Ultimate CSS Screening Test Preparation Course (MPT)

1. Video guidelines provided.
2. Complete preparation in less than 30 days
3. Question Solved by toppers of CSS
4. Learning box feature
5. A wide variety of topics covered
6. Solved Past Papers

 

The MPT preparatory course is just a 30 days course designed for students to prepare themselves for CSS screening test. It includes solved past papers that help one get an idea of the paper pattern and questioning methodology. The course stands out for it consists of three MCQ levels for practice, i.e. Easy, Medium and Hard. The aspirants can begin with the basic level and then move on to the harder levels to gradually prepare for the exam.

It is a three-hour exam which includes questions from various subjects. All subjects are covered in this course, providing complete guidance at one platform. It includes introductory videos, notes and MCQs to study every aspect. The course is designed for students who do not want to leave any stone unturned to clear the screening test and prepare for the final exam as well. Through this course, it is not only the screening test part that gets covered, but it also prepares one for objective parts of many CSS subjects and the General Ability portion of the subject General Science and Ability. It is a comprehensive, detailed and efficient approach to prepare the exam.

 

 

CSS Screening Test: Course Overview

"Challenge yourself until you master every concept"
 

 

- Score well with Special Tabir Academy Technique 

 

Cover topics from All Subjects featured in the MPT/CSS Screening Test

1. Urdu (Grammar Usage and Translation)

2. English (Vocabulary, Grammar, Comprehension)

3. General Ability (Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Logical Problem Solving, Analytical Problem Solving)

4. General Knowledge ( Everyday Science, Pakistan Affairs, Current Affairs)

5. Islamic Studies 

 

Helpline & Whatsapp: +92 305 4491988

General Information

CSS screening test, also known as CSS MCQ Based Preliminary Test (MPT), is a mandatory qualifying test for the main Written CSS Competitive Exam. Appearance in the FPSC CSS Screening Test is necessary for appearance in the main written competitive examination. MPT appearances will not be counted as chances.

The FPSC has recently begun administering an MCQ-based Preliminary Test (MPT) for CSS candidates. The CSS screening test's purpose is to weed out serious candidates for the main test. In addition to effectively managing the increased number of candidates, this will reduce the processing time for the competitive exam from 20 to 12 months. Passing the FPSC CSS Screening Test is required in order to take the main test; however, your performance in this test has no bearing on the merit of the CSS result.

 

These are the important FPSC CSS Screening Test instructions:

• The CSS screening test FPSC contains 200 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) each of one mark.
• The marks that need to be obtained to get passed are 66 out of 200. Overall 33% is the qualifying threshold for the CSS screening test.
• There is no negative marking.
• The time duration is one minute per question which makes 200 minutes in total.
• MPT is a knowledge-based examination.
• The students are allowed to take a carbon copy of their answer sheets with them. The answer key will be posted on the FPSC website the same day the exam is completed.
• The CSS screening test score will be valid only for the same year's CSS CE and will not be used to determine the final merit position.

 

Now that you have an adequate idea of what the MPT/Screening Test will be like, enroll at our course for assured success!

The CSS screening test includes five subjects among which the 200 marks are divided in the following format:

General Abilities               60 Marks

General Knowledge          60 Marks

English                                50 Marks

Islamic Studies                  20 Marks

Urdu                                    20 Marks

 

The detailed CSS screening test syllabus is as follows:

1. Islamic Studies
2. Urdu: 
   • Grammar usage
   • Translation
3. English

• Vocabulary
• Grammar Usage
• Comprehension

4. General Abilities

• Basic Arithmetic
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Logical Problem Solving
• Analytical Abilities
• Mental Abilities

        5. General Knowledge

• Pakistan Studies
• Everyday Science
• Current Affairs

 

September 2021

1st September, 2021

• On the 1st of September, 2021, the Taliban surrounded the last opposing province of Panjshir, where the Afghan resistance group, led by Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, was situated. The Taliban expressed that they do not wish to fight.
• The Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani passed away on the 1st of September, 2021. Following his passing, Indian authorities deployed forces to impose a security lockdown in Indian occupied Kashmir.

 

3rd September, 2021

• The European Union has stated that it shall not currently recognize the government of the Afghan Taliban. However, they will engage in diplomatic talks with the groups.
• The Pakistani para-athlete Haider Ali won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. He participated in the discus throw competition, and managed to throw a 55.26 meter throw at his fifth attempt which won him the gold medal. This was Pakistan’s first gold medal at any Paralympic Games.

 

5th September, 2021

• A suicide bomber blew himself up at a checkpoint in Quetta, resulting in the deaths of three soldiers and wounding fifteen others. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.
• The Tokyo Paralympics 2020 came to a close on the 5th of September, 2021. China topped the medals chart with 207 medals (96 of which were gold). While the UK (with 41 gold medals) and the US (with 37 gold medals) stood second and third, respectively.

 

7th September, 2021

• El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender.
• Taliban appoint Mohammad Hassan Akhund as the leader of the interim government in Afghanistan and Abdul Ghani Barader as his deputy.

 

10th September, 2021

• A new government has been formed in Lebanon and Najib Mikati, the billionaire who has already served as the country’s leader twice, shall serve as the Prime Minister.

 

11th September, 2021

• Britain’s 150th ranked Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier (unseeded player) to win a Grand Slam title after she defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 in the final of the US Open. Fernandez herself was ranked 73rd, and this was the first instance of two unseeded players competing in the final.

 

12th September, 2021

• The Foreign Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, became the first high ranking foreign diplomat/official to meet with the officials of the Taliban government. He met Mullah Akhund, the interim PM.
• Russia’s Daniil Medvedev defeated Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the final of the US Open to win a Grand Slam title for the first time in his career. He defeated the Serb 6–4, 6–4, 6–4.

 

13th September, 2021

• PIA operated its first international flight to Kabul on the 13th of September, 2021, after the Taliban took over control of the country.
• North Korea has announced that it has successfully tested a new long range cruise missile which can carry a nuclear warhead. The missile is capable of travelling to as far as Japan.

 

15th September, 2021

• The US, UK, and Australia announced the formation of a security pact by the name of AUKUS. This defence partnership aims at countering China’s ever-growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The pact covers many aspects such as AI and other technologies, and will also let Australia build nuclear-powered submarines.

 

16th September, 2021

• Armenia has filed a charge against Azerbaijan in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of human rights abuses in previous decades, as well as in the war between the two countries in 2020. Armenia claims that Azerbaijan is in violation of International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

 

17th September, 2021

• France recalled its ambassadors from the US and Australia following the AUKUS security deal between these two countries and the UK. Earlier, French officials in the US had cancelled a gala which was in celebration of the relation between the two countries.
• It has been announced on the 17th of September that Iran is set to become the latest member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full member.

 

18th September, 2021

• The Inspiration4 mission by SpaceX was successfully concluded on the 18th of September as the Dragon capsule landed in the Atlantic after three days in space. The capsule was carrying four passengers, all civilians, and it marks the first instance in history of an orbital mission with no professional astronauts on board.

 

20th September, 2021

• Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party has retained its minority government in Canada’s 2021 Federal Elections. The Conservative Party won the plurality of the popular vote for the second time consecutively.

 

21st September, 2021

• The Sudanese authorities stated on the 21st of September that they had successfully ended a coup attempt by the supporters of ousted President Omar al-Bashir, who was removed in 2019. Sudan begun its transition to a democratic government after his removal.

 

22nd September, 2021

• France, on the 22nd of September, agreed to send back its ambassador to the US which it had previously recalled due to the AUKUS pact. The US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron have agreed to meet in Europe to fix the strained ties between their countries.

