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April 13, 2023: National Current Affairs MCQs
1 Eight judges to take up pleas against law to clip CJ`s powers
• An eight-judge Supreme Court bench, headed by the chief justice, will take up a set of three petitions challenging a pending legislation meant to clip CJP powers, on April 12, 2023.
• However, the legal fraternity has opposed the apex court`s move to take up the petitions against an as yet proposed law, and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has called on lawyers across the country to boycott courts on Thursday (today) to protest the formation of a `one-sided and controversial bench` to take up the issue `prematurely`.
• In addition to CJP, the bench comprises Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Ayesha A. Malik, Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Justice Shahid Waheed
2 Govt claims progress in talks with IMF to unlock funding
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on April 12, 2023 indicated the early signing of a stafflevel agreement with Pakistan for the completion of the much-delayed ninth review and its approval by the Fund`s executive board for the disbursement of about $1.2 billion.
• The Ministry of Finance quoted the IMF`s director for the Middle East and Central Asia department, Jihad Azour, as expressing confidence that the staff-level agreement `will be signed soon followed by the IMF board`s approval`.
• Mr Azour, who led an IMF team in a virtual meeting with a government team led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, also expected Pakistan to continue towards its progress on the reforms in various sectors and complete the IMF programme in time
3 Three militants dead, six held in KP security operations
• Three militants were shot dead and six others arrested during operations by security forces and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police on April 12, 2023, officials said.
• An intense exchange of fire took place between security forces and militants during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Loesum area of Bajaur, where, according to local officials, three militants were gunned down.
• A statement later issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military`s media wing, confirmed the developments. `During conduct of the operation, an exchange of fire took place between security forces and the militants. Three militants were killed, the statement read, adding that weapons and ammunition were also recovered from them
4 `National curriculum` for secondary, intermediate students approved
• A national curriculum for grades 9 to 12 has been prepared and endorsed by experts belonging to all provinces and federating units and now it will be presented to the education minister for final approval.
• The national curriculum from classes 1 to 8 is already being implemented in provinces except for Sindh.
• However, this time round for classes 9 to 12, Sindh`s experts also endorsed the curriculum and it is believed from the next academic session, students (from9 to 12) will have books published in line with the new curriculum
5 Cabinet okays legislation to regulate electricity in province
• In a landmark decision, the Sindh Cabinet on April 12, 2023 approved the draft law for establishing a provincial electric power regulatory authority to generate and distribute cheap power in the province.
• Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh told Dawn that the draft law would be presented in the provincial assembly for enactment in the next assembly session.
• `With the establishment of SEPRA [Sindh Electric Power Regulatory Authority], the province will improve energy equity and eliminate energy poverty in the province, he said adding that the provincial power regularity authority would end the province`s dependence on the Centre for fixing tariff and managing loadshedding
