PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

The correct answer is Operation Gibraltar. This operation was launched by Pakistan in August 1965, involving the infiltration of Pakistani irregulars into Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The aim was to incite a local rebellion against Indian rule, which Pakistan hoped would lead to the region's liberation. However, the operation failed to achieve its objectives and escalated into the full-scale Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

• Operation Barbarossa was Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II, completely unrelated to Pakistan or Kashmir.
• Operation Azad and Operation Kashmir are not recognized codenames for Pakistan's 1965 military action in Kashmir.

This question pertains to the historical contributions of Muslim scientists to medicine. The correct answer is Ibn al-Nafis.

• Ibn al-Nafis (Option B) was a 13th-century Arab physician who is widely credited with being the first to accurately describe the pulmonary circulation of blood and for his early understanding of the contagious nature of diseases.
• Ibn Sina (Option A), also known as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath whose 'Canon of Medicine' was a standard medical text for centuries, but he did not discover pulmonary circulation or the contagious nature of diseases in the same detailed manner as Ibn al-Nafis.
• Al-Razi (Option C), or Rhazes, was a Persian physician who made significant contributions to medicine, including distinguishing smallpox from measles, but not the specific discoveries mentioned.

The correct answer is Semicolon.

• Why 'Semicolon' is correct: A semicolon (;) is used to connect two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning but could stand alone as separate sentences. It indicates a stronger pause than a comma but a weaker pause than a period, suggesting a close relationship between the ideas without using a coordinating conjunction.

• Why other options are incorrect:

  • 'Hyphen' (-) is used to join words or parts of words (e.g., well-known, sister-in-law), not to connect independent sentences.
  • 'Comma' (,) is used for various purposes like separating items in a list, introducing clauses, or joining independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (e.g., and, but, or), but it cannot join two independent clauses on its own without creating a comma splice.
  • 'Colon' (:) is used to introduce a list, an explanation, or a quotation, or to emphasize a point, but not to simply connect two grammatically independent sentences in the way a semicolon does.

The correct answer is 16. At the time of the Partition of India in 1947, the newly formed Pakistan inherited a significantly underdeveloped industrial base. Out of 451 cotton mills in British India, Pakistan received only 16. This stark imbalance highlighted the economic challenges faced by the new nation, despite being a major producer of raw cotton. The lack of processing infrastructure meant Pakistan had to export raw materials and import finished goods, hindering its economic growth.

• Options 33 and 50 are incorrect and significantly higher than the actual number, which would imply a much stronger industrial inheritance than was the reality.
• None of these is incorrect as 16 is the precise figure.

This analogy question requires identifying a similar relationship between two pairs of words. The initial pair is Conductor : Bus, where a conductor is a person who works on or operates a bus, managing passengers and tickets.

• The correct analogy is Thespian : Play (Option C). A thespian is an actor, and an actor performs in a play, establishing a similar person-to-activity/setting relationship.
• Drama : Director (Option A) is incorrect because a director oversees a drama, but the relationship isn't as direct as a person working on the object/event itself.
• Producer : Theater (Option B) is also incorrect; a producer manages or funds a theater, but doesn't typically 'work on' it in the same operational sense as a conductor on a bus.

The correct answer is Ubaid Ullah Sindhi. The Silk Letter Movement (Reshmi Rumal Tehreek) was an anti-British conspiracy during World War I, primarily initiated by Maulana Ubaid Ullah Sindhi and Maulana Mahmud al-Hasan. The movement aimed to overthrow British rule in India by forming an alliance with Afghanistan and Ottoman Turkey, sending secret letters written on silk cloth to various leaders. It represented a significant pan-Islamic and anti-colonial effort.

• Maulana Shaukat Ali and Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar were prominent leaders of the Khilafat Movement, which emerged later, advocating for the protection of the Ottoman Caliphate and Indian Muslim rights, but they did not initiate the Silk Letter Movement.
• None of these is incorrect as Ubaid Ullah Sindhi is the correct initiator.

This question tests the correct usage of prepositions in English, a foundational concept in grammar. The phrase 'take revenge' requires a specific preposition to form a grammatically correct and idiomatic expression.