 

23rd September, 2021

• The European Commission has announced that the USB-C charger, commonly known as the ‘type-c’ charger, shall now be used as standard charger for electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets etc in the region.

 

24th September, 2021

• The People’s Bank of China, i.e. the Central bank of China, has ruled that all transactions of cryptocurrencies are illegal within the country.

 

 

25th September, 2021

• People in Iceland visited the polls on the 25th of September to elect members to its parliament ‘Althing’. It is the oldest surviving parliament in the world, created in 930AD.

 

26th September, 2021

• The British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has become the first to win 100 races in the Formula One competition. His 100th win was the 2021 Russian Grand Prix.

 

27th September, 2021

• The Taliban claimed to have killed the former leader of ISIL-K, Ziya ul Haq (aka Abu Omar Khorasani), amid a crackdown on the ISIL-K presence in the country. This came as a response to a series of attacks reportedly carried out by ISIL-K in Afghanistan ever since the Afghan Taliban took control of the country.

 

28th September, 2021

• A volcanic eruption in La Palma Island in Spain devastated the island, which was termed as a disaster zone. The lava flow from the explosion reached the Atlantic Ocean.
• NASA’s has announced a new mission in which a space probe by the name of Lucy will travel to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, becoming the first to do so. It will launch on the 16th of October.

 

29th September, 2021

• Najla Bouden Ramdhane has been appointed as the Prime Minister of Tunisia by the country’s President, Kais Saied. She is set to become the first female PM in Tunisia, as well as the Arab world.

 

October 2021

2nd October, 2021

• Qataris voted for their first ever legislative council elections for two-thirds of the advisory Shura Council, on the 2nd of October, 2021. The voter turnout was 44 percent.

 

3rd October, 2021

• A bomb blast took place on the 3rd of October at the Id Gah Mosque in Kabul, during the funeral prayers for the mother of Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid. The blast killed at least five and injured four.
• The North Sea Link (NSL), the world’s longest underwater electrical cable, began transferring green energy between Norway and the UK, on the 3rd of October, 2021.
• The Pandora Papers, a leak of almost 12 million documents became the largest ever offshore data leak in history when they were published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on the 3rd of October, 2021. The documents reveal cases of hidden wealth, tax avoidance and crimes like money laundering by powerful and influential people around the world, including 330 politicians and 130 Forbes billionaires.
• Two related and consecutive cyclones named, Shaheen and Gulab, impacted South and West Asia during the early parts of October 2021. Gulab impacted India, while cyclone Shaheen impacted Pakistan, UAE, Oman, and Iran.

 

4th October, 2021

• Two scientists from the US, Ardem Patapoutian and David Julius, won the 2021 Nobel Prize for Medicine. They won the prize for their work on “the discovery of receptors in the skin that sense temperature and touch and could pave the way for new pain-killers.”

 

5th October, 2021

• A Russian actress, Yulia Peresild, and director Klim Shipenko, arrived on the International Space Station on the 5th of October to film scenes for The Challenge, which will be the first feature-length film shot in space. This is a 12-day mission.
• Microsoft launched the latest version of Windows i.e. Windows 11, on the 5th of October, 2021.
• The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the US-Japanese scientist Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann of Germany and Giorgio Parisi of Italy. They won the award for their work on climate models and understanding of physical systems.

 

6th October, 2021

• The US Department of State has revealed that the total number of nuclear weapons in the US stockpile is 3,750 warheads.
• NATO has expelled eight members from the Russian Mission to NATO. The members were accused of being undercover intelligence officers. The number of Russian positions at NATO was also reduced to ten.
• Turkey’s parliament ratified the Paris Climate Agreement on the 6th of October, 2021. Turkey became the last G20 nation to ratify the agreement.

 

7th October, 2021

• The 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature was won by Abdulrazak Gurnah, from Tanzania. His work highlights the effects of colonialism and fate of refugees. His most notable work is the novel Paradise.

 

8th October, 2021

• The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia. They were awarded the prize “for their efforts to safeguard the freedom of expression.”

 

9th October, 2021

• The Taliban and the US held their first face to face talks in Doha, Qatar, on the 9th of October, 2021.

 

10th October, 2021

• France defeat Spain 2-1 to win the UEFA Nations League. This was the second edition of the tournament.

 

11th October, 2021

• Three economists from the US, David Card, Joshua Angrist, and Guido Imbens, have won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Economics.

 

13th October, 2021

• The actor William Shatner, most famous for his role as Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, became the oldest person to visit space when he flew to sub-orbit on Blue Origin’s New Shepherd rocket.

 

16th October, 2021

• A NASA spacecraft by the name of Lucy launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on the 16th of October, 2021. Lucy will visit Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids in about 12 years’ time.

 

18th October, 2021

• Russia has announced that it shall suspend its mission to NATO by the 1st of November, 2021. This came after 8 Russian diplomats were expelled from NATO following accusations that they were Russian spies.

 

19th October, 2021

• Rafael Grossi, the Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (UN’s atomic watchdog), has announced plans to visit Iran by the end of November, 2021, in hopes of reviving the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

 

23rd October, 2021

• The President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan orders the expulsion of ambassadors from ten Western nations for calling for the release of Osman Kavala. The nations included USA, Canada, France, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, and Finland.

 

24th October, 2021

• The Pakistan Cricket team beat their arch rivals, India, for the first time ever in an ICC World Cup (T20 or ODI), when they sealed a comfortable 10-wicket victory in their Super 12 stage match, on the 24th of October, 2021.

 

25th October, 2021

• The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced that the four years long state of emergency was lifted from the country. The announcement came on the 25th of October, 2021.

 

26th October, 2021

• The 39th ASEAN Summit began on the 26th of October, 2021, via a live video conference. There was no representative from Myanmar at the summit as the bloc decided to exclude junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing.

 

27th October, 2021

• The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed that Iran has agreed to resume talks on the Nuclear deal in November 2021. This came after a meeting with mediators from EU in Brussels, Belgium.
• The Senate of Brazil has voted to charge its President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the covid-19 pandemic in the country. Brazil has the second highest death toll in the world due to the pandemic (the first is the US).

 

28th October, 2021

• Facebook Inc., which is the parent company of the popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has renamed itself to Meta Platforms.

 

30th October, 2021

• World leaders at the G20 Summit in Rome (held from 30-31 October, 2021) approved a global agreement which aims to tax the profits of large business by at least 15%. The agreement will be enforced by 2023.

 

November 2021

1st November, 2021

• The total number of deaths worldwide due to the Coivd-19 pandemic (officially) surpassed 5 million cases on the 1st of November, 2021.

 

2nd November, 2021

• The Taliban announced a ban on the usage of all foreign currency within the country in early November, 2021. Those in violation were threatened with legal action.

 

3rd November, 2021

• Iran announced that the talks regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (known popularly as the Iran Nuclear Deal) will resume on the 29th of November, in Vienna, Austria.

 

4th November, 2021

• Sister Raffaella Petrini became the first ever woman/nun secretary general of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, when she was appointed by Pope Francis on the said position on the 4th of November, 2021.

 

7th November, 2021

• An armed drone unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at his residence in Baghdad, on the 7th of November, 2021.

 

8th November, 2021

• The WHO and UNICEF with the support of the Taliban conducted a four-day vaccination program for polio in Afghanistan, in November, 2021. The aim was to address the 3.3 million children who were not vaccinated against the disease since 2018.
• Colombia declared Iran as an enemy state in November, 2021, after Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano’s visit to Israel.

 

9th November, 2021

• Syrian President Bashar-al-Assad met the Foreign Minister of UAE, Abdullah bin Zayed, in Damascus on the 9th of November, 2021. This was the first such visit in 10 years, following the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War. The two officials discussed the development of cooperation in different sectors of mutual interest to the two countries.

