Federal Affairs, Military Operations & International Relations MCQs with Answers
Solved MCQs on Pakistan’s wars and military operations, the nuclear programme, Nishan-e-Haider recipients, key treaties and foreign relations from the UN to CPEC. Sourced from PPSC past papers.
General Sir Frank Messervy was the first C-in-C of the Pakistan Army; Ayub Khan the first Pakistani Muslim C-in-C.
Air Marshal Asghar Khan was the first Muslim C-in-C of the PAF; Rear Admiral J.W. Jefford led the Navy.
Field Marshal is the Army’s highest rank — held only by Ayub Khan.
The 1965 war began on 6 September, observed as Defence Day.
Operation Gibraltar (1965) sought to infiltrate Kashmir; its failure triggered full war.
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti received the Nishan-e-Haider for 1965; Captain Karnal Sher Khan for Kargil.
Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed was the first Nishan-e-Haider recipient (1948).
The Tashkent Agreement (10 January 1966) ended the 1965 war, mediated by the USSR.
Operation Searchlight was launched in East Pakistan in March 1971.
The Kargil conflict (1999) ended after the Washington Agreement.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb (2014) was fought in North Waziristan; Rah-e-Rast (2009) cleared Swat.
Operation Swift Retort (2019) answered India’s Balakot strike.
Pakistan conducted five nuclear tests at Chagai on 28 May 1998 — Youm-e-Takbeer.
KANUPP, Karachi was Pakistan’s first nuclear power plant; Dr. A.Q. Khan died 10 October 2021.
The JF-17 Thunder, built with China, was inducted in 2010.
Pakistan joined the UN on 30 September 1947; only Afghanistan opposed its membership.
India (Nehru) referred Kashmir to the UN; the Council took it up on 17 January 1948.
Pakistan has served eight times as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Sir Zafarullah Khan was Pakistan’s first Foreign Minister; M.A.H. Isphahani its first ambassador to the USA.
Pakistan has no diplomatic relations with Israel; ties with China began 21 May 1951.
The Durand Line (1893) divides Pakistan and Afghanistan; the LoC runs about 740 km.
The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) was brokered by the World Bank.
Siachen Glacier is about 76 km long — the world’s highest battlefield.
CPEC runs from Kashgar, China to Gwadar; Pakistan issued an Rs. 100 coin for its 10th year.
Pakistan received about 36% of the assets of British India at Partition.
Who was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army?
General Sir Frank Messervy was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (1947-48), succeeded by General Douglas Gracey.
Who became the first local Muslim Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army?
General Ayub Khan became the first Pakistani Muslim Commander-in-Chief of the Army in 1951, later seizing power in 1958.
Who was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force?
Air Vice Marshal Allan Perry-Keene was the first C-in-C of the Pakistan Air Force at independence.
Who was the first Muslim Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force?
Air Marshal Asghar Khan was the first Pakistani Muslim to command the Pakistan Air Force, taking over in 1957.
Who was the first Admiral of the Pakistan Navy?
Rear Admiral James Wilfred Jefford was the first commander of the Pakistan Navy after independence.
What is the highest rank in the Pakistan Army?
Field Marshal is the highest rank in the Pakistan Army. Ayub Khan is the only officer to have held it.
Which general did Pervez Musharraf replace as Chief of Army Staff?
General Pervez Musharraf replaced General Jehangir Karamat, who resigned in 1998.
Who was the first woman appointed as Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corps?
Lieutenant General Nigar Johar Khan became the first female officer appointed Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corps, and the first woman promoted to Lieutenant General in the Pakistan Army.
When did the 1965 war begin?
India attacked across the international border on 6 September 1965 — commemorated in Pakistan as Defence Day.
Defence Day is observed on which date?
Defence Day (Youm-e-Difa) is observed on 6 September, marking Pakistan's defence in the 1965 war.
The operation launched by Pakistan in Kashmir in 1965 was called:
Operation Gibraltar was Pakistan's 1965 plan to infiltrate forces into Indian-administered Kashmir; its failure escalated into full war.
Who received the Nishan-e-Haider for the 1965 war?
