Level 1
Foreign Policy MCQs set 2 for SMEDA / SECP / PPIB Officer (NTS) Current Affairs — 20 solved questions.
Q1. I2U2 is the new grouping formed by ____________?
Answer: India,Israel,USA,UAE
Explanation: I2U2 is a multilateral grouping comprising India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States, established in 2021 to focus on joint investments in food, water, energy, and transport.
Q2. China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Phase-II was launched in which year?
Answer: 2019
Explanation: China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Phase-II (CPFTA-II) was signed in April 2019 and entered into force on January 1, 2020, significantly expanding the scope of tariff concessions compared to Phase-I.
Q3. Which country is Pakistan's largest bilateral trade partner?
Answer: China
Explanation: China has been Pakistan's largest bilateral trade partner for several years, with bilateral trade exceeding $20 billion annually, significantly boosted by CPEC investments and preferential trade agreements.
Q4. Pakistan and China formally established diplomatic relations in which year?
Answer: 1951
Explanation: Pakistan and China established formal diplomatic relations on May 21, 1951, making Pakistan one of the first countries to recognize the People's Republic of China.
Q5. The Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan was signed in which year?
Answer: 1960
Explanation: The Indus Waters Treaty allocating water rights between India and Pakistan was signed on September 19, 1960, in Karachi, with World Bank mediation, and has remained in force despite several wars.
Q6. In which year was the Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire agreement signed between India and Pakistan?
Answer: 2003
Explanation: India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire along the Line of Control and all sectors of the international border in February 2003, jointly announced on November 26, 2003.
Q7. In which year was the China-Pakistan border agreement signed?
Answer: 1963
Explanation: The Sino-Pakistani Agreement on the boundary between China and Pakistan-administered Kashmir was signed on March 2, 1963, demarcating approximately 592 km of shared border.
Q8. Which country surpassed China to become the world's most populous country in 2023?
Answer: India
Explanation: India surpassed China to become the world's most populous nation in 2023, with the UN estimating India's population at 1.4286 billion against China's 1.4257 billion.
Q9. Which bilateral agreement between Pakistan and India established the Line of Control in Kashmir?
Answer: Simla Agreement 1972
Explanation: The Simla Agreement, signed on July 2, 1972, between Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi, formally established the Line of Control in Kashmir and committed both countries to resolving disputes through bilateral negotiations.
Q10. Pakistan hosted the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in which year?
Answer: 2022
Explanation: Pakistan hosted the 48th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad in March 2022, which focused on Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Q11. Pakistan's policy of strengthening commercial and diplomatic ties with East and Southeast Asian nations is known as?
Answer: Vision East Asia
Explanation: Pakistan's "Vision East Asia" policy, articulated to strengthen commercial, diplomatic, and people-to-people ties with East and Southeast Asian nations, reflects a diversification of its foreign economic engagement.
Q12. Pakistan's "Look Africa" policy initiative, launched around 2021-2022, primarily aims to achieve which objective?
Answer: Expanded trade, investment, and diplomatic ties with African nations
Explanation: Pakistan's "Look Africa" policy, launched under the PTI government around 2021-2022, seeks to diversify Pakistan's diplomatic and trade ties by building stronger economic partnerships, investment flows, and people-to-people connections with African nations.
Q13. The China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Phase-II (CPFTA-II) was signed in which year?
Answer: 2019
Explanation: China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Phase-II (CPFTA-II) was signed in April 2019 and came into effect on January 1, 2020, offering Pakistan enhanced market access to China and reducing tariffs on Pakistani exports.
Q14. Under CPFTA Phase-II, Pakistan and China agreed to liberalize trade in how many tariff lines for Pakistan's exports to China?
Answer: About 313 tariff lines
Explanation: Under CPFTA Phase-II, China agreed to eliminate tariffs on approximately 313 Pakistani export items, providing Pakistani exporters improved market access to China's vast consumer market.
Q15. What was the former name of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS)?
Answer: District Management Group
Explanation: Before being renamed the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), the elite cadre was known as the District Management Group (DMG), which itself had evolved from the earlier Civil Service of Pakistan.
Q16. FPSC is constitutionally mandated to advise on which matter?
Answer: Recruitment to federal posts and services
Explanation: Under Article 242 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) is constitutionally mandated to advise the federal government on matters relating to recruitment to federal posts and services.
Q17. FSP (Foreign Service of Pakistan) officers are trained at which institution for diplomatic skills?
Answer: Foreign Service Academy
Explanation: Officers selected for the Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP) undergo specialized diplomatic training at the Foreign Service Academy in Islamabad to prepare them for bilateral and multilateral postings.
Q18. As of 2025, has Pakistan formally recognised the Afghan Taliban government?
Answer: No, Pakistan has not formally recognised the Taliban government
Explanation: As of 2025, Pakistan has not formally recognised the Afghan Taliban government, consistent with the broader international position where no country has extended formal diplomatic recognition to the Taliban regime.
Q19. Pakistan and India suspended bilateral trade in 2019 following India's revocation of special status for which territory?
Answer: Jammu and Kashmir (Article 370)
Explanation: India revoked Article 370 in August 2019, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special autonomous status, which prompted Pakistan to suspend bilateral trade with India.
Q20. Pakistan's foreign policy principle of maintaining relations with both the USA and China is often described as:
Answer: Strategic autonomy and multi-vector diplomacy
Explanation: Pakistan has historically pursued a balancing act between the United States and China, described as strategic autonomy or multi-vector diplomacy, avoiding exclusive alignment with either power bloc.