Explanation

• NDCs are national climate action plans submitted by countries under the Paris Agreement.
• Countries outline their targets and measures for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and adapting to climate change.
• Under the Paris Agreement, countries must communicate updated NDCs every five years, reflecting progression and their highest possible ambition.
• The Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005 under the UNFCCC.
• It followed Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR), requiring developed countries to lead emission reductions due to their historical emissions and greater resources.
• It set legally binding greenhouse-gas reduction targets for developed countries and economies in transition, not the same targets for all developing countries.
• First commitment period: 2008–2012.
• Second commitment period: 2013–2020, under the Doha Amendment.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Saudi Arabia from 6–8 August 2026 to strengthen Pakistan–Saudi Arabia bilateral relations and discuss regional and international developments of mutual interest.
• The visit aimed to deepen strategic cooperation, improve coordination on regional and international issues, and reinforce multilateral cooperation.
• The visit took place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf, making regional security and diplomatic coordination important discussion areas.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack Against Nuclear Installations and Facilities was signed on 31 December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991.
• Both countries exchange their lists through diplomatic channels on 1 January every year.
• This practice began on 1 January 1992.
• The agreement is a confidence-building measure intended to help prevent attacks on each other’s declared nuclear installations and facilities.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• Pakistan assumed the presidency of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (CD) on 17 August 2026.
• Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi presided over its meetings on Pakistan’s behalf. 
• The Conference on Disarmament is based at the United Nations Office at Geneva.
• It has 65 member states.
• It serves as a forum for negotiating disarmament and arms-control treaties. 
• Its key issues include nuclear disarmament, preventing nuclear war, and preventing an arms race in outer space.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional intergovernmental organisation focused on security, economic cooperation, and regional stability.
• India and Pakistan both became full members of the SCO in 2017.
• The SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai, China.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• Pakistan recognizes the People’s Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing all of China and supports the One-China principle.
• Pakistan considers the Taiwan issue an internal matter of China and supports the peaceful resolution of cross-strait differences.
• Pakistan does not maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, reflecting its established diplomatic position.

Additional information:

• Pakistan and China established diplomatic relations on 21 May 1951.
• Their relationship is commonly described by both governments as an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• The Kharlachi border crossing is located in Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, near Afghanistan’s Khost area.
• It serves as a border crossing for cross-border movement and trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• The Khyber Corridor is associated with the route through the Khyber Pass.
• It connects Pakistan with Afghanistan via Torkham.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• Monetary policy affects inflation gradually because changes in interest rates take time to influence borrowing, spending, investment, and aggregate demand.
• A higher policy rate generally discourages borrowing and spending, helping reduce demand-driven inflation over time.
• Keeping the rate unchanged maintains the existing policy stance.
• The transmission period of 18–24 months means the full effects may take time to emerge; it does not mean that inflation cannot respond earlier.

Last verified on 21-10-2026

Explanation

• Article 243 of the Constitution of Pakistan provides that the President appoints the Chief of Army Staff, who concurrently serves as the Chief of Defence Forces, on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• The President approved Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s appointment as the first CDF on 4 December 2025, following the Prime Minister’s advice.

Last verified on 21-10-2026