 

10th November, 2021

• Twenty four countries and numerous major car manufacturers such as Ford and Mercedes-Benz at the Cop26, agreed to phase out petrol and diesel run cars by 2030, and to end the sale of all fossil fuel vehicles by the year 2040.
• The United States and China have announced at the Cop26 in Glasgow that they have agreed to fight climate change together. This was a surprise announcement for many, amid the political unrest between the two countries.

 

13th November, 2021

• Nations at the COP26 for the first time acknowledged the harmful role fossil fuels have played in climate change. However, immediate action was still not agreed to at the conference, with actions related to fossil fuel reductions being deferred to the next year.

 

19th November, 2021

• The UK declared Hamas as a terrorist group on the 19th of November, 2021. Previously, only the armed wing of the party was outlawed by the government.
• Vice President Kamala Harris was transferred presidential power for a brief period while the US President Joe Biden underwent medical treatment. With this, she became the first woman to hold the role of acting President in the history of the US.

 

22nd November, 2021

• UK faced its biggest energy supplier collapse when Bulb Energy which supplies gas to 1.7 million households in the country, went bust and was decided to be placed into an untested bailout process under a special administrator.

 

23rd November, 2021

• The UK returned artifacts from the Battle of Magdala (1868) to Ethiopia in November, 2021.
• The Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres visited Colombia in commemoration of the fifth year of the signing of the peace treaty between the Government and Revolutionary Armed Forces (People’s Army) of Colombia.
• The US removed the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) from its “Department of State List of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.” It had been on the list since 1997.

 

24th November, 2021

• The UK warned Russia that any attack against Ukraine would be a “grave mistake” from its end. This warning came amid an increase in Russian military presence at its border with Ukraine in November 2021.
• Israel carried out airstrikes in the city of Homs, Syria, on the 24th of November, 2021. The strikes killed two civilians and injured a civilian and six soldiers.
• The leadership of the Social Democrats, Greens and the Liberals in Germany agreed to form an alliance on the 24th of November. This alliance will form the next government in Germany, with Olaf Scholz taking over the role of Chancellor from Angela Merkel.
• Magdalena Andersson was first elected as the first female Prime Minister of Sweden on the 24th of November, 2021. Her government collapsed over a budget dispute, but she was reelected to the position on the 29th of November.

 

25th November, 2021

• Scientists in South Africa detected a new COVID-19 variant named Lineage B.1.1.529, in late November, 2021 (it is popularly known as the Omicron variant).
• Turkey and UAE signed numerous investment accords when the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited Ankara, Turkey.

 

26th November, 2021

• The WHO names the newly detected Lineage B.1.1.529 COVID-19 variant as the “Omicron Variant” on the 26th of November, 2021. It was termed as a “variant of concern”, due to its increased risk of reinfection.

 

27th November, 2021

• The Ministerial Conference, due to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 29th of November, 2021, was postponed by the WTO amid concerns of the covid-19 Omicron variant.

 

28th November, 2021

• Petr Fiala was designated as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic on the 28th of November, 2021.

 

29th November, 2021

• Turkey offered to mediate between Russia and Ukraine amid rising tensions between the two countries in November, 2021.
• Turkey announced to send Ambassadors to Israel and Egypt. This announcement came from President Tayep Erdogan himself, on board his plane from his visit to Turkmenistan. Turkey’s relationship with Egypt got strained in 2013 when President Morsi was overthrown. And in 2018, the relations between Turkey and Israel broke off the Israeli Ambassador to Turkey was ordered out over the killing of protesters along the Gaza border.
• Parag Agarwal, an Indian-American tech executive, became the CEO of popular social media platform, Twitter (where he was serving as CTO), after the resignation of Jack Dorsey.

 

30th November, 2021

• Barbados became the newest republic of the world on the 30th of November, 2021, as the Queen Elizabeth II was removed as its head of state, and replaced by Dame Sandra Mason who became the first President of the country.

 

December 2021

1st December, 2021

• The Iranian security forces and the Taliban engaged in an armed dispute on the 1st of December, 2021, after Iranian farmers crossed the border between the two countries and entered into the Nimroz province in Afghanistan.

 

2nd December, 2021

• Morocco bought six Bayraktar TB2 drones from the Turkish defence company, Baykar in early December, 2021. This move came amid rising tensions between Morocco and Algeria.

 

3rd December, 2021

• UAE and France signed a major arms deal when the leaders of the two countries, Emmanuel Macron from France and Mohammad Bin Zayed from UAE, met at the Dubai Expo 2020, on the 3rd of December, 2021.

 

4th December, 2021

• The Semeru volcano erupted in Indonesia in December, 2021.
• Pakistan received a $3 Billion loan from Saudi Arabia in December, 2021. The duration of the loan is one year.

 

5th December, 2021

• The Indian paramilitary force, Assam Rifles, opened fire on a group of miners believing them to be militants, on the 5th of December, 2021.

 

6th December, 2021

• As a result of the sanctions placed on it, Belarus banned airlines and the import of some goods from the European Union, as well as the United Kingdom, in December, 2021.
• The USA announced that it will not send any delegation to the 2022 Winter Olympics, to be held in Beijing, China. They cited China’s human rights issue as the reason for this decision.

 

7th December, 2021

• The Israeli Air Force bombed the Port of Latakia in Syria, on the 7th of December, 2021.

 

8th December, 2021

• The Indian Chief of Defence Staff, Bipin Rawat, along with twelve other people, was killed in a helicopter crash on the 8th of December, 2021.
• Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom announced to join USA in boycotting the Winter Olympics 2022, due to be held in Beijing, China. They, like the US, cited human rights abuses as the main reason.

 

9th December, 2021

• New Zealand has announced plans to introduce steps aimed at eliminating smoking in the country. The country will increase the legal age to purchase tobacco by one year every year starting from 2025. The plan also includes initiatives like decreasing the nicotine content in tobacco, increasing funding for anti-addiction services in the country, and limiting the licenses for tobacco sales.

 

10th December, 2021

• The London High Court announced on the 10th of December, 2021, that it has accepted an appeal from the government of the USA to extradite Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Assange’s family announced plans to challenge the decision.

 

13th December, 2021

• The first reported case of the Omicron covid-19 variant was found in Karachi. She was a 57 year old unvaccinated woman.

 

14th December, 2021

• NASA announced on the 14th of December, 2021, that the Parker Solar Probe became the first ever spacecraft to enter the stellar corona of the Sun, during April 2021. A corona is the layer of plasma surrounding a star.

 

16th December, 2021

• The UK’s Royal Air Force shot down its first enemy aircraft ever since the Falklands War of 1982, when an RAF Typhoon shot down a drone over Syria on the 16th of December, 2021.
• Many thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in different areas of Philippines due to the typhoon Rai, described as one of the most powerful typhoons of the year. It led to the deaths of more than 300 people.

 

17th December, 2021

• The Turkish Lira dropped to an all-time low of 17 to the US Dollar on the 17th of December, 2021. This prompted the central bank of Turkey to intervene in the stock market.

 

21st December, 2021

• Soumana Boura, a leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara region was killed by the French Army on the 21st of December 2021. Boura had killed 6 aid workers from France in August, 2020.
• Israel became the first country in the world to announce that they will administer fourth doses of covid-19 vaccines to the elderly and health workers.
• Lithuania will buy 341 FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank guided missiles and 30 command launch units from its NATO ally, USA. This came about due to Lithuania’s rising tensions with Russia.

 

22nd December, 2021

• Italy banned fur farming on the 22nd of December, 2021.