• The correct preposition to use with 'take revenge' when referring to the target of the revenge is on. Thus, 'I took revenge on my enemy' (Option C) is the correct phrasing.
• Using 'From' (Option A) or 'To' (Option B) would be grammatically incorrect in this context. 'From' would imply receiving revenge, and 'To' would imply giving revenge to someone, neither of which fits the standard idiom for taking revenge against an enemy.

The correct answer is 1911. The Partition of Bengal, enacted by Lord Curzon in 1905, divided the province into two parts, sparking widespread nationalist protests and unrest across India. The British government, facing intense political agitation and a desire to appease Indian nationalists, decided to annul the partition in 1911 during the Delhi Durbar. This decision was a significant victory for the Indian nationalist movement.

• 1905 was the year the Partition of Bengal was enacted, not annulled.
• 1920 was a period of the Non-Cooperation Movement, unrelated to the annulment.
• 1947 marks the year of India's independence and the final partition of British India.

This question asks for the term describing a person who values things practically, which relates to understanding different philosophical or personality types. The correct answer is Pragmatist.

• A Pragmatist (Option C) is an individual who approaches problems and situations in a practical, realistic, and sensible way, focusing on what is effective and works in practice rather than on theories or ideals.
• An Idealist (Option A) is someone who is guided by ideals and principles, often to the exclusion of practical considerations, which is the opposite of the description.
• An Optimist (Option B) is a person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something, which describes a disposition rather than a practical approach to things.

The correct answer is Why didn’t you go?

• Why 'Why didn’t you go?' is correct: This sentence follows the standard grammatical structure for an interrogative sentence (a question) in English. The structure is: Question Word (Why) + Auxiliary Verb (did + not/n't) + Subject (you) + Main Verb (go, in its base form after 'did'). The question mark at the end correctly indicates it's a question.

• Why other options are incorrect:

  • 'Why didn’t go you?' is incorrect due to improper word order. In a question, the subject ("you") must come before the main verb ("go").
  • 'Why didn’t you gol' contains a misspelling of the verb "go" as "gol" and lacks the necessary question mark at the end, making it grammatically incorrect and incomplete as a question.
  • 'None of these' is incorrect because option A is a perfectly formed and grammatically correct sentence.

The correct answer is 1989. The Tiananmen Square protests and the subsequent crackdown by the Chinese government occurred in June 1989. During this sensitive period, Pakistan, upholding its long-standing

The subject of a sentence is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action. In the sentence "I met a beggar on the road.", the pronoun "I" performs the action of meeting, so it is the subject.

Sentence Structure:

• Subject: I
• Verb: met
• Object: a beggar
• Prepositional Phrase: on the road

Why the other options are incorrect:

• Met: This is the verb, not the subject.
• Beggar: This is the object (receiver of the action), not the subject.
• Road: This is part of the prepositional phrase indicating location.

Pakistan gained independence in August 1947. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was established in 1944 to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. Countries typically join such institutions shortly after their independence to integrate into the global financial system.

• 1950 is the correct answer. Pakistan officially became a member of the IMF on July 11, 1950, a few years after its independence.
• 1947 is incorrect; while Pakistan became independent in 1947, its formal membership in the IMF occurred later.
• 1948 is incorrect as Pakistan's membership was not finalized in this year.
• None of these is incorrect because 1950 is the accurate year of membership.

The correct preposition to use with 'proficient' when referring to a subject or area of skill is 'in'. Therefore, 'He is proficient in math' is the grammatically correct phrase.

• A. In: This is correct. 'Proficient in' means skilled or expert in a particular field or activity.
• B. With: 'Proficient with' is typically used when referring to tools or people (e.g., proficient with a computer, proficient with children), not subjects.
• C. At: 'Proficient at' is used for specific tasks or activities (e.g., proficient at playing chess), but 'in' is preferred for broader subjects.
• D. Off: This preposition is entirely incorrect in this context.

The phrase “Many a/an” is a grammatical construction that, despite implying plurality, always takes a singular noun and a singular verb. It emphasizes individual items within a large group.

• Was is the correct option because the subject “Many a man” requires a singular verb. Although it refers to multiple men, the structure treats it as a singular unit for verb agreement.
• Were is incorrect because it is a plural verb, used with plural subjects.
• Had been is incorrect because while it is singular, it implies a past perfect tense, suggesting an action completed before another past action, which is not the simple past tense required here.

