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Nov. 16: Pakistan was awarded the hosting right of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Nov. 17: The joint session of Parliament passed the Elections (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021 envisaging use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections and 32 other bills.
Nov. 17: During his two-day visit to Pakistan, the British Permanent Home Secretary, Matthew Rycroft, announced a new immigration system to enable the “best and brightest” from Pakistan to visit the UK to study, work and live.
Nov. 17: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government renamed the Gandhara Valley City as New Peshawar City.
Nov. 17: Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash was appointed the chief secretary of KP, replacing Dr Kazim Niaz, who was posted as the federal secretary water resources division.
Nov. 18: An economist of Pakistani origin Dr Adnan Qadir Khan was appointed the Chief Economist for the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the UK government.
About Dr Khan
Originally from Dera Ghazi Khan, Dr Khan studied engineering, philosophy and international affairs from UET and Punjab University. He worked at different positions in Pakistan. He was recruited to the Pakistan Administrative Service after standing first in the Civil Service Examination in 1995. He also stood first after completing training at the Civil Services Academy. He has been a founder board member of the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP) since 2010.
Nov. 18: The Sindh High Court (SHC) appointed a commissioner to unearth and take possession of the debits and securities belonging to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and his sister Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah from Qasr-e-Fatima.
Nov. 20: The first “Pakistan-China Friendship Farm” was inaugurated in Okara.
Nov. 21: Nouman Ilyas won the 61st National Amateur Golf Championship to become the new national champion.
Nov. 22: Pakistan and IMF reached a staff-level agreement.
Nov. 22: Prime Minister Imran Khan (PMIK) approved humanitarian assistance package for Afghanistan worth Rs 5bn.
Nov. 22: PMIK allowed 50,000-MT wheat India offered to provide to Afghanistan as humanitarian assistance to go through Pakistan
Nov. 23: PTI’s Ayub Afridi resigned from the Senate.
Nov. 23: President Dr Arif Alvi inaugurated Pakistan’s first-ever National Cyber Security Academy at the opening of the International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security 2021 (ICCWS 2021) at PAF Complex, Islamabad.
Nov. 23: PMIK won the global sport honour “Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award” in Dubai for his contribution to sports and encouraging youth.
Nov. 23: World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) declared the government-backed National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) illegal and barred it from carrying out any official activity in Pakistan.
Nov. 23: Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) appointed Dr Wasif Ali Memon as its new chairman.
Nov. 24: Ayub Afridi assumed charge as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD).
Nov. 24: PMIK gave approval to the merger of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) into National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Nov. 24: Arooj Aftab became the first Pakistani woman to have made it to the Grammys nomination list. She is also the first Pakistani to be nominated in the ‘Best New Artist’ category.
Nov. 24: President Alvi awarded International Peace Award to Ambassador of European Union (EU) to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara.
Nov. 25: Pakistan conducted successful flight test of Shaheen-1A surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
Nov. 25: Air Vice Marshal Tariq Zia was appointed the Director General Public Relations (DGPR) of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Nov. 26: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa pinned the badges of rank to formally install Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar as the first-ever female general to be appointed as Colonel Commandant of the AMC.
Nov. 26: The district and sessions judge of Mandi Bahauddin convicted Deputy Commissioner Tariq Basra and Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Ali Baig in a contempt of court case, awarded them three-month imprisonment each and issued orders for sending them to jail.
Nov. 26: Chief Minister KP, Mahmood Khan, announced district status for Alai tehsil.
Nov. 27: President Alvi held a bilateral meeting with his Turkmenistan counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the sidelines of the 15th Summit of Economic Cooperation Organisation.
Nov. 27: A UK court of appeal upheld a Home Office decision to cancel the 10-year multiple-entry visit visas of Bahria Town founder Malik Riaz and his son, Ahmed Ali Riaz.
Nov. 28: The online opening ceremony of Sino-Pakistan Silk Road Institute of Electric Power was held simultaneously at Zhengzhou Electric Power College (ZEPC), China and the University of Engineering & Technology (UET), Lahore.
Nov. 29: Senior journalist and noted economic analyst Muhammad Ziauddin passed away aged 83.
Nov. 29: The SBP signed an agreement for a deposit of $3 billion from Saudi Fund for Development.
Nov. 29: Pakistan’s most successful professional boxer Muhammad Waseem became the World Boxing Council silver flyweight champion for the second time.
Nov. 29: The National Council of Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) elected Mossarat Qadeem as its new chairperson.
Nov. 30: The Balochistan Assembly passed a resolution against the Reko Diq agreement, saying the Federation cannot negotiate an agreement on Reko Dik after the 18th Amendment.
Nov. 30: One of the world’s largest manufacturers of mobile phones, Samsung, finally started production in Pakistan.
Dec. 01: The FBR jacked-up the valuation rates of FBR-notified rates of immovable property, including commercial, residential, apartments, flats and other areas of 40 selected major cities of the country.
Dec. 01: Kazim Khan was elected president of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE).
Amir Mahmood was elected secretary general, Ayaz Khan as senior vice president and Yousuf Nizami as deputy secretary general.
Dec. 01: COAS Gen Bajwa formally installed Lt. Gen. Sarfraz Ali, Commander Quetta Corps, as Colonel Commandant of the AK Regiment.
Dec. 01: Facebook launched its flagship skill development program ‘Rise’ in Pakistan.
