Current Affair January 2018

January 1 - January 7
 Indian court jails powerful politician Lalu Prasad for embezzling funds.
 America suspends entire security aid to Pakistan.
 PAF's first native and youngest commander-in-chief Air Marshal Asghar Khan
passes away at the age of 96 (5 January).
 Renowned chef and media personality Zubaida Tariq passed away (5 January).
 Supreme Court slaps complete ban on unlicensed mining in K-P.
 Punjab University Vice Chancellor Zaffar Mueen Nasar resigned from his post,
apparently over the issue of the university land.
 US places Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan on a special
watch list 'for severe violations of religious freedom'.
 Cotton production up by 7.2pc.
 Afghan refugees granted sixth extension for their stay in Pakistan.
 Pakistan Navy successfully test fires cruise missile Harba.
 Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono to visit Pakistan (January 3).
 Pakistan Air Force inaugurates new air base – PAF Bholari.
 Pakistan, India exchange lists of nuclear installations.
 SBP decides to cut import requirement of cash dollars to 35pc against export of
foreign currencies.
 Pakistan, India NSAs hold secret dialogue in Thailand.
 Palestine recalls envoy for sharing stage with Hafiz Saeed.
 Polish team arrives in Pakistan to conquer K2 in winter.
January 8 - January 15

 Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) cancels enlistment of 284 political parties.

 PIA bans use of social media for its employees.
 PML-Q’s Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo sworn in as Balochistan CM (13 January
2018).
 New Zealand beat Pakistan in 3rd ODI to clinch series.
 National Assembly passes bill to bring FATA under SC, PHC jurisdiction.
 World Bank puts $250m policy loan for Pakistan on hold.
 Ecuador grants citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
 FIFA World Cup Trophy to come to Pakistan on February 3.
 The British Backpacker Society ranked Pakistan number one adventure travel
destination.
 Sanaullah Zehri resigns as Balochistan CM to thwart political crisis.
 Sindhiyani Tehreek activist Zahida Shaikh passes away (8 January).
 Sikhs ban Indian diplomats from entering Gurdwaras across US.
January 16 - January 23

 Pakistani student (Muhammad Haider Khan) bagged the highest marks in Syllabus
D Mathematics in the Cambridge Examinations.
 PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to attend World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland,
from 24-25 January 2018.
 Shah Rukh Khan receives human rights award at WEF (World Economic Forum).
 Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency launches digital environmental atlas.
 World XI beats Pakistan 5-1 in first hockey match.
 Government shutdown in the United States over immigration.
 India beats Pakistan by 2 wickets to claim Blind Cricket World Cup title at Sha rjah
Cricket Stadium.
 Over 1.8 million cases pending in Pakistan’s courts.
 New Zealand became the 11th country to send a rocket into Orbit.
 Pakistani nuclear scientist and former chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy
Commission Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed passed away at the age of 87.
 Pakistan allows visa on arrival for group tourists from 24 countries.
 Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has ordered the closure of the offices of Radio Mashaal.
 US set to overtake Saudi Arabia as world’s number two oil producer: IEA.
 Three students of the space science department at Institute of Space Technology
(IST) in Islamabad have received international acclaim for their resear ch on super-
massive black holes and galaxy collisions in space.
 India test-fires Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile.
 Hasan Ali wins ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year award.
 Microsoft tops Thomson Reuters top 100 global tech leaders list.
 Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Pakistan drops massive 71.5% in Dec.

January 24 - January 31

 Pakistan Launches Application "Surfsafe" to Combat Cyberextremism.

 Supreme Court orders removal of Siddiqul Farooq as Evacuee Trust Property Board
(ETPB) chief.
 India beat Pakistan by 203 runs to Enter ICC U-19 World Cup Final 2018.
 Afghanistan Interior Minister and spy chief visit Pakistan (31 January 2018).
 UAE has launched a trade complaint at the World Trade Organisation to challenge
Pakistan’s duties on biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, used in food
packaging.
 French climber Elisabeth Revol rescued from Nanga Parbat by Polish mountaineers.
 India and Pakistan Extend Thar Rail Link for three more years that connects Jodhpur
in Rajasthan with the Karachi.
 Babar Azam tops ICC T20I batting rankings.
 Pakistan, China jointly host first international exhibition Gwadar Expo (January 29).
 US lifts ban on refugees from 11 countries.
 Pakistan tops ICC T20 ranking after defeating New Zealand.
 At $19.3 billion, Pakistan ranks fifth in the world that receives the most remittances
every year (India $72 billion, followed by China ($64 billion).
 Roger Federer Defeats Marin Cilic to win Record-Tying Sixth Australian Open
championship.
 PM Abbasi inaugurates DigiSkills programme which aims at training one million
youth through online modules.
 Indian origin 10-year-old boy Mehul Garg beats Einstein, Hawking IQ scores.
 After 152 years, 'Super Blue Blood Moon' to light up skies on January 31.
 Pakistani cardiologist, Jaffar Khan, has won the British Cardiovascular Intervention
Society’s prestigious 2018 Young Investigators Award.
 Jalal-ud-Din appointed head of Pakistan women's selection committee.
 Usman Akhtar Bajwa appointed new CDA chief.
 Dubai sets world record with biggest cup of karak chai.
 The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) raised its main policy interest rate by 25 basis
points to 6 percent.
 Fitch revised Pakistan's B rating outlook to negative from stable.
 Indonesian President Joko Widodo to visit Pakistan on January 26.
 Former LHC judge Asghar Haider appointed as NAB prosecutor general.
 PIA Islamabad-New York flights discontinued after Rs 1.2bn loss.
 Pakistan win second T20 against New Zealand.
 Pakistan ranked at 47th in the Inclusive Development Index (IDI) 2018 of the World
Economic Forum.
 The USA, Congress passes funding bill, ends three-day government shutdown.