AJKPSC Test General Knowledge II (Current Affairs) Flashcards

24 sample cards from the General Knowledge II (Current Affairs) deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. Which port in Balochistan is the centerpiece of CPEC, and which country operates it?

   Gwadar Port, located on the Arabian Sea coast of Balochistan. It is operated by a Chinese state company and provides China access to the Indian Ocean.

2. What is the AUKUS pact, formed in 2021, and which three countries are its members?

   A trilateral security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, focused on Indo-Pacific security, including providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.

3. What is the QUAD, and which four countries comprise it?

   The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a strategic forum of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia, aimed at maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, widely seen as a counterbalance to China.

4. Which 2021 event saw the Taliban return to power in Afghanistan, and what regime name did they adopt?

   The withdrawal of US-led forces and collapse of the Afghan government in August 2021, after which the Taliban re-established the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.'

5. What is the TTP, and why is it a security concern for Pakistan?

   Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (the Pakistani Taliban), a banned militant umbrella organization responsible for numerous terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, including the 2014 Army Public School Peshawar attack.

6. What was the National Action Plan (NAP) in Pakistan, and what triggered it?

   A 20-point counter-terrorism strategy adopted in December 2014 to combat terrorism and extremism. It was triggered by the December 2014 Army Public School massacre in Peshawar.

7. What is BRICS, and what major expansion occurred starting in 2024?

   BRICS is an intergovernmental grouping originally of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. From 2024 it expanded to include new members such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE, increasing its global economic weight.

8. What is inflation, and what term describes a sustained fall in the inflation rate (but still positive prices)?

   Inflation is the sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services, reducing purchasing power. A slowing of the inflation rate while prices still rise is called 'disinflation'; an actual fall in prices is 'deflation.'

9. What is a country's 'fiscal deficit'?

   The amount by which a government's total expenditure exceeds its total revenue (excluding borrowing) in a fiscal year, indicating how much it must borrow to cover the gap.

10. What is the Russia-Ukraine conflict's significance for global food and energy prices since 2022?

    The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine disrupted global supplies of grain, fertilizer, and energy (oil and gas), driving up food and fuel prices worldwide and worsening inflation, including in import-dependent Pakistan.

11. Which body is the UN's principal judicial organ for settling disputes between states, and where is it located?

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ), located in The Hague, Netherlands. It should not be confused with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which tries individuals.

12. What was the Kulbhushan Jadhav case at the ICJ involving India and Pakistan?

    A 2019 case in which India approached the ICJ over an Indian national, Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for espionage. The ICJ ruled Pakistan must review the case and grant consular access.

13. Which two countries fought the Pulwama-Balakot crisis of February 2019, and what triggered it?

    India and Pakistan. It was triggered by a suicide bombing on Indian forces in Pulwama (Indian-administered Kashmir), after which India conducted airstrikes at Balakot and a brief aerial clash followed.

14. What is the Saudi-led OPEC, and what does OPEC+ add to it?

    OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a cartel of major oil-producing nations coordinating output and prices. OPEC+ adds non-OPEC producers, most notably Russia, to expand coordination over global oil supply.

15. What is the GSP+ status granted by the European Union, and why does it matter for Pakistan?

    The Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus grants duty-free or reduced-tariff access to the EU market in exchange for ratifying and implementing international conventions on human rights, labor and governance. It is vital for Pakistan's textile exports.

16. Who is the current UN Secretary-General as of 2026, and from which country?

    António Guterres of Portugal, who became the ninth UN Secretary-General in 2017 and was re-elected for a second term beginning in 2022.

17. What does GDP per capita measure, and how is it calculated?

    It measures average economic output per person, used to gauge living standards. It is calculated by dividing a country's Gross Domestic Product by its total population.

18. What was the 2025 (or most recent) Pahalgam-related India-Pakistan flashpoint over Kashmir an example of?

    It exemplifies the recurring pattern of cross-border tension between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region, in which militant attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir trigger military escalation, diplomatic expulsions, and disputes over the Indus Waters Treaty.

19. What is 'remittances' as an economic term, and why are they crucial to Pakistan?

    Remittances are money transfers sent home by citizens working abroad. They are a major source of foreign exchange for Pakistan, helping finance imports and support the balance of payments, primarily from workers in the Gulf states.

20. What is the difference between bilateral and multilateral debt?

    Bilateral debt is owed by one country directly to another country (e.g., Pakistan's loans from China or Saudi Arabia). Multilateral debt is owed to international institutions such as the IMF, World Bank, or Asian Development Bank.

21. What is the renewable energy share goal and the role of solar and hydropower in Pakistan's energy mix?

    Pakistan aims to raise the share of clean energy (targeting around 60% renewable, including hydropower, by 2030 under its updated NDCs). Hydropower from rivers and growing solar capacity are central to reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.

22. Which sporting event is the world's largest football tournament, held every four years, and who hosted the 2022 edition won by Argentina?

    The FIFA World Cup. The 2022 edition was hosted by Qatar, the first Arab nation to do so, and was won by Argentina led by Lionel Messi.

23. Which Pakistani won an individual Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and in what event?

    Arshad Nadeem won gold in the men's javelin throw, setting an Olympic record and securing Pakistan's first individual Olympic gold medal.

24. What is the Kyoto Protocol, and how does it relate to the Paris Agreement?

    The Kyoto Protocol (1997) was the first major treaty under the UNFCCC binding developed countries to emission-reduction targets. The Paris Agreement (2015) succeeded it by committing all countries, developed and developing, to climate action through nationally determined contributions.

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