Dec. 01: Pakistan was elected as the chair of the Group of 77 plus China.
Dec. 02: KSE 100 index recorded the ‘third largest one-day loss ever’ of 2,134.99 points or 4.71 percent.
Dec. 02: The government appointed Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh, a BS-21 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), as its sixth Federal Secretary Finance.
Dec. 02: CM KP announced to establish a new administrative division in the name of “Abaseen” by splitting Hazara Division and create a new Zone-6 comprising few districts of Malakand and Hazara Divisions.
Dec. 02: The ADB confirmed Pakistan’s inclusion into its first-ever Energy Transition Mechanism aimed to support energy mix conversion over clean renewable solutions.
Dec. 02: Pakistan’s largest oil refinery Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited (BPPL) changed its name to Cnergyico Pk Limited.
Dec. 03: Priyantha Diyawadana, a 50-year-old Sri Lankan national, working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot was lynched to death over allegations of religious sacrilege.
Dec. 03: Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali took oath as Balochistan Assembly speaker.
Dec. 04: PMIK phoned the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa over the tragic killing of Priyantha Diyawadana in Sialkot to convey the Pakistanis sense of deep shame and anger.
Dec. 04: Pakistan was re-elected to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) for the term 2022–2024.
Dec. 05: PML-N candidate Shaista Pervaiz Malik won the bypolls of NA-133 Lahore, bagging 46,811 votes.
Dec. 05: The Sindhi Cultural Day was celebrated across the country.
Dec. 05: Pakistan Handball Federation President Muhammad Shafiq was elected unopposed as Treasurer Commonwealth Handball Association for a 4-year term.
Dec. 05: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed two agreements related to workers’ recruitment and skills verification of Pakistani workforce being employed in the kingdom.
Dec. 05: Pakistan’s highly talented judoka Qaisar Khan Afridi won bronze medal in the 100 kilogramme weight category in the Asia-Oceania Junior Championship in Beirut.
Dec. 06: PMIK launched Pakistan’s historic Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive, a part of the new four projects worth Rs4 billion initiated by the present government in coordination with the Kamyab Jawan Programme and the Higher Education Commission to keep the country’s youth engaged in sports and extracurricular activities.
Dec. 06: Ahsan Younis (PSP), belonging to 28th CTP, was appointed Inspector General of the Federal Capital Police.
Dec. 06: PMIK accorded in-principle approval to the concept plan of ‘Ecological Restoration of the Indus Basin for a climate-resilient future.
Dec. 06: Two-time Academy Award-winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was awarded by British human rights organisation the People’s Portfolio for “inspiring leadership, great courage and compassion for fellow human beings” through her documentaries.
Dec. 06: South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics operationalised its first TV line-up plant in collaboration with a local firm in Karachi.
Dec. 06: President Alvi promulgated the National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) Amendment Ordinance, 2021, under which different agencies will be bound to immediately provide their data to the authority.
Dec. 07: The Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council and SAPM on Religious Harmony and Middle East, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, along with Ulema and Mashaykh of different religious schools of thought visited the Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad to express condolence on the tragic killing of Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot.
Dec. 07: The Ulema of different religious schools of thought announced unanimously to observe ‘Condemnation Day’, on 10th December, 2021 all over the country against the tragic incident of Sialkot.
Dec. 07: The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) approved the proposal to confirm the employment of two additional judges – Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri – of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Dec. 07: The results of the National Corruption Perception Survey 2021, conducted by Transparency International Pakistan, was released according to which the police and judiciary the most corrupt institutions in the country.
Dec. 07: PMIK appointed Dr Ijaz Akram the Chairman of the high-powered National Rehmatulil Aalmeen Authority (NRA).
Dec. 07: The BBC released a list of the world’s 100 most inspiring and influential women for 2021. Three Pakistani women – Abia Akram, Laila Haidari and Malala Yousafzai – also featured on the list.
Dec. 08: PMIK launched the Micro Health Insurance Programme under the Kamyab Pakistan Programme.
Dec. 08: Pakistan declined to participate in the Summit for Democracy, which was held virtually on Dec. 9-10.
Dec. 08: The sixth round of the European Union-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue was held in Brussels, Belgium.
Dec. 08: Pakistan and China resumed the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) meeting after an 11-year pause to strengthen bilateral ties under the broader framework.
Dec. 08: Pakistan beat Bangladesh by an innings and eight runs and take the two-Test series 2-0 in Dhaka. Sajid Khan, who took 8 wickets in the first innings and 4 in the second, was declared Man of the Match while Abid Ali was declared the Man of the Series.
Dec. 08: Rear Admiral Mirza Foad Amin Baig HI (M) assumed the duties as Director General of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA).
Dec. 08: ‘Out Swing’ a short film by Pakistani filmmaker and anthropologist Samar Minallah was declared the best short film at the 7th Sport Film Festival in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Dec. 09: Organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies, the Islamabad Conclave 2021 started in Islamabad under the theme: “Peaceful and Prosperous South Asia.”
Dec. 09: The district administration and Sindh University’s Thatta campus signed an MoU on the establishment of oceanographic survey unit in Thatta district.
Dec. 09: Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) General Shamim Alam Khan died.
Dec. 09: Dr Reza Baqir, Governor SBP, was appointed the chairman of the Council of Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), Malaysia, for the year 2022.
Dec. 10: PMIK inaugurated the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit Service, the first-ever mass transit system for the people of Karachi in decades.
