) Shifting from geo-politics to geo-economics by prioritizing trade and investment
(c) Banning the use of Dollars
(d) Joining the European Union
Explanation: Pakistan's current foreign policy doctrine emphasizes 'Geo-economics.' This involves leveraging Pakistan's location as a transit hub between Central Asia, China, and the Middle East to build economic partnerships rather than engaging in regional power rivalries.
#960
Which country remains Pakistan's largest export destination in 2024-2025?
(a) China
(b) United States
(c) Saudi Arabia
(d) United Kingdom
Explanation: Despite political fluctuations, the United States remains the largest single-country market for Pakistani exports, particularly in the textile and IT sectors. Maintaining economic ties with the US is a vital component of Pakistan's 'Geo-economic' strategy.