The sentence describes a simple past event affecting many individuals.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is a leading independent, non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in Pakistan. It plays a crucial role in monitoring human rights violations, advocating for policy reforms, and raising public awareness.

• 1986 is the correct answer. The HRCP was established in 1986 by a group of concerned citizens and human rights activists, during a period when civil society organizations were emerging to advocate for democratic values and human rights in the country.
• 1985 is incorrect; the HRCP was not founded in this year.
• 1987 is incorrect; the establishment of the commission predates this year.
• None of these is incorrect as 1986 is the accurate founding year.

The sentence requires a verb that forms the present continuous tense to describe an ongoing action. The structure for the present continuous tense is 'subject + is/am/are + verb-ing'.

• D. Is: This is the correct auxiliary verb to form the present continuous tense ('is cutting') with the singular subject 'The farmer'. It indicates that the action is happening now.
• A. Was: This would form the past continuous tense ('was cutting'), implying the action happened in the past, which doesn't fit the implied present context.
• B. Has: This would typically be used for the present perfect tense ('has cut') or present perfect continuous ('has been cutting'), neither of which fits directly with 'cutting' alone to describe an ongoing action.
• C. Had: This would form the past perfect tense ('had cut') or past perfect continuous ('had been cutting'), indicating an action completed before another past action.

The verb “accuse” typically takes the preposition “of” when referring to the charge or crime someone is blamed for. This is a standard idiomatic usage in English.

• She accused him of stealing her purse is the correct sentence because it uses the appropriate preposition “of” after “accused,” which is grammatically correct for specifying the offense.
• She accuse him with stealing her purse is incorrect because “accuse with” is not the standard prepositional phrase.
• She accused him to stealing her purse is also incorrect as “accuse to” is not used in this context.

Understanding correct preposition usage is crucial for accurate sentence construction.

The term 'Axis of Resistance' describes an informal political and military alliance in the Middle East. This alliance is primarily led by Iran and includes various state and non-state actors, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, various Iraqi Shia militias, and the Houthis in Yemen. Its defining characteristic is a shared opposition to Israel and, to varying degrees, to the United States and its allies.

• Axis of Resistance is the correct answer. This term accurately identifies the coalition of groups and states aligned against Israel and Western influence in the region.
• Jabhat al-Nusra and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham are both Sunni Islamist militant groups primarily active in the Syrian Civil War, not a broad regional alliance against Israel.
• Axis of Evil was a term coined by former U.S. President George W. Bush to describe countries like Iran, Iraq, and North Korea, but it is not an alliance formed by these countries themselves.

To choose the synonym of ENTICE, we need to understand its meaning. 'Entice' means to attract or tempt someone by offering pleasure or advantage.

• C. Lure: This is the correct synonym. 'Lure' means to tempt (a person or an animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of reward or attraction. Both words convey the idea of drawing someone in through temptation.
• A. Alert: To 'alert' means to warn someone of a danger, problem, or other important information. This is the opposite of enticing.
• B. Caution: To 'caution' means to warn or advise someone against something. This is also contrary to the meaning of entice.
• D. None of these: This is incorrect because 'Lure' is a direct synonym.

Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi was a highly influential Islamic scholar, reformer, and a prominent figure of the Naqshbandi Sufi order in India. His life and teachings significantly impacted Islamic thought in the subcontinent.

• 1564 AD is the correct birth year for Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi. He was born in Sirhind, Punjab, during the Mughal era.
• The other options, 1532 AD, 1554 AD, and 1581 AD, are incorrect dates for his birth.

Knowing the correct birth year is essential for understanding his historical context and the timeline of his contributions to Islamic scholarship and reform.

Allama Muhammad Iqbal, renowned as the "Poet of the East," was a multifaceted scholar. While primarily celebrated for his profound philosophical poetry, his academic journey began with a different focus. His first book, published in Urdu in 1903, was titled "Ilm-ul-Iqtisad" (The Science of Economics).

• This work established his early academic interest in Economics, making it the correct answer.
• Although Iqbal was a profound philosopher and his later works deeply explored philosophical and political themes, "Ilm-ul-Iqtisad" predates these.
• His contributions to politics and history were significant but came after his initial foray into economics.