PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

The correct answer is Iran because it was the very first sovereign nation to officially recognize Pakistan following its independence on August 14, 1947.

• Step 1 (Diplomatic Milestone): Immediately after the partition of British India and the birth of Pakistan, the neighboring state of Iran extended formal diplomatic recognition to the new Muslim-majority federation.
• Step 2 (Strategic Alliance): This historic gesture initiated deep, long-standing bilateral, cultural, and economic ties between the two nations, which culminated in Iran's Shah becoming the first foreign head of state to pay an official visit to Pakistan in 1950.
• Incorrect Options:
  • Saudi Arabia is incorrect because while it developed immensely close strategic and fraternal ties with Pakistan over subsequent decades, it was not the initial nation to formalize diplomatic acknowledgment in 1947.
  • Turkey is incorrect because although Turkey established early and extremely warm brotherly diplomatic networks with Pakistan, its official recognition followed shortly after Iran's declaration.
  • None of these is incorrect because Iran's status as the pioneer country in this historical timeline is universally verified.

The correct answer is Hockey because Field Hockey is the officially designated and historically celebrated national sport of Pakistan.

• Step 1 (Historical Prestige): Following independence, Pakistan formalized Field Hockey as its national game, managed by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
• Step 2 (Global Legacy): The national team went on to dominate international competitions for decades, capturing three Olympic Gold medals and winning the prestigious Men's Hockey World Cup a record four times.
• Incorrect Options:
  • Football is incorrect because football enjoys passionate regional tracking but lacks national designation or a dominant historic international footprint in Pakistan.
  • Cricket is a common mistake; while cricket is undeniably the most widely watched and commercially popular sport in Pakistan, it is not the country's official national sport.
  • Squash is incorrect because despite Pakistan producing iconic, world-record-breaking squash champions like Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, it remains an individual racket sport rather than the official state game.