Dec. 10: Pakistan established “Afghanistan Relief Fund” for receiving donations from both domestic and international donors to help the war-ravaged country.
Dec. 10: Pakistan’s premier weightlifter Talha Talib lifted bronze in snatch in the World Championship in Tashkent.
Dec. 10: The ADB approved two loans totalling $685 million for Pakistan to support health and energy sector reforms.
Dec. 11: CM Punjab launched Rescue-1122 Mobile Application.
Dec. 11: A delegation of US senators comprising Angus King, Richard Burr, John Cornyn and Benjamin Sasse, called on PMIK.
Dec. 12: Afghanistan-China-Pakistan Youth Forum (ACFYF) was launched.
Dec. 12: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar signed the Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2021 into law.
Dec. 12: CM Punjab approved the Air Rescue Service Project.
Dec. 12: The PCB and Arif Habib Group signed an MoU for the installation of drop-in pitches.
What are drop-in pitches?
The drop-in pitch is exactly what it sounds like. It is a pitch created away from the ground or venue hosting the match, which is then ‘dropped’ into the site before the game. The first time a drop-in pitch was used in the history of cricket was at the WACA stadium in Perth. One of the many advantages of drop-in pitches is the multi-purpose use of a stadium in which it is being utilised; the cricket venue can be used for other sporting events and musical concerts. The drop-in pitch allows Australia to host football, rugby and cricket matches at the same ground. A drop-in pitch also allows a pitch curator to modify it the way they want which otherwise could not have been possible with a regular one. They can easily manufacture a bowler-friendly drop-in pitch with a combination of soil, clay and grass.
Dec. 12: Pakistan claimed the Guinness World Record title for most cars in a drive-in concert with over 1,000 cars gathered for the event in Islamabad.
Dec. 12: The US House of Representatives dropped all references to Pakistan from a bill that sought to blame the country for enabling the Taliban to capture Kabul in August, 2021.
Dec. 13: The opening ceremony of exercise “Al-Kassah-III Joint Military Counter IED” was held at the King Khalid Military City Hafar Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia.
Dec. 13: The Government of Japan announced a $4.35 million grant for Pakistan for procurement of 24 million oral doses of polio vaccine.
Dec. 13: PMIK launched Naya Pakistan Health Card initiative in Lahore.
Dec. 13: Faisal Hasnain took over as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PCB.
Dec. 14: The SBP raised its benchmark interest rate by 100 basis points, taking it to 9.75 percent.
Dec. 15: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar unveiled the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Policy, with special focus on promoting around 5 million businesses through facilitation in registration, streamlining of taxes, access to credit and provision of land.
Dec. 15: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) lost claims of approximately Rs19 billion against National Power Parks Management Company Pvt. Ltd. (NPPMCL) in two arbitrations before the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).
Dec. 15: Pakistan defeated India to win gold medal in the seniors’ category of the 21st Bridge Federation of Asia and the Middle East (BFAME) Championship.
Nov. 16: The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced fourteen host nations for Champions Trophy from 2024-2031.
Nov. 17: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) introduced new framework for transgender athletes.
Nov. 18: The UAE’s Ministry of Defence signed seven contracts worth more than Dh1.74 billion at the Dubai Airshow 2021.
Nov. 18: Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) set a world’s first by completing the first flight using only synthetic fuel.
Nov. 18: French lawmakers voted to end wild animals being used in live circus shows.
Nov. 19: During an extended medical checkup of US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris briefly held presidency, becoming the first woman to lead the country.
US President’s annual physical exam
By law, the President of the United States is not required to undergo an annual physical check-up. However, the ritual has become an expected task for modern presidents. They have to go to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland – one of the most prominent US military medical centres in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and the United States, having served numerous US presidents since the 20th century. They undergo test related to blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, heart rate and weight. According to a copy of Obama’s results from 2016, the physical exam could also include tests by system: eyes, thyroid, pulmonary, heart, intestines, neuro, skin, and ears, nose and throat. But not all the tests run are necessarily disclosed. The White House doctor is still bound by the same privacy rules requiring medical confidentiality. The exam does not, however, necessarily include a cognitive or psychiatric assessment. It is to be noted here that if a president is sedated during a test, he will have to hand over power under the constitution to the Vice President.
Nov. 19: Russian and Chinese warplanes on a joint exercise briefly entered South Korea’s air defence identification zone.
Nov. 19: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced to scrap agricultural reform laws that sparked a year of huge protests by farmers.
Nov. 19: The longest partial lunar eclipse in nearly 600 years, which bathed the Moon in red, was seen in many countries.
Nov. 19: India defeated New Zealand to clinch a series win.
Nov. 19: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced a record $490 billion stimulus.
Nov. 19: South Africa’s AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Nov. 19: Tim Paine quit as Australia’s Test captain after allegations of sending sexually explicit text messages to a female colleague four years ago.
Nov. 20: The world’s first fully electric autonomous cargo vessel Yara Birkeland was unveiled in Norway.
Nov. 20: Reliance Industries Ltd scrapped a plan announced more than two years ago to sell a 20 percent stake in its oil-to-chemicals unit to Saudi Aramco.
Nov. 21: China officially downgraded diplomatic ties with Lithuania, after Taiwan established a de facto embassy in Vilnius.
Nov. 21: Sudan’s top general signed a breakthrough deal to reverse the military takeover that ousted premier Abdalla Hamdok.