 

23rd December, 2021

• The US and Japan approved a joint military action plan in case an emergency occurs amid the rising tensions between Taiwan and China. This was announced on the 23rd of December, 2021.

 

24th December, 2021

• Japan announced in late December, 2021, that it will not send any government delegates to the 2022 Winter Olympics to be held in China. Japanese athletes, however, will participate in the event.

 

25th December, 2021

• NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was launched into space from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on the 25th of December, 2021.
• The world’s first “dual-mode vehicle” or DMV made its debut in Tokyo, Japan, on the 25th of December, 2021. The vehicle can travel on roads as well as railway tracks.

 

26th December, 2021

• The Taliban dissolved the Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan on the 26th of December, 2021.

 

29th December, 2021

• Russia and Belarus have announced that the two countries will hold joint military exercise in early 2022.

 

30th December, 2021

• Russia became the country with the second most deaths in the world due to the covid-19 pandemic on the 30th December, 2021.
• Tesla recalled over 475,000 of its cars on the 30th of December, 2021. The cars were Model S and Model S cars, and they were recalled due to safety issues in their backup cameras and hoods.

 

January 2022

• Dozens Dead in Snow traps of Murree Hills 8th January

Marking the failure of Murree’s infrastructure and development authority. Around 7th-8th January, thousands of people rushed to the hills in early January. More than 4cm of snow fell overnight, trapping thousands of cars on the road. At least 21 people died due to hypothermia from being trapped. Officials called upon parliamentary troops and special military mountain unit for help. The authorities were heavily criticized after this tragedy.

• Tehreek-e-Taliban Terrorist Attack in Islamabad (20th January)

On 20th January, a police officer was killed in a gun attack on a security checkpoint in Islamabad. This was labelled an attack of terrorism by country’s minister. The Tehreek-e-Taliban took the responsibility for the attack. There had been reports of their regrouping in North and South Waziristan districts, after many of its fighters were released from Afghan prisons after the Afghan Taliban took control of the country in August. The group ended a one-month cease-fire with the government in December.

• Justice Ayesha Malik, Appointed Supreme Court’s First Female Judge (24th January)

On 24th January, Justice Ayesha Bandial made history as the first female judge of the Supreme Court. She was sworn in by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed. Her nomination had sparked debate about the custom of seniority principle in the judiciary. The Pakistan Bar Council declared a strike against her appointment. But such objections were overruled as promotions had been made against the seniority principle previously too. Justice Ayesha Malik gave her landmark judgement in 2021, when she had declared virginity tests for examination of sexual assault survivors “illegal and against the Constitution of Pakistan.”

• Extra-judicial Killing of Siri Lankan Man on Blasphemy Allegations

On December 3rd , a Siri Lankan textile factory manager was beaten to death and his body was then burned publicly in Sialkot. Based on Blasphemy allegations. Although the police had been contacted, they failed to act on time and were eventually outnumbered.  There is a controversial debate around the use of Blasphemy allegations in Pakistan. Since the provisions, the extra judicial killings have increased, and they are used to satisfy political and personal agendas.

• Taliban Oslo Talks (23-25th January)

The talks in Oslo held around the end of January were the first official trip by Taliban to Europe since the Afghan Taliban captured Kabul and took control of Afghanistan in mid-August. Following the January 24 talks, diplomats from the United States and Europe said they told Afghan Taliban officials that humanitarian aid would be tied to an improvement in the human rights situation in the country, which has worsened considerably since the Taliban took over. Without doubt, the Oslo talks were a gigantic achievement to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

• Kazakhstan Unrest (6th January)

Protests in Kazakhstan were triggered by rising fuel prices and then morphed into anti-government riots. In response, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on 6th January, sacked the country’s government and declared a nationwide two-week state of emergency. He also invited troops from a Russian-headed military alliance of former Soviet states into Kazakhstan to restore order. Dozens of people including police officers were killed and hundreds arrested.

• Joe Biden’s news conference (19th January)

On 19th January, Joe Biden held a news conference staring his second year in office. The main takeaways from the conference were, Biden reiterated that Russia would face unprecedented sanctions should Putin decide to invade Ukraine. Commenting on Iran nuclear talks he commented that the UN security council was on the same page and that it was not time to give up. He also talked about ensuring minority voting rights despite oppositions from Republicans.

• 2021: Sixth hottest year to be recorded

The past eight years were the eight hottest since record-keeping began in 1880, said US government scientists. On average, 2021 was 1.51 degrees Fahrenheit (0.84 degrees Celsius) hotter than the baseline between 1901 and 2000, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported. NASA, the North American Space Agency, came to similar conclusions. In its assessment, NASA said 2021 was tied for the sixth hottest year.

• World Bank warns of growing inequality (11th January)

The global economy is entering a phase of “pronounced slowdown”, the World Bank warned on a report issued on 11th January, as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, and the triple blow of soaring inflation, high government debt levels and rising income inequality threaten recoveries in emerging and developing economies. The latest Global Economic Prospects report from the World Bank sees global economic growth decreasing from 5.5 percent in 2021 to 4.1 percent in 2022 which is less that the expected 4.3 percent.

• Saudia- Lebanon Talks (29th January)

Saudi Arabia and its allies suspended diplomatic ties with Lebanon after the airing of comments by the then Information Minister George Kordahi who criticised the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen. Prior to the meeting the Lebanese Minister said that Lebanon would not give up its weapons and would not be used as a launch pad to harm the interests of Arab countries. Hezbollah demanded that Saudi Arabia should stop interfering in Lebanon’s affairs.

February 2022

• Imran Khan Visit to China (3-5 Feburary)

Imran Khan was received in Beijing, after two years of Covid, to attend the opening ceremony of the winter Olympics from 3rd to 5th February. In a meeting, the two leaders reviewed the Pakistan- China bilateral Co-operation and also included signing of several memoranda of understandings (MOU). Issues of Afghanistan, India, Taiwan and Xinjiang were discussed and both countries also agreed on a stronger defense and security co-operation as an important factor of peace and stability.

• Saudi Interior Minister visit to Pakistan (7th February)

On 7th February, At the special invitation of Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif arrived in Islamabad on a day long visit. Among other security and regional issues. the matter of Pakistani prisoners stuck in Saudi Arabia was also discussed in the meeting.

• IMF approves $1 billion loan for Pakistan (3rd February)

The IMF approved $1 billion fund from the $6 million fund for Pakistan. The package had previously been suspended due to Pakistan’s failure to comply with IMF’s terms. The 39-month loan program is subject to regular reviews of its economic policy and growth by the IMF. This release comes after the country took measures aimed at fiscal tightening and raising more tax revenues.

• Bill Gates’ visit to Pakistan and award of Hilal-i-Pakistan (17st February)

President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday conferred the 'Hilal-e-Pakistan' award on Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates. His charity organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is playing a critical role in the elimination of polio in Pakistan as well as supporting the financial system through various interventions. Bill Gates hailed Pakistan’s efforts for eradicating polio from the country and said that the country has been polio-free for one year due to the efforts of polio workers and the cooperation of the parents.

• Attack on Army by the Balochistan Nationalist Party (3rd February)

On 3rd February, assailants targeted Army posts in Balochistan, and it led to gun battles causing at least 4 casualties. The separatists in Balochistan have been demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. The Balochistan Nationalist Army was established last month when two minor separatist groups – the Balochistan Republican Army and the United Baloch Army – merged and vowed to continue attacks.

• Sanctions against Russia (2nd March)

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and attacks on it. Russian president Putin faced backlash from all over the world. Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States unveiled a series of sanctions against Russia targeting banks, oil refineries, and military exports. Restrictions would also be imposed on Russia’s central bank to limit its ability to support the rouble and finance Putin’s war effort.

