KPPSC Test Current Affairs Syllabus

Who is the current UN Secretary-General, and when did his term begin?

Antonio Guterres of Portugal, who became UN Secretary-General on 1 January 2017 and was re-elected for a second term beginning 2022.

What do OIC, SAARC, and SCO stand for, and where is each headquartered?

OIC = Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (HQ Jeddah). SAARC = South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (HQ Kathmandu). SCO = Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (HQ Beijing).

When was the OIC founded and what event triggered its creation?

The OIC (originally Organisation of the Islamic Conference) was founded in 1969 in Rabat, Morocco, in response to an arson attack on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. It is the second-largest intergovernmental organisation after the UN.

When did Pakistan and India become full members of the SCO?

Pakistan and India both became full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2017 (at the Astana summit).

What is the core function of the IMF versus the World Bank?

The IMF provides short-term balance-of-payments support and macroeconomic stabilization (lender of last resort to governments). The World Bank provides long-term loans for development projects and poverty reduction.

What is an IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF), and why is it relevant to Pakistan?

The EFF is a medium-term IMF lending arrangement (usually 3 years) for countries with structural balance-of-payments problems, tied to reforms. Pakistan has repeatedly relied on IMF programmes, including a 2024 EFF, to stabilize its economy.

What does the WTO do, when was it established, and what preceded it?

The World Trade Organization regulates international trade and settles trade disputes. It was established on 1 January 1995, succeeding the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) of 1947. Its HQ is in Geneva.

What is 'Most Favoured Nation' (MFN) status under WTO rules?

MFN is a non-discrimination principle requiring a WTO member to extend any trade advantage granted to one member to all other members equally, so no trading partner is treated less favourably than another.

When did the Russia-Ukraine war (full-scale invasion) begin, and what was a key earlier event in 2014?

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea and conflict began in the Donbas region.

What triggered the major Israel-Gaza conflict that began in October 2023?

A large-scale Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023 triggered an extensive Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip, escalating into a prolonged war with a severe humanitarian crisis.

Name the warring parties in the Sudan conflict that erupted in April 2023.

Fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF, led by Gen. al-Burhan) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF, led by Gen. Hemedti).

What is the Paris Agreement (2015) and its central temperature goal?

The Paris Agreement is the legally binding climate treaty adopted at COP21 in 2015. Its central aim is to limit global warming to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels, and ideally to 1.5C, with countries submitting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

What is the 'Loss and Damage Fund' and at which climate summit was it operationalized?

It is a fund to compensate developing/vulnerable countries for climate-induced losses. It was agreed at COP27 (Sharm el-Sheikh, 2022) and operationalized at COP28 (Dubai, 2023). Pakistan, after its 2022 floods, was a leading advocate.

What is the difference between the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement?

UNFCCC (1992) is the parent framework convention on climate change. The Kyoto Protocol (1997) set binding emission cuts for developed countries only. The Paris Agreement (2015) replaced Kyoto with NDCs covering all countries.

What were the main outcomes Pakistan sought after the 2022 floods, and roughly how much of the country was affected?

The 2022 monsoon floods submerged about one-third of Pakistan, affected over 33 million people, and led Pakistan to champion climate finance and the Loss and Damage Fund, plus the 'Resilient Pakistan' donor conference in Geneva (2023).

What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), how many are there, and what years do they span?

The SDGs are 17 global goals adopted by the UN in 2015 under 'Agenda 2030', to be achieved by 2030 (e.g., No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Climate Action). They succeeded the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

List the five categories of the Nobel Prize established by Alfred Nobel's will and the later sixth prize.

The original five (first awarded 1901): Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. The sixth, Economic Sciences, was added in 1968 by Sweden's central bank.

Which two Pakistanis have won the Nobel Prize, in what fields and years?

Dr. Abdus Salam won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 (electroweak theory), and Malala Yousafzai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 (jointly with Kailash Satyarthi) for children's education rights.

Who awards the Nobel Peace Prize, and where is it presented, unlike the other Nobel Prizes?

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee and presented in Oslo, Norway. The other prizes are awarded by Swedish institutions and presented in Stockholm.

What is the highest civilian award of Pakistan, and what is the highest military gallantry award?

The highest civilian award is Nishan-e-Imtiaz, and the highest military gallantry award is Nishan-e-Haider (awarded only posthumously).

Match these international days to their dates: World Environment Day, International Women's Day, World Health Day, Human Rights Day.

World Environment Day - 5 June; International Women's Day - 8 March; World Health Day - 7 April; Human Rights Day - 10 December.

On what dates does Pakistan observe Independence Day, Defence Day, and Pakistan (Resolution) Day?

Independence Day - 14 August (1947); Defence Day (Youm-e-Difa) - 6 September (commemorating 1965 war); Pakistan/Resolution Day - 23 March (Lahore Resolution 1940 and 1956 Constitution).

What is observed on 5 February each year by Pakistan regarding Kashmir, and what is World Water Day's date?

5 February is observed as Kashmir Solidarity Day in Pakistan. World Water Day is observed on 22 March.

Which country won the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup (ODI)?

Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup (in Qatar). Australia won the 2023 ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup (held in India), beating India in the final.

Which city is hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics, and which will host the 2028 Summer Olympics?

Paris hosted the 2024 Summer Olympics, and Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Which Pakistani athlete won the Olympic gold in javelin in 2024 and with what notable achievement?

Arshad Nadeem won gold in the men's javelin throw at the Paris 2024 Olympics, setting a new Olympic record (over 92 metres) and winning Pakistan's first individual Olympic gold.

What is the State Bank of Pakistan's primary monetary-policy tool and what is the inflation indicator it targets?

The State Bank of Pakistan uses the policy (interest) rate as its primary tool to control inflation, which is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It conducts monetary policy to achieve price stability.

What is the difference between bilateral and multilateral debt in Pakistan's external-debt profile?

Bilateral debt is owed to individual countries (e.g., China, Saudi Arabia). Multilateral debt is owed to international institutions (e.g., IMF, World Bank, ADB). Pakistan also has commercial loans and Eurobonds/Sukuk.

What is the BRICS group, and what major expansion took place in 2024?

BRICS originally comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. In January 2024 it expanded to include new members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, increasing its weight as a non-Western economic bloc.

What is a 'plebiscite', and why is the term central to the Kashmir issue?

A plebiscite is a direct vote by an electorate to decide an important question such as the political status of a territory. It is central to the Kashmir issue because UN resolutions called for a plebiscite to let Kashmiris choose between India and Pakistan.