Nov. 22: Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton joined US and British diplomats in signing an agreement that allows the exchange of sensitive “naval nuclear propulsion information” between their nations.
Nov. 22: Abhinandan Varthaman, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot who was captured by Pakistan in 2019 after his MiG 21 Bison aircraft was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet, and later returned to India, was awarded Vir Chakra — India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award after Param Vir Chakra and Maha Chakra.
Nov. 22: India’s top anti-terrorism investigation agency arrested Khurram Parvez, a prominent human rights activist in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
Nov. 23: Albert Einstein’s handwritten notes for the theory of relativity fetched a record 11.6 million euros ($13 million) at an auction in Paris.
Nov. 24: Israel and Morocco signed an agreement making it easier for Rabat to acquire high-tech Israeli security products.
Nov. 25: Ministers from the EU’s 27 member pieces of countries agreed to their common position on two landmark legislation that could set unprecedented oversight on Big Tech.
Nov. 25: India’s latest National Family and Health Survey revealed that the country has more women than men for the first time on record – 1,020 women per 1,000 men.
Nov. 25: Interpol elected Emirati General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi as its new president.
Nov. 26: Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks.
Nov. 26: France and Italy signed a new treaty to formalise their relations.
Nov. 26: Britain designated Hamas an “Islamist terrorist group”.
Nov. 26: The WHO designated the new highly mutated strain of Covid a “variant of concern” and gave it the Greek name Omicron.
Nov. 27: Novak Djokovic-led Serbia downed Austria to win the Davis Cup title.
Nov. 28: The 15th Summit of the Heads of State of the Economic Cooperation Organization started in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Nov. 29: Sixteen news agencies united to operate a joint, EU-funded “European Newsroom” that, from January 2022, will put out information on the bloc and aspiring member states.
Nov. 29: Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and CEO of Twitter Inc., announced to step down, ceding the position to the company’s Chief Technology Officer Parag Agrawal.
Nov. 29: Sweden’s parliament elected Magdalena Andersson as the country’s prime minister, the first woman to hold the post – twice– five days after her initial bid lasted only hours.
Nov. 29: Russia carried out another successful test of its Zircon hypersonic cruise missile.
Nov. 30: Barbados’s most famous citizen and a world-renowned singer Rihanna was declared a national hero. Barbados had already conferred the title of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary on the billionaire multiple Grammy-winning singer and businesswoman in 2018 and tasked her with encouraging education and tourism.
Nov. 30: Lionel Messi won the men’s Ballon d’Or prize for the seventh time.
Nov. 30: Spain’s Alexia Putellas took the women’s Ballon d’Or prize.
Dec. 01: Google announced to stop carrying election ads in the Philippines ahead of the May 2022 presidential vote.
Dec. 01: The European Commission announced a plan “Global Gateway” to mobilise 300 billion euros ($340 billion) in public and private infrastructure investment around the world.
Dec. 01: The Worldwide Cost of Living Index was revealed according to which Tel Aviv is the world’s most expensive city to live in.
Dec. 02: The EU announced to inject 325 million euros for refugees in Turkey.
Dec. 02: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Sweden.
Dec. 02: A group of 67 countries, including the United States, China and EU members, reached a deal at the World Trade Organisation on facilitating trade in services.
Dec. 03: The Taliban supreme leader Maulvi Haibatullah Akhunzada issued a decree on women’s rights, saying females should not be considered a “property” and their consent to marriage is a must.
Dec. 03: The UAE signed a record 14-billion-euro contract for 80 Rafale warplanes and committed billions of euros in other deals during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.
Dec. 03: Spain’s National Audience, the court in charge of extraditions, gave final approval to the extradition of Venezuela’s former intelligence chief to the United States, where he is wanted on drug trafficking charges.
Dec. 03: Georges Kordahi, a Lebanese minister whose comments on the Yemen war sparked a row with Gulf countries that exacerbated Lebanon’s multiple crises, resigned.
Dec. 03: Austria’s ruling party named Interior Minister Karl Nehammer to lead the conservative camp and the country as Chancellor.
Dec. 03: Two-time Canadian Olympic gold medallist Kaillie Humphries became a US citizen which will allow her to compete for the Americans at the Beijing Olympics.
Dec. 03: Laos opened $6 billion Chinese-built railway. The 414-kilometre route took five years to construct under China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.
Dec. 03: Antony Sher, one of the most acclaimed Shakespearean actors of his generation, died aged 72.
Dec. 03: The Council of Europe announced to launch disciplinary action against Turkey for refusing to free prominent activist and philanthropist Osman Kavala.
Dec. 04: New Zealand’s Mumbai-born spinner Ajaz Patel took a record 10 wickets in an innings.
Dec. 05: Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa signed the decree that formalises the dissolution of Portuguese Parliament.
Dec. 05: Bob Dole, who battled back from severe injuries in World War II to become a five-term US senator and the Republican Party’s 1996 presidential nominee, died.
Dec. 05: Saudi Arabia granted approval for people vaccinated with Russia’s Sputnik jab to enter the country.
Dec. 05: South Korea’s badminton ace An Se-young clinched the women’s singles title at the World Tour Finals.
Dec. 05: The IMF warned that 60 percent of the world’s poorest nations are at high risk of, or already in, debt distress, double the share in 2015.