• US restores sanction waiver to Iran (4th February)

The waiver, which was rescinded by the Trump administration in May 2020, had allowed Russian, Chinese and European companies to carry out non-proliferation work at Iranian nuclear sites. While the Iranian Security chief commented that Iran had a right to maintain a peaceful nuclear program. These events came as the US tries to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

• Taliban to Create Grand Army (22nd February)

The Afghan Army disintegrated in August in August, abandoning their bases and leaving behind their weapons. Most of the senior government officials and army were evacuated by air in the final days of Kabul’s fall. The Taliban is creating a “grand army” for Afghanistan that will include officers and troops who served the old regime. Although a size was not specified officials said the army would only be one that the country could afford. Afghanistan is effectively bankrupt, with $7bn in overseas assets seized by the US.

• Parliamentary Dispute on Jordanian women’s rights (January onwards)

A political feud in parliament erupted into a fistfight during a discussion to add “Jordanian women” to a constitutional clause on equal rights. The new amendment changed the title of the constitution’s second chapter to “Rights and duties of Jordanian men and Jordanian women”. The women’s rights are a huge issue in Jordan. The women are furious as this change is useless and takes away attention from actual legal issues. For instance, the article 6 of the constitution bans discrimination only on “race, language, and religion”, not sex.

• Turkey- UAE Ties (14th February)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the United Arab Emirates for the first time in nearly a decade, as ties improve between the two countries. The two countries signed 13 agreements including on defense, trade, climate change, industry and the economy. For years, relations have been strained between Turkey and the energy-rich UAE as both countries backed opposing sides in regional conflicts and sparred on other issues such as gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. But tensions eased after Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed traveled to Ankara in November on the first high-level visit since 2012. Following that visit, the UAE announced a $10bn fund for investments in Turkey, where the economy has been reeling and inflation surged to a near 20-year high in January.

March 2022

• Vote of No-confidence Against the Prime Minister Imran khan

A no-confidence motion was filed against the Prime Minister on 8th March, accusing him of bad governance. The resolution was passed but the Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri dismissed the motion, on the grounds of foreign agenda for regime change and Article 5(a) of the Constitution of Pakistan. The action has sparked outrage about the constitutionality of the action and the country waits the Supreme Court’s decision.

• Pakistan’s Reluctance to Condemn Russian Invasion of Ukraine (February last week)

Prime Minister Imran Khan was visiting Moscow when President Putin ordered invasion of Ukraine. Pakistan decided to remain neutral in the UN General Assembly’s debate to stop Russia. A group of 23 envoys, mostly from the European Union, on Tuesday pressed Pakistan to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine during the ongoing debate in the United Nations General Assembly. While Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan wanted a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine problem. It is equally important to remain on good terms with these envoys as they are major business partners of Pakistan.

• Suicide Attack on Shiite Mosque (4th March)

On 4th March, at least 57 worshipers lost their lives, while close to 200 were injured in a suicide bomb attack during Friday prayers at a mosque in Peshawar. AFP reported that the militant Islamic State group had claimed the suicide bombing in Peshawar. The IS-K is a growing threat for Pakistan’s national security. It has its basis in Afghanistan but has shifted its focus to Pakistan.

• Pakistan v Australia (4th- 25th March)

After many security concerns, Australian cricket team finally arrived in Pakistan After 24 years. The teams played a three-day ODI and a T20 match. Pakistani team created multiple records in the cricketing world. This is great comeback for Pakistan, for welcoming international sport back to the country.

• Afghan Girls Face School Ban (23rd March)

23rd March, the day the education ministry had set for schools to re-open for all the girls, thousands of girls headed to school. But hours into the day there was a policy reversal, and all the girls were sent home. The Taliban have gone back on their promise and according to their decision girls above sixth grade will not be able to attend school. More than two dozen girls and women have staged protests in front of the Ministry of Education in the capital, Kabul, days after the Taliban administration shut secondary schools for girls until further notice.

• Success of Pakistan’s Startups

Although Pakistan has been battered by rising inflation, Pakistan’s startup sector is booming. n 2021, 83 startups raised $350m according to Invest2Innovate, a Pakistani consultancy firm, marking a record-breaking year. And so far this year, the sector has already raised $136m. COVID-19 was a catalyst for the startup landscape in Pakistan, which saw investments rise from $65m in 2020 to $350m in 2021. Extended lockdowns and quarantines provided entrepreneurs the opportunity to create digital products with a human impact.

• Saudi- Yemen Ramadan Truce (29th March)

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen said that it would halt military operations, following a United Nations’ call for a truce during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The UN proposal calls for a temporary ceasefire during Ramadan in exchange for allowing fuel ships to dock at Houthi-held Hodeidah port and a small number of commercial flights to operate from Sanaa airport, sources familiar with the matter said. The truce is the most significant step in peace efforts in more than three years as the international community has struggled to end a seven year conflict that has killed tens of thousands and left millions on the brink of starvation.

• Israel Summit (28th March)

There was a two-day summit in Israel attended by the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt, US Secretary of State, and the King of Jordan. The Palestinians were not invited to the summit. Jordan’s king emphasized on Palestinian’s rights to the Mosque Al-Aqsa. Last year raids by Israeli security forces on the Al-Aqsa compound, as well as attacks on worshippers, and the attempted eviction of Palestinian families from Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood during Ramadan helped contribute to the eruption of Israel’s 11-day offensive on the Gaza Strip in May. There were efforts to subdue any similar tensions this year.

April 2022

• Suicide Attack at Karachi University (26th April)

The incident happened outside University of Karachi at around 02:30pm. A van carrying staff members was about to enter the Confucius Institute near the department of commerce. Th footage shows a burqa clad woman detonating herself as the van neared her. At least four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed while four others were injured. Soon after the banned Baloch Liberation Army took to social media to claim responsibility and announce that the bomber was a woman named Shaari Baloch.

• Pakistan Suspends its Health Card Service (3rd April)

Under the Qaumi Sehat Card and Sehat Sahulat Programme, citizens can avail medical facilities and surgical procedures up to Rs1 million per family, per year. Soon After PTI’s tenure ended, the hospitals suspended the service on these cards which lead to a lot of backlash This was allegedly due to the non-payment of bills of over Rs100 million. Another reason why the private hospitals have stopped treating patients under it is that the amount allotted for the procedures are not enough e.g., Rs15000 for a delivery. The Ministry of National Health Services spokesperson, Sajid Shah, said he had not received any complaint about the non-payment of bills, and that if citizens were facing any issue, they should contact the ministry and that the treatment would be continued.

• Verbal and Physical attack on Prime Minister’s delegation in Madina (30th April)

While the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Masjid-e-Median alongwith his delegation. Some of the Pakistani Pilgrims, mostly PTI supporters, chanted slogans of “Chor” and “Lotay”, while some tried to physically chase and assault them. This act has been widely condemned as it violated the sanctity of the Holy Mosque. The Pakistani government announced that it had decided to formally ask Saudi authorities to take “appropriate” legal action against those involved in the unruly incident and share the information about these people so that separate action could also be taken against them in the country. Furthermore, a blasphemy case was also filed against the Prime Minister for instigating the incident.

• Six-Day work week (12th April)

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif abolished the two-day weekend, the offices are to remain open six days a week and the timings were also changed to 8am. This order is for the government offices and the banks. There has been a lot of resistance, as the bankers have taken to the streets to protest the timings. Many have argued that it works as counter-productive because it will only demotivate workers and exhaustion will bring down their work quality.

