British declared Palestine as “A national home for the Jewish people” in:
- (A) 1915
- (B) 1916
- (C) 1917
- (D) 1919
- (C) 1917
The British government advocated for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, as cited in the Balfour Declaration, whose date of issuance is November 2, 1917. It was declared as a letter from Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Lord Walter Rothschild.
Ghulam Muhammad Barrage is situated near:
- (A) Jamshoro
- (B) Guddu
- (C) Sukkur
- (D) Karachi
- (A) Jamshoro
The Ghulam Muhammad Barrage is officially known as the Kotri Barrage and is situated on the Indus River, near Hyderabad and Jamshoro in Sindh, Pakistan. Completed in 1955, this larger dam lies downstream of the Sukkur Barrage. Opened on the same year, it stretches for approximately 3,000 feet or about 900 meters in length near Hyderabad. Its right-bank canal delivers extra water to Karachi.
The first water accord was signed among the provinces of Pakistan in:
- (A) 1990
- (B) 1991
- (C) 1992
- (D) 1993
- (B) 1991
The first Water Apportion Accord, initially signed by the provinces of Pakistan on March 16, 1991, was the landmark agreement aimed at ending the long series of disputes concerning water and was given the green light by the Council of Common Interests on March 21, 1991.
Which month of Hindi Year is called the “Brother of March”?
- (A) Chate
- (B) Basakh
- (C) Magh
- (D) Phaggan
- (A) Chate
The correct option is Chate (Chaitra). Chaitra is the first month of the Hindi, or Vikram Samvat, calendar and customarily falls from March well into April. Since it ushically starts around the same time as the month of March in the Gregorian calendar, it is sometimes referred to as the “Brother of March.” The remaining months do not commonly match up with the month of March as well: Basakh falls in April–May, Magh in January–February, and Phaggan in February–March, so Chate is the correct option.
Suez Canal connects Mediterranean Sea with:
- (A) Dead Sea
- (B) South China Sea
- (C) Red Sea
- (D) Marmara Sea
- (C) Red Sea
Suez Canal is a man-made, lock-free canal, measuring 193 km, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, cutting across Egypt, and offers the quickest itinerary between Europe and the areas surrounding the Indian and the Western Pacific Oceans. This waterway, opened in 1869, serves as a vital and busy global route between Asia and Africa.
“Babri Masjid” was situated at:
- (A) Ayodhya (UP)
- (B) Amritsar
- (C) Madhya Pradesh
- (D) Rangoon
- (A) Ayodhya (UP)
The Babri Masjid was a 16th-century mosque located at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Situated on Ramkot Hill or Ram Janmabhoomi, it was brought down on 6 December 1992.
The Crusades were, religious wars between Christians and Muslims, started in:
- (A) 1090
- (B) 1095
- (C) 1105
- (D) 1195
- (B) 1095
The Crusades were religious and military campaigns in a succession of clashes between Christian and Muslim powers, starting in 1095. It was Pope Urban II who started the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont, calling upon the knights of Western Europe to recover the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem, and to aid the Byzantine Empire.
The tragedy “Macbeth” was written by:
- (A) John Milton
- (B) John Keats
- (C) William Shakespeare
- (D) Charles Dickens
- (C) William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is the English playwright-poet who penned the tragedy play Macbeth. It is thought to have been written as early as 1606 during the reign of King James I. Of all the works of Shakespeare, it happens to be one of his shortest plays but one of his darkest.
The basic concept aimed in Macbeth is that if ambition for power is left unchecked, it may lead an individual to ruin. The story revolves around Macbeth, who, fueled by ambition led by the prophecy of the witches and with pressure from Lady Macbeth, exceeds his moral limits. He kills King Duncan with an ambition of becoming king, but soon gets consumed by guilt, paranoia, leading him to commit more crimes in an attempt to maintain power. Eventually, ambition for power claims him and everyone else. William Shakespeare highlights themes like ambition, free will, guilt, and power.
Which fort was built by Mughal Emperor Zaheer-ud-Din Babur?
- (A) Attock Fort
- (B) Lahore Fort
- (C) Bala Hissar Fort
- (D) Rohtas Fort
- (C) Bala Hissar Fort
The region was taken over by Mughal Emperor Zahir-ud-Din Babur, roughly around 1526. He recognized the importance of the Bala Hissar Fort, which was situated at Peshawar. According to him, it was actually known as the Bagram Fort, as described by the emperor himself in his memoirs. Although the fort has a history dating prior to the reign of this emperor, it was still understood by him to be of significant importance. This fort has served, over time, as the royal abode of the rulers, along with its importance for military purposes.
Bhanbhore is situated in the Sindh district:
- (A) Karachi
- (B) Thatta
- (C) Larkana
- (D) Hyderabad
- (B) Thatta
The city of Banbhore, which is also referred to by the name Bhambhore, is located within the Sindh Province of Pakistan and specifically within the Thatta District. The city is positioned on the northern bank of the Gharo Creek and is located 65 km to the east of the larger city of Karachi. The site is ancient and dates back to the 1st century BC.