Dec. 05: China’s Zhao Xintong defeated Luca Brecel 10-5 to clinch snooker’s UK Championship crown.
Dec. 06: Myanmar’s junta jailed ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for four years.
Dec. 06: The United States announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Dec. 06: Russia and India signed a flurry of trade and arms deals during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi.
Dec. 06: Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim, a veteran of the fight against apartheid who spent years imprisoned on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela, died.
Dec. 06: Austria’s Interior Minister Karl Nehammer was sworn in as the country’s third chancellor in as many months.
Dec. 06: India hammered New Zealand to win the second Test and clinch the series 1-0.
Dec. 06: Turkey and Qatar raised the possibility of jointly operating Afghanistan’s Taliban-controlled airport.
Dec. 06: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution indefinitely postponing the international recognition of Afghanistan’s Taliban and Myanmar’s military junta.
Dec. 07: World Inequality Report 2021 was released which revealed that the share of global wealth of the world’s richest people soared at a record pace during the Covid pandemic.
Dec. 07: Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin held a two-hour video summit.
Dec. 07: Saudi Aramco signed a $15.5 billion lease and leaseback agreement for its gas pipeline network with a consortium led by BlackRock Real Assets and Hassana Investment Company.
Dec. 07: The UAE announced to slash its working week to four-and-a-half days and moving its weekend from Fridays and Saturdays to Saturdays and Sundays.
Dec. 07: The UN’s top court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, ordered rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan to prevent racial hatred and avoid aggravating their feud.
Dec. 07: World number one Ash Barty was named WTA Player of the Year for the second time while the US Open champion Emma Raducanu took the Newcomer of the Year title.
Dec. 08: Indian defence chief, General Bipin Rawat, and 12 other people were killed in a helicopter crash near its destination in southern Tamil Nadu state.
Dec. 08: Allegra Stratton, an adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, resigned after footage of her joking about a Christmas party at Downing Street during lockdown last year aired on national television.
Dec. 08: Facebook parent Meta banned all pages and accounts belonging to Myanmar military-backed businesses.
Dec. 08: Former Malaysian leader Najib Razak lost his appeal against a corruption conviction and 12-year jail term.
Dec. 08: Olaf Scholz became Germany’s new chancellor, after 16 years with Angela Merkel at the helm.
Dec. 09: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman reached Qatar on his first visit since the kingdom ended a four-year blockade.
Dec. 09: The US-led coalition against Islamic State group finished its combat mission in Iraq.
Dec. 09: Debt-crippled Chinese property giant Evergande defaulted.
Dec. 09: Canada announced to join the US and other countries in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics 2022.
Dec. 10: The US imposed extensive human rights-related sanctions on dozens of people and entities tied to China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh, and added Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company SenseTime Group to an investment blacklist.
Dec. 10: The US government won an appeal against a London court ruling that had blocked the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from Britain.
Dec. 10: Nicaragua switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China.
Dec. 10: Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen retained his world chess title.
Dec. 11: Dozens of devastating tornadoes ripped through the Midwest and the southeastern US overnight involving six US states, leaving more than 70 people dead.
Dec. 11: Chief Minister of Indian state of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, said that offering namaz in open spaces will not be tolerated and that some sites in Gurugram reserved for Muslims to conduct prayers had been withdrawn
Dec. 11: The two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the G7 countries started in Liverpool, northwest England.
Dec. 11: Thousands of Indian farmers dismantled tent cities on the outskirts of Delhi, marking an end to the year-long protests against now-repealed controversial farm laws.
Dec. 11: Anne Rice, the gothic novelist best known for writing “Interview with the Vampire,” died.
Dec. 12: The G7 foreign ministers said that time was running out for Iran to agree a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions, and warned Russia of “massive” consequences if it invades Ukraine.
Dec. 12: Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett paid the first official visit of the Jewish state leader to the United Arab Emirates.
Dec. 12: The 70th edition of the Miss Universe pageant was held in Israel, for the first time.
Dec. 12: Islanders on the Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted overwhelmingly to remain part of France.
Dec. 12: Max Verstappen became the first Dutchman ever to win the Formula One world championship title, after he won Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Dec. 13: Time magazine named Tesla chief and space entrepreneur Elon Musk as its person of the year.
Dec. 13: Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned Miss Universe. She is the third Indian to win the title after Lara Dutta and Sushmita Sen.
Dec. 13: European foreign ministers slapped sanctions on Russian mercenary outfit Wagner.
Dec. 13: Russia vetoed a first-of-its-kind UN Security Council resolution casting climate change as a threat to international peace and security. Some 113 of the UN’s 193 member countries supported the proposal, including 12 of the Council’s 15 members. But India and veto-wielding Russia voted no, while China abstained.
Dec. 13: Britain recorded world’s first known death from Omicron.
Dec. 15: A dance form created by African slaves and brought to the Seychelles in the 18th century, “moutya”, was added to Unesco’s list of intangible heritage.
Dec. 15: Five judges at Britain’s Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge against a government policy not to allow gender-neutral passports.
Dec. 15: Lithuania recalled its current chief diplomat in China.
Dec. 15: The US Congress voted to set up a commission to assess the failures of the 20-year war in Afghanistan following the Taliban´s victory.
