Pakistan Studies

According to Article 41 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, the President is elected by an Electoral College consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate) and the members of the four Provincial Assemblies. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D' (All of the above). The National Assembly alone does not elect the President; the Senate and Provincial Assemblies also participate in the election process.

The Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute is located in Gwadar, which is a key city in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative. This location supports vocational training aligned with regional development projects.

Lord Curzon was the Viceroy of India during the partition of Bengal in 1905. He initiated the partition to divide Bengal into two provinces, which was a significant event in Indian colonial history.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the All India Muslim League in 1913 in Calcutta, where the League held its annual session that year. This is a well-documented historical fact.

The Ghaggar-Hakra river flows through India and Pakistan. It is an intermittent river that originates in India and continues into Pakistan, making option C correct.

The biggest salt mine in Pakistan is the Khewra Salt Mine, which is located near the town of Khewra in the Jhelum district of Punjab province. The options given are Mangora, Jhelum, Sawat, and None of these. Mangora is a town in Swat district and unrelated to the salt mine. Jhelum is the district where the mine is located, but the mine is specifically near Khewra town, which is not listed as an option. Therefore, the correct answer is 'D' (None of these) because the actual location (Khewra) is not among the options provided.

The Khyber Pass is the well-known mountain pass that connects Pakistan with Afghanistan, historically serving as a key trade route and strategic military location.

The Kirthar Range is the mountain range located in Sindh Province, Pakistan. The Himalaya and Karakoram ranges are located in northern Pakistan, while the Salt Range is in Punjab Province.

The earliest known charter of human rights is widely recognized as the Cyrus Cylinder, dating back to 539 BCE under Cyrus the Great of Persia. This baked-clay cylinder declares the liberation of enslaved peoples, restoration of temples, protection of religious freedom, and fair treatment of all inhabitants. It is considered the first charter of human rights and is displayed in the British Museum with a replica at the United Nations. While the Khutba-Hajjat-ul-Vida (Prophet Muhammad's farewell sermon) contains important human rights principles, it is not formally recognized as a charter. The other options (International Charter, U.N. Charter, French Constitution) came much later historically.

Gilgit is the capital city of Gilgit-Baltistan, serving as the administrative and political center of the region. The other options are towns or districts within Gilgit-Baltistan but not the capital.

The Kashmir freedom movement against Dogra rule began notably in 1928 with the formation of the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, marking the start of organized resistance before the partition of the subcontinent.

Kh. Nazim-ud-Din was the second Prime Minister of Pakistan, serving after Liaquat Ali Khan, who was the first. This makes option B the correct answer.

The foundation stone of Guddu Barrage was laid on 2nd February 1957, making option A the correct answer. This date is historically documented in Pakistan's infrastructure development records.

The 1973 Constitution of Pakistan established a federal parliamentary system of government. It created a parliamentary democracy where the executive power is concentrated in the office of the Prime Minister, who leads the cabinet responsible to the National Assembly (the lower house of Parliament). The President of Pakistan is the ceremonial head of state and acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. The legislature is bicameral, consisting of the Senate (upper house) and the National Assembly. This system contrasts with the earlier 1962 Constitution, which had introduced a presidential system. The 1973 Constitution thus marked a return to parliamentary democracy, which was later modified by amendments but restored again to parliamentary form by the 18th Amendment in 2010.

According to the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, the Prime Minister is elected by the National Assembly, which is the lower house of Parliament. This is explicitly stated in the constitution, making option B correct.

Pakistan issued its first coin in 1948, shortly after gaining independence in 1947. This coin marked the beginning of Pakistan's own currency system.

The Objectives Resolution was passed by the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 14th February 1949, which laid down the guiding principles for the future constitution of Pakistan.

The first constitution of Pakistan to provide for a bicameral legislature was the 1973 Constitution. It established the Parliament (Majlis-e-Shura) consisting of the President, the National Assembly (lower house), and the Senate (upper house). The Senate was created to give equal representation to all provinces, balancing the population-based representation in the National Assembly. The earlier constitutions of 1956 and 1962 provided only a unicameral legislature. Although bicameralism was proposed in earlier constitutional debates, it was not implemented until 1973. Therefore, the correct answer is 1973, not 1956.

The Aligarh Trusteeship Bill was passed in 1887, not 1889. This bill was related to the establishment of the Aligarh Muslim University under the trusteeship system.

The M5 motorway in Pakistan connects Multan to Sukkur, facilitating transportation between these two cities. This is a well-known fact about the motorway network in Pakistan.

Afghanistan is the only landlocked country among Pakistan's neighbors. Iraq is not a neighbor of Pakistan, India and China both have coastlines, so they are not landlocked.

Mirza Qaleech Baig was born in 1853 in Tando Thoro. This is a well-documented fact in historical records related to Sindhi literature and history.

The 1956 Constitution of Pakistan prescribed the minimum age of 45 years for the office of the President. This was a constitutional requirement to ensure maturity and experience for the presidential role.

The total area of Punjab Province in Pakistan is approximately 347,190 square kilometers, making option C the correct answer. The other options are significantly different from the known area.

Rabia Khuzdari (also known as Rabia al-Quzdari) is recognized as the first known female poet of Balochistan. She composed poetry in Persian and Arabic during the 10th century and is celebrated in Balochistan and surrounding regions. Banadi Baloch, while a notable figure, is not documented as the first female poet of Balochistan. Therefore, the correct answer is D, Rabbia Khuzdari.