• Lebanon Worsening Economic Crisis (29th April)

In the past three years more Lebanese pound has lost 90 percent of its value, plunging three quarters of its population into poverty. Thousands of Lebanese are flocking to leave the country as the living conditions become unbearable. It is estimated that almost 77,000 Lebanese have left the country mostly between the ages of 25 and 40. This also includes most of the health workers and skilled people, causing a huge brain drain in the country. Furthermore, Lebanese government has suspended issuing passports indefinitely because the company has run out of passports and the government hasn’t paid them to procure new ones. Thousands are stuck with pending applications and passport requests.

• Climate Change poses risk to world’s fossil fuel (6th April)

Oil platforms, pipelines, coal power plants and other fossil fuel assets could lose trillions of dollars in the battle against climate change in the coming decades, experts say. The warning was issued in a 3,000-page report by UN experts who said fossil fuel assets must be retired and replaced with clean energy faster to mitigate financial losses. Such assets will become “stranded” and worth less than expected because they may never be used since fossil fuel demand must fall soon to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

• Russia begins eastern offensive in Ukraine (18th April)

After Russia’s failure to capture the city of Kyiv during the first phase of its Ukraine invasion. After weeks of amassing troops and supplies. Russia has shifted its focus on the Donbas region and began its offensive by stepping up missiles. On the other hand, Ukraine accuses Russian forces of failing to observe a local ceasefire agreement to allow women, children and elderly people to flee the besieged city of Mariupol.The US has estimated that around 5 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the war.

• Bucha Killings Ukraine (March 2022)

There have been reports of mass killings in Bucha. The Russian forces were accused of shooting recklessly at any moving thing they saw. They shot anyone who resisted their presence, interrogations and looting – or simply looked suspicious. Decomposing under the warming sun, the bodies of men, women and children were seen lying in the streets. Several bodies were found inside apartments and houses with gaping holes made by shells and explosions. Some had their hands tied, some had traces of torture. Others were found in mass graves, barely covered with soil and garbage. Bucha’s mayor reportedly said that hundreds of bodies have been found.

May 2022

• Imran Khan’s Long March

On 22nd May, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that a long March would begin on May 25th. The main demands of the Long March are the dissolution of assemblies and the election dates and has given a six day ultimatum to the government to do so.. Khan urged the people to gather at Islamabad against the alleged imported government and the scheme against him. However, the march had underwhelming numbers and also lead to violence and chaos against the protestors.

• IMF Pressure on Pakistan to remove Subsidies

On 25th May, The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday emphasized upon Pakistan the urgency of "removing fuel and energy subsidies" to achieve programmed objectives. The IMF said it had "emphasized the urgency of concrete policy actions, including in the context of removing fuel and energy subsidies and the FY2023 budget, to achieve program objectives". In this regard, the Rs.30 increase in the fuel prices, was also a result of the deviations from the policies by giving fuel and power subsidies announced by the authorities in February.

• Pakistan Economic Crisis

On 19th May, the government announced a ban on the export of 38 non-essential luxury items as a part of the “emergency economic-plan”. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that this step was crucial to save the foreign exchange of the country. This decision came as the Dollar climbed to Rs200, shattering all records, on account of the country’s rising import bill, rowing current account deficit and depleting foreign exchange reserves.

• TTP extends ceasefire until May 30th

TTP spokesman Mohammad Khurasani said that the ceasefire would remain in place until May 30. Talks are underway between the Government of Pakistan and the TTP committees with Afghanistan acting as mediator. The previous PTI government and the TTP had agreed to a month-long ceasefire to hold talks last year. However, the militant group had declined to extend the ceasefire after the one-month period ended, accusing the government of failing to honor the decisions reached earlier.

• Fire in Balochistan Forests

On 20th May, the authorities took notice of the fire engulfing the pine nut trees in Balochistan. Three people had dies after burning tress fell on them and four were injured. The deputy commissioner stated that the fire had spread to a radius of seven kilometers from the point of origin. The administration pressed in helicopters to douse the fire, but to no avail. “Rain is our only hope now,” the official added. He expressed fears that the fire could envelop more areas and could stretch as far as the southern swathes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

• Notices issued to Shehbaz Sharif and Musharraf for forced disappearances

On 30th May, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah stated that the relevant chief executives to explain the involvement of armed forces and putting national security at risk. The onus will be on the chief executives to rebut the presumption and to explain why they may not be tried for the offence o high treason. Musharraf, Shahbaz Sharif face notices over 'enforced disappearances' in Pakistan. There have been several forced disappearances and protests. The highest number of disappearances reported to the Commissions of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in 2021 was in Balochistan at 1,108 and the highest number of pending cases was 1417 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

• Israeli Soldiers Kill Journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh

On 11th May, Shireen Abu Aqleh a 51-year-old Palestinian American and a renowned journalist was shot in the head while covering a military raid in Jenin refugee camp. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition where she passed away. The Israeli soldiers were accused of deliberately shooting her. It was an intentional targeting and the blatant murder violating international laws and norms. Furthermore, videos emerged of police force using force and batons to disperse the mourners at Shireen’s funeral. Although the behavior was widely condemned, no proper trial is in place.

• Multi- Country Monkeypox Outbreak

Since 13th May, cases of monkeypox have been reported from 12 member states. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing, however, reported cases thus far have no established travel links to endemic areas. Based on currently available information, cases have mainly but not exclusively been identified amongst men who have sex with men (MSM) seeking care in primary care and sexual health clinics. The monkey pox however is not likely to covert into another epidemic. As it is treatable by smallpox vaccination and is less transmissible.

• Texas School Shooting

On 24th May, an 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos, carries out a mass shooting at the Robb elementary school in the city of Uvalde south Texas. The shooting began at 11am and lasted around 40 minutes which ended when the gunman was killed by the police force. A total of 21 people were killed including 2 teachers and 19 children. This action has sparked anger at the police forces and has initiated the debate about gun laws in America.

JUNE 2022

1st June, 2022

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial assembly passed a “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Act, 2022 which tightens penalties for crimes such as child sexual abuse, pornography, organ trade and trafficking. The bill said that those who are convicted in child abuse or child trafficking will either be sentenced to life imprisonment or they could also face 14-20 years behind the bars.
• U.S. President Joe Biden has agreed to provide Ukraine with advanced longer range missiles as part of a $700 million weapons package on Wednesday. They can strike with precision at targets up to 80 kilometers away. Biden said Russia's invasion of Ukraine will end through diplomacy, but the United States must provide significant weapons and ammunition to give Ukraine the highest leverage at the negotiating table. "We will provide the Ukrainians with more advanced rocket systems and munitions that will enable them to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield in Ukraine," Biden wrote in a op-ed in The New York Times.
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed their pledge to upgrade the excellent bilateral ties to new heights by infusing new vigour to two-way cooperation in diverse fields. At the joint news conference, Shehbaz said he held very productive talks with President Erdogan and voiced hope that under the dynamic leadership of Turkish president, the bilateral ties would scale new heights.
• Dr. Mahwish Sharif, who is from a remote village in central Balochistan’s Kachi district, turned all the odds in her favor as she earned a medical degree and was named the first doctor with hearing impairment in Balochistan at Fatima Jinnah Chest Hospital. The hospital is the province’s only health facility for the treatment of respiratory and viral diseases in Quetta, despite years of bigotry.

 

2nd June, 2022

• The Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan pre-arrest bail for 15 days in the 14 cases registered against him by Sharif Government. The decision came straight after the party’s chairman ended his ‘Azadi March’ on May 25. Imran Khan’s counsel Babar Awan filed the petition in the court which was heard by PHC Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan.
• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a nationwide protest against rising inflation and load shedding. According to details, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Farrukh Habib and former state minister on Twitter said that on the instructions of party chairman Imran Khan, there will be a nationwide protest tomorrow (Friday) against rising inflation, load shedding and incompetence of imported government.