About the Commission
The Commission on Afghanistan will include 16 members appointed by the two major parties and has been tasked to issue an initial report within a year of its first meeting, and a final report within three years. The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of the war in Afghanistan and make recommendations to inform future operations with tactical and strategic lessons learned, including the impact of troop increases and decreases and date-certain deadlines. The commission will also look at George W. Bush’s launch of the war as well as US policy on Afghanistan before 2001, when the September 11 attacks triggered the US invasion that overthrew the Taliban’s draconian earlier regime.
Dec. 15: The UAE suspended talks on a $23 billion deal to purchase American-made F-35 planes, armed drones and other equipment.
Dec. 15: The US Navy tested a laser weapon and destroyed a Boating target in the Mideast, a system that could be used to counter bomb-laden drone boats deployed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
Dec. 15: A NASA spacecraft “The Parker Solar Probe” officially touched the sun, plunging through the unexplored solar atmosphere known as the corona.
Dec. 15: The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran reached agreement on replacing cameras at a nuclear complex.
1. On Nov. 16, Pakistan was awarded the hosting right of the ICC’s ______ Champions Trophy.
(a) 2023 (b) 2025
(c) 2027 (d) 2029
2. The Parliament passed the Elections (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021 envisaging use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections, and 32 other bills, on ——.
(a) Nov. 15 (b) Nov. 16
(c) Nov. 17 (d) Nov. 18
3. On Nov. 17, the KP government renamed the Gandhara Valley City as New ______ City.
(a) Gandhara (b) Peshawar
(c) Hazara (d) Abaseen
4. On Nov. 17, Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash was appointed the chief secretary of ______.
(a) KP (b) Sindh
(c) Punjab (d) Balochistan
5. On Nov. 18, Pakistan-origin economist ______ was appointed the Chief Economist for the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office in the UK government.
(a) Dr Adnan Qadir Khan
(b) Dr Umer Saddam Sheikh
(c) Dr Qaiser Khan Qambrani
(d) Dr Asad Malik
6. On Nov. 20, the first “Pakistan-China Friendship Farm” was inaugurated in ______.
(a) Pasni (b) Okara
(c) Faisalabad (d) Peshawar
7. The International Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security 2021 was held in ______.
(a) Karachi (b) Quetta
(c) Islamabad (d) Lahore
8. Pakistan’s first-ever National Cyber Security Academy was opened in Islamabad on ______.
(a) Nov. 23 (b) Nov. 24
(c) Nov. 25 (d) Nov. 26
9. On Nov. 23, ______ Revenue Board appointed Dr Wasif Ali Memon as its new chairman.
(a) KP (b) Punjab
(c) Balochistan (d) Sindh
10. On ______, PMIK approved to merge Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority into National Disaster Management Authority.
(a) Nov. 22 (b) Nov. 23
(c) Nov. 24 (d) Nov. 25
11. On Nov. 24, ______ became the first Pakistani woman to have made it to the Grammys nomination list.
(a) Aima Baig (b) Arooj Aftab
(c) Zaib Bangash (d) Hadiqa Kayani
12. On Nov. 24, President Alvi awarded International Peace Award to ______ Ambassador to Pakistan, Androulla Kaminara.
(a) EU’s (b) Indonesia’s
(c) Malaysia’s (d) Cuba’s
13. On Nov. 25, Pakistan conducted successful flight test of ______ surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
(a) Shaheen-1A (b) Ghauri-IV
(c) Ghaznavi-III (d) Shaheen-XI
14. The current DGPR of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is ______.
(a) AVM Zubair Mahmood
(b) AVM Tariq Ziaullah
(c) AVM Abbas Shamsher
(d) AVM Abid Hussain Sarohi
15. On Nov. 26, the District and Sessions judge of ______ convicted Deputy Commissioner Tariq Basra and Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Ali Baig in a contempt of court case.
(a) Layyah (b) Jhang
(c) Mandi Bahauddin (d) Jhelum
16. On Nov. 26, KP Chief Minister, Mahmood Khan, announced district status for ______ tehsil.
(a) Ghazi (b) Khander
(c) Dassu (d) Alai
17. On Nov. 27, a ______ court of appeal upheld the decision to cancel the 10-year multiple-entry visit visas of Malik Riaz and Ahmed Ali Riaz.
(a) US (b) German
(c) French (d) UK
18. On Nov. 29, the SBP signed an agreement for a deposit of $3 billion from ______ Fund for Development.
(a) Chinese (b) Turkish
(c) Saudi (d) Emariti
19. On Nov. 29, Pakistan’s M. Waseem became World Boxing Council silver flyweight champion for______ time.
(a) First (b) Second
(c) Third (d) Fourth
20. On Nov. 29, the National Council of FAFEN elected ______ as its new chairperson.
(a) Mossarat Qadeem (b) Sarwar Bari
(c) Ayub Afridi (d) Nouman Ilyas
21. On Nov. 30, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of mobile phones, ______, finally started production in Pakistan.
(a) Samsung (b) Nokia
(c) Huwaei (d) Oppo
22. On Dec. 01, Kazim Khan was elected ______ of the CPNE.
(a) Chairman (b) President
(c) Director (d) Patron
23. On Dec. 01, COAS Gen. Bajwa formally installed Lt. Gen. Sarfraz Ali as Colonel Commandant of the Azad Kashmir Regiment.
