Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Population was the sole horizontal distribution criterion in several earlier post-1973 Awards before the Seventh Award introduced:
A. No criteria
B. Area alone
C. Multiple criteria
D. Equal provincial shares
Correct Answer: C
The Seventh Award moved from population alone to a composite formula.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Which statement best distinguishes the NFC from the CCI?
A. Both are courts
B. NFC recommends fiscal sharing; CCI manages common policy and Part II institutions
C. NFC regulates railways; CCI allocates income tax
D. CCI is subordinate to NFC
Correct Answer: B
NFC is a fiscal-distribution commission, while CCI is a permanent intergovernmental policy institution.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Which institution determines the rate of net hydel profits payable under Article 161?
A. Federal Board of Revenue
B. National Finance Commission
C. State Bank of Pakistan
D. Council of Common Interests
Correct Answer: D
The rate is determined by the CCI, showing an institutional link between fiscal federalism and the CCI.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Net profits from a hydro-electric station are paid to:
A. The Federal Government only
B. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
C. All Provinces equally
D. The Province where the station is situated
Correct Answer: D
Article 161 provides for payment of net hydel profits to the Province in which the station is located.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Excise duty on oil levied at the well-head is paid to:
A. All Provinces by population
B. The producing Province
C. The CCI Secretariat
D. The Federation only
Correct Answer: B
Article 161 provides for payment to the Province where the oil well-head is situated.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Natural-gas excise duty and royalty at the well-head are paid to:
A. The Province in which the well-head is situated
B. The Federation exclusively
C. The nearest district council
D. All Provinces equally
Correct Answer: A
Article 161 assigns these receipts to the producing Province.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Which Article deals with provincial receipts from natural gas, oil and net hydel profits?
A. Article 153
B. Article 162
C. Article 155
D. Article 161
Correct Answer: D
Article 161 complements the NFC framework through specified straight-transfer provisions.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
NFC grants-in-aid made under Article 160(7) are:
A. Charged upon the Federal Consolidated Fund
B. Part of provincial property tax
C. Paid from foreign exchange reserves automatically
D. Voted only by a district council
Correct Answer: A
The constitutional provision treats these grants as charged expenditure.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
The President may make grants-in-aid to Provinces from the:
A. Federal Consolidated Fund
B. State Bank reserves only
C. National Assembly secretariat
D. Provincial Consolidated Funds only
Correct Answer: A
Article 160(7) authorizes grants-in-aid charged on the Federal Consolidated Fund.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Before an NFC Presidential Order is made, the President may make interim changes by:
A. Amending or modifying the law relating to distribution
B. Amending the Constitution alone
C. Suspending all provincial taxes
D. Dissolving the NFC
Correct Answer: A
Article 160(6) permits interim amendments or modifications to distribution law before an Order is made.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
NFC recommendations and an explanatory memorandum must be laid before:
A. Only the National Assembly
B. Both Houses of Parliament and Provincial Assemblies
C. Only the President
D. Only the Senate
Correct Answer: B
Article 160(5) requires legislative presentation at federal and provincial levels.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
The provincial share paid under an NFC Presidential Order forms part of:
A. The Public Account of a district only
B. The Supreme Court budget
C. Neither the Federal Consolidated Fund nor federal retained revenue
D. The Federal Consolidated Fund permanently
Correct Answer: C
The Constitution states that the provincial share does not form part of the Federal Consolidated Fund.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
After receiving NFC recommendations, the President gives effect to distribution through a:
A. Presidential Order
B. Money bill only
C. Supreme Court judgment
D. Provincial ordinance
Correct Answer: A
Article 160(4) authorizes the President to specify provincial shares by Order.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Biannual NFC implementation reports must be laid before:
A. Supreme Court
B. Both Houses of Parliament and Provincial Assemblies
C. Senate only
D. National Assembly only
Correct Answer: B
Article 160(3B) requires reports to be placed before federal and provincial legislatures.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Implementation of an NFC Award must be monitored by Federal and Provincial Finance Ministers:
A. Once per decade
B. Every five years only
C. Monthly
D. Biannually
Correct Answer: D
Article 160(3B) requires biannual monitoring.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Article 160(3A) was inserted through the:
A. Seventeenth Amendment
B. Eighteenth Amendment
C. Eighth Amendment
D. Twenty-fifth Amendment
Correct Answer: B
The Eighteenth Amendment constitutionalized the non-reduction safeguard.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Under Article 160(3A), the provincial share in a new NFC Award cannot be:
A. Based on more than one criterion
B. Higher than the previous Award
C. Lower than the previous Award
D. Equal among all Provinces
Correct Answer: C
Article 160(3A) protects Provinces against a reduction in their collective share from the previous Award.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Duties of excise specified by the President may form part of:
A. Local tolls only
B. Judicial fees
C. The divisible pool considered by the NFC
D. Provincial property tax only
Correct Answer: C
Specified excise duties may be included under Article 160.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Export duties on which commodity are expressly mentioned in Article 160?
A. Tea
B. Wheat
C. Cotton
D. Rice
Correct Answer: C
Article 160 expressly mentions export duties on cotton and other duties specified by the President.
Pakistan Affairs (P.A)
1947 - Present - Institution - Council of Common Interest & NFC Award
Article 160 includes taxes on the sales and purchases of:
A. Immovable property only
B. Agricultural land only
C. Goods
D. Professional services only
Correct Answer: C
The constitutional list includes taxes on sales and purchases of goods.