May 2024 Edition
Start May Quiz
May 2024 Current Affairs MCQs & Solutions
Top national & international current affairs questions for CSS, PMS, FPSC, PPSC, and NTS screening tests.
#1201
Which political party emerged with the largest number of seats in the Sindh Assembly during the 2024 elections?
(a) MQM-P
(b) PTI
(c) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)
(d) PML-N
Explanation: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured a heavy majority in the Sindh Assembly in the 2024 elections, allowing it to form the provincial government for the fourth consecutive time since 2008. Syed Murad Ali Shah was subsequently re-elected as the Chief Minister.
#1202
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.
#1203
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.
#1204
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.
#1205
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.
#1206
The 2nd phase of local government elections in Sindh (2023) was particularly significant for which city's Mayoral election?
(a) Hyderabad
(b) Sukkur
(c) Karachi
(d) Larkana
Explanation: The 2023 Karachi local government elections and the subsequent election of the Mayor (Murtaza Wahab) were highly contested. It was the first time a PPP candidate became the Mayor of Karachi, a city historically dominated by the MQM and later contested by JI and PTI.
#1207
Who has the power to remove an elected Mayor or Chairman of a local government in the current provincial setups?
(a) The President of Pakistan
(b) The Provincial Government (under specific conditions/inquiry)
(c) The local SHO
(d) The Chief Justice
Explanation: Most provincial acts allow the Provincial Government to suspend or remove a local head if they are found guilty of misconduct or corruption following a formal inquiry. This power is often criticized as a tool for political victimization.
#1208
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.
#1209
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.
#1210
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.
#1211
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.
#1212
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.
#1213
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.
#1214
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.
#1215
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.
#1216
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.
#1217
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.
#1218
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.
#1219
The events of 'May 9, 2023' marked a significant shift in civil-military relations because:
(a) The military launched a new offensive in Afghanistan
(b) Protesters associated with a political party attacked military installations for the first time in such scale
(c) The PM resigned
(d) A new constitution was written
Explanation: Following the arrest of Imran Khan, widespread protests targeted military sites, including the GHQ and the Corps Commander's house in Lahore. This led to a massive state crackdown, the trial of civilians in military courts, and a total breakdown of the previous PTI-establishment relationship.
#1220
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.