Practice SCO MCQs for SMEDA / SECP / PPIB Officer (NTS) Current Affairs — topic-wise sets with solved answers.
Q1. Pakistan hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in October 2024 in which city?
Answer: Islamabad
Explanation: Pakistan hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit in Islamabad in October 2024 - a landmark diplomatic achievement as it was one of the most significant multilateral gatherings hosted by Pakistan in recent years.
Q2. Which body within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation met in Pakistan in October 2024?
Answer: SCO Council of Heads of Government
Explanation: The SCO Council of Heads of Government - the prime ministers' level meeting - was held in Islamabad in October 2024. This is distinct from the Heads of State summit and focuses on trade, economy, and multilateral cooperation.
Q3. What was Pakistan's role in the SCO when it hosted the Heads of Government meeting in October 2024?
Answer: Pakistan held the rotating chair of the SCO Council of Heads of Government
Explanation: Pakistan held the rotating chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2024, which is why it hosted the summit in Islamabad. Rotating chairmanship is standard SCO practice among full member states.
Q4. Pakistan joined the SCO as a full member in which year, paving the way for its hosting of SCO events?
Answer: 2017
Explanation: Pakistan (alongside India) was admitted as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in June 2017 at the Astana summit. Full membership gave Pakistan eligibility to host SCO meetings, culminating in the 2024 Islamabad summit.
Q5. The SCO was originally founded in 2001 in which city, giving the organisation part of its historical identity?
Answer: Shanghai, China
Explanation: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China - hence its name. It evolved from the earlier Shanghai Five group that had focused on border demilitarisation.
Q6. Which Pakistani prime minister was in office when Pakistan hosted the SCO Heads of Government summit in Islamabad in October 2024?
Answer: Shehbaz Sharif (second tenure)
Explanation: Shehbaz Sharif began his second term as Prime Minister after the February 2024 elections and was in office when Pakistan hosted the SCO Council of Heads of Government summit in Islamabad in October 2024.
Q7. Which country chairs the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and wields the greatest institutional influence within it?
Answer: China, as the founding power and largest economy in the grouping
Explanation: China is the dominant power within the SCO - it founded the organisation's predecessor group, hosts the SCO Secretariat in Beijing, contributes the largest share of funding, and drives the organisation's strategic and economic agenda.
Q8. In which city was the SCO Heads of Government summit held in October 2024?
Answer: Islamabad
Explanation: The SCO Heads of Government summit was held in Islamabad in October 2024, marking a significant diplomatic milestone for Pakistan as host nation. It brought together premiers of all nine SCO full member states.
Q9. Which country joined the SCO as a full member in 2023?
Answer: Iran
Explanation: Iran was admitted as a full member of the SCO in 2023, bringing the total to nine full members. Iran's accession strengthened the SCO's reach in West Asia and its energy-resource base.
Q10. Which country joined the SCO as a full member in 2024?
Answer: Belarus
Explanation: Belarus became a full member of the SCO in 2024, bringing the total membership to nine full members. The expansion continued SCO's trend of enlarging its Eurasian footprint.
Q11. How many full member states does the SCO have as of 2024?
Answer: Nine
Explanation: As of 2024, the SCO has nine full member states: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran (joined 2023), and Belarus (joined 2024). It is now the world's largest regional organisation by geographic and population coverage.
Q12. The SCO Heads of Government summit in Islamabad (October 2024) was chaired by Pakistan's which official?
Answer: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
Explanation: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the SCO Heads of Government summit hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad in October 2024. The summit was a major diplomatic achievement for Pakistan, bringing together premiers of SCO member states.
Q13. India's participation in the SCO Heads of Government summit in Islamabad (October 2024) was notable because of what?
Answer: India was represented virtually, not in person, due to strained Pakistan-India ties
Explanation: India participated in the Islamabad SCO summit virtually due to tense bilateral relations with Pakistan, sending its External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar via video link rather than attending in person. This highlighted the diplomatic freeze between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Q14. Which SCO mechanism is specifically designed to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism, often called the "three evils"?
Answer: Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)
Explanation: The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) headquartered in Tashkent is the SCO's permanent body mandated to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts against what the SCO terms the "three evils" - terrorism, separatism, and extremism. RATS facilitates intelligence-sharing among member states.
Q15. Under the SCO Charter, what distinguishes a "full member" from an "observer state"?
Answer: Full members have voting rights and are bound by SCO agreements, while observers participate without voting or legal obligations
Explanation: Full SCO members have full voting rights, sign binding agreements, and bear legal obligations under the SCO Charter, whereas observer states participate in meetings and discussions but are not bound by SCO decisions and cannot vote. This distinction matters for countries like Turkey and Afghanistan that hold observer or dialogue partner status.
Q16. What is the significance of the "Connectivity Plus" agenda adopted at the Islamabad SCO summit of October 2024?
Answer: It emphasised digital connectivity, trade facilitation, and people-to-people links as new SCO priorities beyond physical infrastructure
Explanation: The Islamabad SCO summit's "Connectivity Plus" agenda expanded the organisation's focus to encompass digital infrastructure, trade facilitation, and cultural exchange alongside traditional physical connectivity projects. This reflected the evolution of SCO priorities in a post-pandemic, technology-driven world.
Q17. What was the primary agenda of the SCO Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) summit as opposed to the SCO Heads of State (Presidents) summit?
Answer: Economic cooperation, trade, and budget matters rather than security and political decisions
Explanation: The SCO Heads of Government summit focuses on economic cooperation, bilateral trade, the SCO budget, and multilateral economic projects, while the Heads of State summit deals with broader political and security decisions. Pakistan's October 2024 hosting was the Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) format.
Q18. Which SCO member state has been the most resistant to deepening SCO economic integration due to rivalry with Pakistan?
Answer: India
Explanation: India has been the most resistant to deepening SCO economic connectivity, particularly blocking a proposed SCO Free Trade Agreement and opposing transit routes through Pakistan. India's refusal to normalise Pakistan-India trade ties constrains SCO's potential as an economic bloc.
Q19. Which country chairs the SCO on a rotating basis, and which country held the 2024-2025 SCO Chair after Pakistan hosted the HoG summit?
Answer: Pakistan passed the SCO Heads of Government chair to China after the October 2024 Islamabad summit
Explanation: The SCO Heads of Government chairmanship rotates among members, and Pakistan held the chair for the 2024 Heads of Government summit cycle before passing it to China. The separate SCO Heads of State chair rotates on a different cycle, with Kazakhstan hosting in 2024.
Q20. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is often referenced when discussing regional security dialogue that includes China, India, Pakistan, Russia and Central Asian states. Pakistan’s membership status in the SCO in this period is best described how?
Answer: Full member
Explanation: Pakistan became a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in June 2017 at the Astana summit, upgrading from its previous observer status.
Loading...