(a) Lt. Gen. Syed Shahid Pervaiz
(b) Lt. Gen. Syed Anis Akbar
(c) Lt. Gen. Sarfraz Ali
(d) Lt. Gen. Sardar Alam
24. On Dec. 01, ______ launched its flagship skill development program ‘Rise’ in Pakistan.
(a) Apple (b) ADB
(c) Yahoo (d) Facebook
25. On ______, Pakistan was elected as chair of the Group of 77 plus China.
(a) Nov. 28 (b) Nov. 30
(c) Dec. 01 (d) Dec. 03
26. On Dec. 02, KP Chief Minister announced to establish a new administrative division “Abaseen” by splitting______ Division.
(a) Malakand (b) Swat
(c) Peshawar (d) Hazara
27. On Dec. 02, the ______ confirmed Pakistan’s inclusion into its first-ever Energy Transition Mechanism.
(a) WEF (b) ADB
(c) World Bank (d) UNEP
28. On Dec. 03, Priyantha Diyawadana, a 50-year-old ______ national, working as a manager at a private factory in Sialkot, was lynched to death.
(a) Sri Lankan (b) Bhutanese
(c) Indian (d) Indonesian
29. On Dec. 04, Pakistan was re-elected to the Executive Council of the OPCW for the term______.
(a) 2022–2024 (b) 2023–2025
(c) 2022–2025 (d) 2023–2026
30. PMIK launched Pakistan’s historic Kamyab Jawan Sports Drive on ______.
(a) Dec. 05 (b) Dec. 06
(c) Dec. 07 (d) Dec. 08
31. On ______, President Alvi promulgated the National Database Registration Authority Amendment Ordinance, 2021, under which different agencies will be bound to provide their data to the authority.
(a) Dec. 05 (b) Dec. 06
(c) Dec. 07 (d) Dec. 08
32. Different religious schools of thought observed ‘Condemnation Day’ against the lynching of Priyantha Diyawadana on ______.
(a) Dec. 07 (b) Dec. 08
(c) Dec. 09 (d) Dec. 10
33. According to the National Corruption Perception Survey 2021, conducted by Transparency International Pakistan, the ______ and judiciary are the most corrupt institutions in the country.
(a) Contracting (b) Wapda
(c) Health (d) Police
34. On Dec. 07, PMIK appointed ______ the Chairman of National Rehmatulil Aalmeen Authority (NRA).
(a) Dr Raghib Naeemi (b) Dr Qibla Ayaz
(c) Dr Ijaz Akram (d) Dr Ijaz Ahsan
35. The number of Pakistani women on BBC’s list of the world’s 100 most inspiring and influential women for 2021 is ______.
(a) Two (b) Three
(c) Five (d) None
36. On Dec. 08, the sixth round of the European Union-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue was held in _____.
(a) Brussels (b) Paris
(c) Karachi (d) Islamabad
37. The Islamabad Conclave 2021 under the theme: “Peaceful and Prosperous South Asia” was organized by ______.
(a) Alternate Solutions Institute
(b) Institute of Policy Studies
(c) Institute of Regional Studies
(d) Institute of Strategic Studies
38. On ______, a delegation of US senators comprising Angus King, Richard Burr, John Cornyn and Benjamin Sasse, called on PMIK.
(a) Dec. 08 (b) Dec. 09
(c) Dec. 10 (d) Dec. 11
39. On Dec. 13, ______ took over as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PCB.
(a) Faisal Hasnain (b) M. Waseem
(c) Saqlain Mushtaq (d) Aqib Javed
40. On ______, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar unveiled the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Policy.
(a) Dec. 12 (b) Dec. 13
(c) Dec. 14 (d) Dec. 15
1. On Nov. 18, ______ Air Force set a world’s first by completing the first flight using only synthetic fuel.
(a) Britain’s (b) US
(c) France’s (d) Japan’s
2. On ______, US Vice President Kamala Harris becaming the first woman to lead the country.
(a) Nov. 18 (b) Nov. 19
(c) Nov. 20 (d) Nov. 21
3. On Nov. 19, Russian and Chinese warplanes on a joint exercise briefly entered ______ air defence identification zone.
(a) India’s (b) Taiwan’s
(c) South Korea’s (d) Mongolia’s
4. On ______, Indian Premier announced to scrap the controversial agricultural reform laws.
(a) Nov. 16 (b) Nov. 17
(c) Nov. 18 (d) Nov. 19
5. On Nov. 20, the world’s first fully electric autonomous cargo vessel Yara Birkeland was unveiled in ______.
(a) Switzerland (b) Lithuania
(c) Sweden (d) Norway
6. On Nov. 20, ______ Reliance Industries Ltd. scrapped a plan to sell a 20 percent stake in its oil-to-chemicals unit to Saudi Aramco.
(a) US (b) Japan’s
(c) India’s (d) UK’s
7. On Nov. 21, China officially downgraded diplomatic ties with ______, after Taiwan established a de facto embassy in Vilnius.
(a) Lithuania (b) Iceland
(c) Belgium (d) Latvia
8. On Nov. 22, Abhinandan Varthaman, IAF Force pilot who was captured by Pakistan in 2019, was awarded ______.
(a) Ashok Chakra (b) Vir Chakra
(c) Param Chakra (d) Maha Chakra
9. India’s third-highest wartime gallantry award after Param Vir Chakra and _______ is Vir Chakra.
(a) Maha Chakra (b) Param Chakra
(c) Ashok Chakra (d) Prithvi Chakra
10. On Nov. 24, Israel and ______ signed an agreement making it easier for the latter to acquire high-tech Israeli security products.