3rd June, 2022

• MPCL- Mari Ptroleum Company Limited has unearthed massive gas reserves in North Waristan which entail the potential to produce 15% of the total gas of the country alongside saving foreign remittances worth $1.5 billion per annum. According to MPCL, 25 million cubic feet of gas production has been started from the ST-1 well drilled in Bannu, KPK. Crude oil generation from Bannu West has also been launched and more wells will ascertain as uninterrupted gas supply of 2000MCFPD, once in operation.

 

4th June, 2022

• The Pakistan government has increased the defence budget for the outgoing fiscal year by nearly 6 per cent to over PKR 1.45 trillion to meet the critical needs of the country’s armed forces amid national economy under strain. This decision to increase the budget was taken by Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to meet the enhanced salary requirements and other key needs.
• The news of a Pakistani woman gang-raped onboard the Bahauddin Zakariya Express by three staffers jolted the entire country. The unfortunate news has not only damaged the country’s reputation globally but also has countless women concerned for their safety. Following the incident, the Government of Pakistan announced a new app called ‘Safar Saheli‘. The instructions on how to download and use the application will be printed on every ticket, along with an emergency number.

 

6th June, 2022

• Seven terrorists were killed in two separate intelligence based operations (IBOs) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province’s Bannu and North Waziristan districts. According to the ISPR, those killed remained actively involved in terrorist activities against the security forces.
• It was announced that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will face a punishing vote of no confidence by his fellow Conservative Party Lawmakers following anger over lockdown-breaking parties at Dowing Street and overall discontent with his leadership.

And eventually he won the confidence vote on June 7th.

 

7th June, 2022

• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for the start of her two-day visit to Pakistan. The Green party lawmaker held talks with her counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari which centered around bilateral cooperation and regional challenges, including the situation in Afghanistan.
• Pakistan’s government ended Saturday as a work day for its employees under a raft of energy-saving measures aimed at easing fuel shortages that have triggered rolling blackouts. Purchases of new vehicles for use by officials and appliances such as air conditioners will be stopped, the volume of fuel allocated to government offices will be cut by 40% and overseas trips will be halted, according to Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb. The nation is aiming to lower energy consumption at government offices by 10%, she said.

 

10th June, 2022

• An anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted pre-arrest bail to fourteen Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leaders till June 17 in a case related to the party's recent long march. The relief comes a day after the ATC in Lahore had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the former ruling party’s leaders at the request of Shahdara police station under charges of damaging public property, torturing police officials, and creating chaos during the party’s long march to Islamabad on May 25.
• The federal government announced a 15% increase in the salary of the government employees, as well as a 5% increase in the pensions for retired government employees. “The prime minister has rejected the Finance Ministry’s proposal of a 10% increase and has approved an increase in government employees’ salaries of 15% with the consent of the cabinet,” Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced after the meeting.
• PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan rejected the budget for the new fiscal year, terming it "anti-people" and "anti-business".The budget is based on "unrealistic assumptions" on inflation and economic growth, he said. In the budget, the government has set the targets for inflation and economic growth at 11.5 per cent and 5pc, respectively. "[This] indicates that inflation will be between 25-30pc, which on the one hand will destroy the common man, and on the other hand, retard economic growth due to high interest rates."

 

12th June, 2022

• According to the details, Pakistan Customs, while conducting operations on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, thwarted an attempt to smuggle fertilizer and sugar across the Torkham border.The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) spokesman said that 140 bags of fertilizer and 120 bags of sugar were being smuggled into Afghanistan.The driver has been arrested while the vehicle along with sacks of sugar and fertilizer has been confiscated.It is worth remembering that in order to stabilize the price of sugar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif banned the export of sugar to meet the needs of the country and also ordered strict measures against smuggling.

 

13th June, 2022

• JUI announced political and religious alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). According to sources, Head of JUI Sherani Group, Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani along with a 25-member delegation met PTI Chairman Imran Khan and announced to form an alliance with the PTI. Imran Khan welcomed the Head of JUI Sherani Group Maulana Khan Sherani along with a 25-member and said that PTI strives to achieve higher political and social goals beyond traditional politics.

 

15th June, 2022

• In Swat, eight suspected arsonists have been booked on charges of allegedly being involved in setting fire to the forests in various parts of district Swat, police officials confirmed.On the other hand, fresh incident of wildfire was successfully brought under control in Marghazar, Teghak and Shoqdara areas of the district.

 

16th June, 2022

• The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued the assets statement of parliamentarians for the year 2021.According to the data provided by the ECP, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif owned assets worth Rs245 million in 2021. The ECP data shows that the PM is also indebted to Rs140 million. The PM has also taken a loan of Rs60 million from his son Salman Shehbaz Sharif, it added.Meanwhile, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari owned Rs1.6 billion assets in 2021, with a bank balance of over Rs120 million. While the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari owns assets worth Rs710 million, while he does not have any overseas assets.

 

17th June, 2022

• PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has announced the protests from 21:00 to denounce the current administration led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who Khan claims has been unable to curb rising inflation.
• Pakistan had embarked on a massive diplomatic campaign to remove itself from the FATF’s grey list. The Pakistan delegation is led by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, who is also the chair of Pakistan’s National FATF Coordination Committee. Pakistan requires the votes of Turkey, China, and Malaysia to be removed from the list, and all three countries have pledged their full support to Pakistani authorities.

 

19th June, 2022

• President Dr Arif Alvi has once again refused to sign the election amendment bill that he had returned as he believes the legislation is “regressive" and urged Parliament to consider the use of technology in the elections.A statement issued by the president’s secretariat on Sunday said that Dr Alvi “has not signed the bill despite the fact, that the constitution that he upholds, will make it into law”
• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) workers and supporters on Sunday took to the streets in various cities across the country to protest against rising inflation on the call of party chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

 

20th June, 2022

• The US has agreed to help cash-strapped Pakistan negotiate a deal with the IMF for the revival of the country's economic bailout. programme with the global lender. Pakistan and the IMF have not yet been able to reach close to a staff-level agreement for the revival of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF), leaving Pakistani authorities in a tight spot to bridge the gap and get the updated federal budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 passed by the National Assembly.The US has agreed to help Pakistan negotiate a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

 

21st June, 2022

• The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has issued an assassination threat against PTI Chairman Imran Khan.According to the danger notice issued by the CTD’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wing, “terrorists are planning to assassinate Imran Khan and have sought assistance from an assassin in Afghanistan.”

 

22nd June, 2022

• A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.1 shook parts of Pakistan, killing 280 people in Afghanistan. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the epicenter of the quake was 44km southwest of Khost in Afghanistan at a depth of 50.8km. The quake struck at 1:54 am (local time).The tremors were felt in Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and other parts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

 

24th June, 2022

• Pakistan received a $2.3 billion Chinese consortium loan that would help stabilize its dwindling foreign exchange reserves, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail confirmed, after saying the South Asian nation was no longer on the path to debt default. The development comes as foreign exchange reserves held by the Pakistani central bank deplete to as little as $8.2 billion — barely enough for 45 days of imports — with the Pakistani rupee at record lows against the US dollar.

 

25th June, 2022

• The amendments made in the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 by the government were challenged by PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the Supreme Court. The former prime minister filed a petition in the top court under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution. In his petition, the PTI chairman said that the amendment has taken away the authority of appointing a NAB chairman and has given the responsibility to the current government which will "maneuver by the bulk of the holders of public office to assume control over and influence the impartiality of the NAB chairman."