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider for his defence of the Burki sector in the 1965 war.
Who was the first recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider?
Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed was the first recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider, for action in Kashmir in 1948.
Who was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider in the Kargil War?
Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed received the Nishan-e-Haider for the Kargil conflict of 1999, alongside Havildar Lalak Jan.
Which agreement was signed between Pakistan and India after the 1965 war?
The Tashkent Agreement was signed in January 1966 to end the 1965 war, mediated by the Soviet Union.
On which date was the Tashkent Agreement signed?
The Tashkent Agreement was signed on 10 January 1966 between Ayub Khan and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Who signed the Tashkent Agreement on behalf of India?
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri signed for India; he died in Tashkent the following day.
What role did the USSR play in the Tashkent Declaration of 1966?
The Soviet Union acted as mediator between Pakistan and India at Tashkent.
Which operation did the Pakistan Army launch in East Pakistan in 1971?
Operation Searchlight was launched on 25 March 1971 in East Pakistan.
By which agreement did the Kargil conflict end?
The Kargil conflict of 1999 ended following the Washington Agreement between Nawaz Sharif and President Bill Clinton.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in which region?
Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in June 2014 in North Waziristan against militant networks.
Which operation was launched after the Malakand/Swat crisis?
Operation Rah-e-Rast was launched in 2009 to clear militants from Swat and the Malakand division.
Operation Swift Retort was Pakistan's response to which Indian action?
Operation Swift Retort was the Pakistan Air Force's February 2019 response to India's Balakot air strike.
Which 2011 operation in Abbottabad resulted in Osama bin Laden's death?
Operation Neptune Spear was the US raid in Abbottabad on 2 May 2011.
In which war did Pakistan supply Stinger missiles to fighters?
Stinger missiles were supplied to the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War of the 1980s, in which Pakistan was a frontline state.
On which date did Pakistan conduct its nuclear tests at Chagai?
Pakistan conducted five nuclear tests at Chagai, Balochistan, on 28 May 1998 — now observed as Youm-e-Takbeer.
Where was Pakistan's first nuclear power plant installed?
The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (KANUPP) was Pakistan's first nuclear power plant, commissioned in 1972.
On which date did Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan pass away?
Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, a central figure in Pakistan's nuclear programme, died on 10 October 2021.
The JF-17 Thunder was inducted into the Pakistan Air Force in which year?
The JF-17 Thunder, jointly developed with China, was formally inducted in 2010.
On which date did Pakistan join the United Nations?
Pakistan became a member of the United Nations on 30 September 1947.
Which country opposed Pakistan's membership of the United Nations?
Afghanistan was the only country to vote against Pakistan's UN membership in 1947, because of the Durand Line dispute.
Who referred the Kashmir issue to the United Nations?
India, under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, referred the Kashmir dispute to the UN Security Council in January 1948.
When did the UN issue its first resolution on the Kashmir issue?
The UN Security Council took up the Kashmir question on 17 January 1948, leading to the establishment of UNCIP.
How many times has Pakistan been elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council?
Pakistan has served eight times as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council — among the highest for any country.
Who was the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan?
Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan was Pakistan's first Foreign Minister and later President of the UN General Assembly and a judge of the International Court of Justice.
Who was Pakistan's first ambassador to the United States?
Mirza Abol Hassan Isphahani was Pakistan's first ambassador to the United States.
With which country does Pakistan not maintain diplomatic relations?
Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, in line with its position on Palestine.
When were diplomatic ties established between Pakistan and China?
Pakistan and China established diplomatic relations on 21 May 1951; Pakistan was among the first countries to recognise the People's Republic of China.
Why did Pakistan join the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO)?
Pakistan joined SEATO in 1954 primarily to secure Western, especially American, defence support.
The Durand Line was drawn between which two countries?
The Durand Line, demarcated in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand, forms the boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
What is the approximate length of the Line of Control between Pakistan and India?
The Line of Control in Kashmir runs for roughly 740 km.
What is the approximate length of the Siachen Glacier?
The Siachen Glacier is around 76 km long — the highest battlefield in the world.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in which year?
The Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan was signed in 1960 at Karachi.
Which organisation brokered the Indus Waters Treaty?
The World Bank brokered and guaranteed the Indus Waters Treaty, and remains a party to its dispute-resolution mechanism.
What was Pakistan's share in the distribution of the assets of British India?
Pakistan was allotted roughly 36% of the assets of undivided India, though much of it was never transferred in full.
What does CPEC stand for?
CPEC is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative.
From which Chinese city does CPEC begin?
CPEC runs from Kashgar in Xinjiang, China, to Gwadar port in Balochistan.
To mark ten years of CPEC, Pakistan released a commemorative coin of what denomination?
A commemorative Rs. 100 coin was issued to mark a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
During the Kashmir conflict of 1947, which British officer declined Quaid-e-Azam's order to move troops?
General Douglas Gracey, then acting Commander-in-Chief, declined to carry out Quaid-e-Azam's instruction to move troops into Kashmir in 1947.
Where is the headquarters of the Pakistan Air Force located?
Pakistan Air Force Air Headquarters is located in Islamabad.
Who wrote the book 'Diplomatic Footprints'?
'Diplomatic Footprints' was written by Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, a former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan.
Federal Affairs, Military Operations & International Relations — Complete Reference
Pakistan’s wars, its nuclear programme, and its place in the world are among the most frequently examined areas of Pakistan Studies in PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS and PMS papers. This page covers the 1965, 1971 and Kargil conflicts, the major military operations, Nishan-e-Haider recipients, the Chagai nuclear tests, the key treaties, and Pakistan’s relations from the United Nations to CPEC. Every MCQ is drawn from PPSC past papers (2002-2026). It is Chapter 8 of our Pakistan Studies MCQs hub.
Wars & Major Military Operations
| Operation / War | Year | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Operation Gibraltar | 1965 | Infiltration into Kashmir; escalated into the 1965 war |
| 1965 War | 6 September 1965 | Commemorated as Defence Day; ended by the Tashkent Agreement |
| Operation Searchlight | March 1971 | Launched in East Pakistan |
| Kargil Conflict | 1999 | Ended after the Washington Agreement |
| Operation Rah-e-Rast | 2009 | Cleared militants from Swat and Malakand |
| Operation Neptune Spear | 2011 | US raid at Abbottabad |
| Operation Zarb-e-Azb | 2014 | North Waziristan |
| Operation Swift Retort | 2019 | PAF response to India’s Balakot strike |
Defence Leadership & Honours
| Position / Honour | Holder |
|---|---|
| First C-in-C, Pakistan Army | General Sir Frank Messervy |
| First Pakistani Muslim C-in-C, Army | General Ayub Khan |
| First C-in-C, Pakistan Air Force | Air Vice Marshal Allan Perry-Keene |
| First Muslim C-in-C, PAF | Air Marshal Asghar Khan |
| First head of the Pakistan Navy | Rear Admiral James Wilfred Jefford |
| Highest army rank | Field Marshal — held only by Ayub Khan |
| First Nishan-e-Haider | Captain Muhammad Sarwar Shaheed (1948) |
| Nishan-e-Haider, 1965 | Major Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed |
| Nishan-e-Haider, Kargil | Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed |
Key Treaties & Boundaries
| Treaty / Line | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Durand Line | 1893 | Pakistan-Afghanistan boundary, drawn by Sir Mortimer Durand |
| Indus Waters Treaty | 1960 | India-Pakistan water sharing, brokered by the World Bank |
| Tashkent Agreement | 10 January 1966 | Ended the 1965 war; mediated by the USSR |
| Line of Control | — | Approximately 740 km in Kashmir |
| Siachen Glacier | — | About 76 km — the world’s highest battlefield |
Dates worth memorising: Pakistan joined the UN on 30 September 1947 (opposed only by Afghanistan); the Security Council took up Kashmir on 17 January 1948; diplomatic ties with China began 21 May 1951; and Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests at Chagai on 28 May 1998.
For further reading see Wikipedia’s entries on the Pakistan Armed Forces and the Indus Waters Treaty. Syllabus references are published by FPSC and PPSC.