Abdul Karim, popularly known as “Little Karim,” was a:
- (A) Scientist
- (B) Astronomer
- (C) Mountaineer
- (D) Politician
- (C) Mountaineer
Abdul Karim, also known as “Little Karim,” was a renowned high-altitude porter and a legend in the field of mountain climbing from the valley of Hushe in Gilgit-Baltistan. He earned international prominence due to his remarkable physical power and ability to conquer peaks above 8,000 meters like Gasherbrum II and Broad Peak without the assistance of oxygen equipment. He also featured in a few French documentaries.
London is situated on the bank of which river?
- (A) Rhine
- (B) Danube
- (C) Thames
- (D) Seine
- (C) Thames
London is situated on the banks of River Thames, running through its heart in southeast England. It is a 215-mile-long river, the longest entirely in England, and has become a significant aspect of history and commercial activity.
Which Muslim-majority area was given to India to accommodate access to Kashmir?
- (A) Hyderabad
- (B) Junagadh
- (C) Gurdaspur
- (D) Sylhet
- (C) Gurdaspur
Gurdaspur was given over to India when India and Pakistan were partitioned in 1947 on religious lines. It was a Muslim-majority area but by a very narrow margin—50.2% Muslims and 51% non-Muslims. Gurdaspur was given over to India along with three out of four tehsils by the Radcliffe Commission. These tehsils were Gurdaspur, Batala, and Pathankot. This decision was significant because it gave India the only direct land route from East Punjab to Kashmir.
What was the cultural center of the Gandhara Civilisation?
- (A) Mohenjodaro
- (B) Harappa
- (C) Hyderabad
- (D) Taxila
- (D) Taxila
Taxila, which was also known as Takshashila anciently, served as the nucleus for Gandhara civilization’s culture, learning, and politics. Situated in modern-day Punjab, Pakistan, Taxila developed as a key site for Buddhist learning, aesthetics, and trade, characterized by a civilization that stretches all the way from the mid-1st millennium BCE into the 2nd millennium CE.
Which country was named the world’s happiest in The World Happiness Report in 2022?
- (A) Finland
- (B) Denmark
- (C) Switzerland
- (D) New Zealand
- (A) Finland
Finland emerged as the happiest country in the world for the fifth consecutive year in 2022, based on the World Happiness Report. This was due to its high level of trust, social support, and personal freedom.
Sedimentary rocks are:
- (A) Rough
- (B) Hard
- (C) Porous
- (D) Brittle
- (C) Porous
Sedimentary rocks are Porous and form an accumulation of all the sediments that we see, namely sand, mud, pebbles, and so on. This happens in layers that are pressed and cemented together. During this time, fossils form in the process. This type of formation has small gaps all over the surface of the rocks; therefore, the resulting sedimentary rocks have the capacity to hold water or petroleum products.
In which language was the Holy Quran first translated in the Subcontinent?
- (A) Punjabi
- (B) Sindhi
- (C) Persian
- (D) Pashto
- (B) Sindhi
The translation of the Quran into Sindhi on the Indian subcontinent began with imperfect, early attempts, and a complete translation, which is attributed to Akhund Azizullah Muttalawi (1747-1824) in Sindh, although some sources also reflect the name of an even earlier complete translation by Imam Abul Hassan bin Mohammad Sadig Al-Sindhi.
Which regulator controls the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE)?
- (A) State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
- (B) Securities and Ex/jchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)
- (C) Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)
- (D) Pakistan Stock Exchange Authority (PSEA)
- (B) Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)
Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE), being a stock exchange, is under the regulation and supervision of the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), which is the apex body regulating capital markets in Pakistan. The SECP, formed under the SECP Act 1997, among other duties, ensures the transparent mechanism of stock markets, investor protection, and adherence to regulations.
When did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan?
- (A) 24 December, 1974
- (B) 24 December, 1977
- (C) 24 December, 1979
- (D) 24 December, 1981
- (C) 24 December, 1979
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on December 24, 1979, beginning the Soviet-Afghan War. What ensued was close to a decade of combat as the Soviets sought to prop up a weak communist government against Islamist fighters called the Mujahideen. The Russians were swift in their invasion, overthrowing and executing poor President Hafizullah Amin and appointing Babrak Karmal as president, but they found unexpected resistance before finally leaving in 1989.
The book “Shahrah-e-Pakistan” is written by:
- (A) A.K. Fazal Ul Haq
- (B) Sir Fazl–Hussain
- (C) Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
- (D) MAH Isphani
- (C) Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman
Chaudhry Khaliquzzaman wrote Shahrah-e-Pakistan, also called Pathway to Pakistan. It is an autobiographical work offering a substantial historical perspective on the Pakistan Movement and politics, originally published in Urdu.