(a) Egypt (b) Morocco
(c) Oman (d) UAE
11. On Nov. 25, Interpol elected ______ Gen. Ahmed Nasser as its president.
(a) Saudi (b) Qatari
(c) Emirati (d) Kuwaiti
12. On Nov. 26, ______ President hosted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks.
(a) Iranian (b) Turkish
(c) Chinese (d) Russian
13. On Nov. 26, ______ and Italy signed a treaty to formalise their relations.
(a) US (b) Germany
(c) China (d) France
14. The WHO gave the new highly mutated strain of Covid the Greek name Omicron, on ______.
(a) Nov. 24 (b) Nov. 25
(c) Nov. 26 (d) Nov. 27
15. On Nov. 27, Novak Djokovic-led ______ downed Austria to win the Davis Cup title.
(a) Bosnia (b) Serbia
(c) Luxemburg (d) Sweden
16. The 15th Summit of the Heads of State of the Economic Cooperation Organization was held in Ashgabat, the capital and largest city of______.
(a) Turkmenistan (b) Kazakhstan
(c) Kazakhstan (d) Azerbaijan
17. On Nov. 29, Jack Dorsey, the co-founder and CEO of ______, announced to step down, ceding the position to Parag Agrawal.
(a) Meta (b) Yahoo
(c) Twitter (d) Apple
18. On Nov. 29, ______ parliament elected Magdalena Andersson as the country’s prime minister, the first woman to hold the post twice.
(a) Norway’s (b) Sweden’s
(c) Serbia’s (d) Ukraine’s
19. On Nov. 29, ______ carried out another successful test of its Zircon hypersonic cruise missile.
(a) Turkey (b) China
(c) Russia (d) India
20. On Nov. 30, a world-renowned singer, Rihanna, was declared a national hero of ______.
(a) USA (b) Switzerland
(c) Mexico (d) Barbados
21. On Nov. 30, Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or prize for the ______ time.
(a) Fourth (b) Fifth
(c) Sixth (d) Seventh
22. On Nov. 30, ______ Alexia Putellas took the women’s Ballon d’Or prize.
(a) Argentina’s (b) France’s
(c) Spain’s (d) Italy’s
23. On Dec. 01, Google announced to stop carrying election ads in ______ ahead of the May presidential vote.
(a) Somalia (b) The Philippines
(c) Italy (d) Germany
24. On ______, the European Commission announced a plan “Global Gateway” to mobilise €300 billion in public and private infrastructure investment around the world.
(a) Dec. 01 (b) Dec. 02
(c) Dec. 03 (d) Dec. 04
25. According to the Worldwide Cost of Living Index, ______ is the world’s most expensive city to live in.
(a) Tel Aviv (b) Berlin
(c) New York (d) Paris
26. On Dec. 02, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in ______.
(a) Iceland (b) Sweden
(c) Beijing (d) Bogota
27. On Dec. 03, Georges Kordahi, a ______ minister whose comments on the Yemen war sparked a row with Gulf countries that exacerbated Lebanon’s multiple crises, resigned.
(a) Omani (b) Lebanese
(c) Jordanian (d) Egyptian
28. On Dec. 03, ______ opened $6 billion Chinese-built railway.
(a) Somalia (b) Sri Lanka
(c) Djibouti (d) Laos
29. On Dec. 04, ______ spinner Ajaz Patel took a record 10 wickets in an innings, in a test against India, becoming only the third person to achieve the feat.
(a) Australia’s (b) England’s
(c) South Africa’s (d) New Zealand’s
30. On Dec. 05, ______ badminton ace An Se-young clinched the women’s singles title at the World Tour Finals.
(a) China’s (b) Japan’s
(c) South Korea’s (d) Indonesia’s
31. On ______, The United States announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
(a) Dec. 05 (b) Dec. 06
(c) Dec. 08 (d) Dec. 10
32. On Dec. 06, the UNGA adopted a resolution indefinitely postponing the international recognition of Afghanistan’s Taliban and ______ military junta.
(a) Myanmar’s (b) Somalia’s
(c) Sudan’s (d) Ethiopia’s
33. US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a video summit on ______.
(a) Dec. 07 (b) Dec. 08
(c) Dec. 09 (d) Dec. 11
34. On ______, Indian defence chief, General Bipin Rawat and 12 other people were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Tamil Nadu state.
(a) Dec. 07 (b) Dec. 08
(c) Dec. 09 (d) Dec. 10
35. On Dec. 08, Olaf Scholz became Germany’s ______ chancellor.
(a) Seventh (b) Eighth
(c) Ninth (d) Tenth
36. On Dec. 10, the ______ government won an appeal against a London court ruling that had blocked the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from Britain.
(a) British (b) Australian
(c) Norwegian (d) US
37. On Dec. 10, ______ switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China.
(a) Laos (b) Iceland
(c) Lithuania (d) Nicaragua
38. On Dec. 12, Israel’s PM Naftali Bennett paid the first official visit of the Jewish state’s leader to _______.
(a) Russia (b) Morocco
(c) UAE (d) Saudi Arabia
39. On Dec. 13, ______recorded world’s first known death from Omicron.
(a) Kenya (b) Britain
(c) South Africa (d) Australia
40. On Dec. 15, a NASA spacecraft “The Parker Solar Probe” officially touched the______.
(a) Jupiter (b) Venus
(c) Uranus (d) Sun