 

26th June, 2022

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the PK-7 by-election as its candidate Fazl Mula secured 18,884 votes inflicting defeat on Awami National Party (ANP) candidate Hussain Ahmad.

 

27th June, 2022

• Ministry for Industries and Production, the Cabinet Secretariat and Customs suggested to revoke the ban on the import of cell phones as it generates taxes worth millions of rupees. As per the statistics, the country imported 940,000 mobile phone sets during five months of the current year. During the previous year, over 10.2 million mobile phone sets were imported to the country.

 

30th June, 2022

• In a major setback to the PML-N's government in Punjab, the Lahore High Court (LHC) accepted the appeals of the PTI filed against the election of Hamza Shahbaz as chief minister, and ordered a recount of votes with the exclusion of the 25 defecting party members who voted for him. A larger bench of the LHC— headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan — and comprising Justice Shahid Jamil, Justice Shehram Sarwar, Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh issued the 4-1 verdict.

 

JULY 2022

 

2nd July, 2022

• Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) organized a “historic” power show at Islamabad’s Parade Ground. The NOC was provided in response to the party’s application on June 27 for permission to stage a public protest at Parade Ground.The gathering, according to the NOC, shall not disturb or violate the fundamental rights of citizens of Islamabad and surrounding areas. The gathering must not block the Islamabad Expressway and must end by 12 a.m.

5th July, 2022

• Senior journalist and Express News anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan, the most vocal critic of the ruling coalition, was arrested from Islamabad Toll Plaza late disregarding the fact that a court has already granted him a pre-arrest bail.

7th July, 2022

• Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has decided in principle to provide transport facility to girls’ students of public sector schools in far-flung areas under the Parents Teachers Council (PTC) Funds.

9th July, 2022

• Elon Musk ended his $44bn (£36bn) bid to buy Twitter, alleging multiple breaches of the agreement. The announcement is the latest twist in a long-running saga after the world's richest person decided to buy Twitter in April. Mr Musk said he had backed out because Twitter failed to provide enough information on the number of spam and fake accounts.
• The Lahore High Court (LHC) has granted bail to senior journalist Imran Riaz Khan and ordered his release.

12th July, 2022

• NASA shared the images taken from the world’s most powerful space technology, James Webb. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has delivered the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe so far. Webb’s First Deep Field is galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, and it is teeming with thousands of galaxies – including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared.

14th July, 2022

• The deal between Pakistan and IMF has finally been locked. The long-awaited agreement could pave the way for the release of $1.17 billion to Pakistan as the country grapples with high inflation and political instability.
• The Supreme Court (SC) has rejected the foreign conspiracy theory of PTI and said courts give verdicts on evidence not speculations. It was the executive duty to take a decision on cipher but the PTI government didn’t conduct or order any inquiry. The court was not shown the complete cipher but a few contents were placed only for arguments and not the complete cipher in front of court.

15th July, 2022

• Faisal Niazi joined PTI days ahead of by-polls. Speaker Punjab Assembly Pervaiz Elahi accepted the resignation of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Faisal Niazi and he afterwards joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

17th July, 2022

• Few hours before the by-elections, Punjab government suffered another blow as another PML-N legislator met with PTI leaders and announced to resign from Punjab Assembly. This is second MPA to tender resignation in as many days while another PML-N lawmaker has been disqualified on fake degree – taking the toll to three lawmakers in two days’ time.
• PTI wrested control of Punjab back from the PML-N on Sunday with a landslide victory in the by-election on 20 constituencies.The party won 15 constituencies, dealing a major blow to the PML-N, who only clinched four. PTI candidates clinch victory in 15 constituencies, while PML-N manages to win only four. The by-polls on the 20 Punjab Assembly seats were crucial as they were to decide the fate of Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz. With 15 seats in hand, PTI is likely to defeat Hamza when a recount of votes for the chief minister election takes place on July 22.

19th July, 2022

• Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP) has developed an application through which all passport payments can be made online while saving citizens from long queues at banks. In a tweet, the minister said that online passport payments will put a full stop to long queues and cumbersome trips to the banks.

21st July, 2022

• Aftab Sultan was appointed as the NAB chairman after the formal approval of the federal cabinet meeting held today. Constitutionally, the term of chairman of NAB is four years while Iqbal completed his term in October 2021, but the PTI promulgated the NAB amendment ordinance through which he was given an extension till the appointment of a new chairman of NAB.

22nd July, 2022

• Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has refused to support Pervaiz Elahi in the election for the Punjab Chief Ministership. According to sources, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain confirmed writing the letter. In a major development before the voting, PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi said that his uncle, Chaudhry Shujaat, has refused to back Imran Khan s candidate. He said that he had gone to visit Shujaat but he refused to issue a video recording in this regard. "I have lost and Imran Khan has lost as well but Zardari has won
• Shehbaz was declared a victor after Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari ruled that PML-Q members’ votes were not counted in light of party head’s letter. According to Mazari, Hamza received 179 votes whereas Elahi garnered 176 votes, but only after 10 votes of Elahi’s own party were not counted, which turned the tables in Hamza’s favour.

 

23rd July, 2022

• Supreme Court of Pakistan Saturday said that Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz will work as a trustee till Monday (July 25).The orders came during a hearing on PML-Q leader Pervez Elahi's petition against Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari's ruling in the provincial CM’s election held on Friday. The Supreme Court issued the directives after it resumed the hearing of a petition filed by Elahi, challenging the ruling of Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Mazari.The court, in its verbal order, has said that the chief minister's powers will be limited. "All the appointments will be merit-based and those made without merit will be nullified," it was added. The Supreme Court said that the chief minister will not do anything for political gain and that the court will keep a check on him.

24th July, 2022

• Flash floods caused massive destruction in upper Kohistan. Atleast 50 houses swept away.

25th July, 2022

• The Supreme Court of Pakistan heard a petition moved by Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, a candidate for the CM’s office, against the ruling of Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari over the fate of PML-Q votes.Chief Justice Ejaz ul Ahsan said that if you prove from the constitution that the party leader can overrule the decision of parliamentary party, then we are with you.

26th July, 2022

• The ruling coalition parties announced boycott of the Supreme Court proceedings on Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi’s appeal against the re-election of Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, hours after an apex court bench declined to form a full court on the matter. The ruling coalition, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and other allied parties, wanted the full court hearing of the petition filed by the PML-Quaid leader. However, a three-member bench, led by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, rejected the petition of the coalition parties.
• The Supreme Court declared Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling on Punjab chief minister’s election null and void and ruled that Pervaiz Elahi will be the new Punjab chief minister. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Ijazul Ahsan and Munib Akhtar announced the verdict after completion of the hearing on Punjab CM case.

27th July, 2022

• The swearing-in ceremony of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi took place in the President’s House in Islamabad, where President Dr. Arif Alvi administered the oath of office to the newly elected Punjab chief minister.
• Leaders of the ruling coalition from the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP met with senior officials of the Election Commission Pakistan (ECP), including the chief election commissioner (CEC), in an effort to convince the electoral body to announce its verdict reserved in the prohibited funding case involving the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). And EPC is expected to announce the verdict in the first week of August.

28th July, 2022

• The treasury benches in the Punjab Assembly passed the no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, hours after electing Sibtain Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as the new speaker. Sibtain Khan was polled 185 votes of the lawmakers from the PTI, the PML-Quaid and other allies. His rival PML-N’s Saiful Malook Khokhar obtained 175 votes – three short of the opposition’s total strength of 178 in the provincial legislature.

30th July, 2022

• Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi made it mandatory for the groom and bride to sign the oath of Khatam-e-Nabuwat at the time of marriage. He instructed the issuance of new forms containing the affidavit of Khatam-e-Nabuwaat to the marriage registrar.

 

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