PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, revered as Quaid-e-Azam, the founder of Pakistan, began his illustrious legal and political career early. After returning to India from England, where he had studied law, he was appointed as a Presidency Magistrate in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1900. This appointment marked a significant step in his professional life, providing him with valuable experience in the legal system before he fully immersed himself in politics and the movement for an independent Pakistan.

• Options B, "1905," C, "1906," and D, "1903," are incorrect dates. While Jinnah's political activism intensified in the years following his magistracy, his initial appointment to this judicial role occurred specifically in 1900.

The question asks about the primary form of energy produced directly in nuclear fission. The correct answer is Thermal energy. Nuclear fission is a process where the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei, releasing a tremendous amount of energy, predominantly in the form of heat. This foundational concept is central to how nuclear power plants operate, where this thermal energy is used to heat water, produce steam, and drive turbines to generate electricity. Distractor Electrical energy is the end product after conversion from thermal energy, not the direct output of fission. Chemical energy is associated with chemical reactions, not nuclear processes. Gas is not a form of energy produced by fission. Thus, thermal energy is the direct and primary output.

The Biafo Glacier is one of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions, renowned for its immense size and stunning landscape. It is located in the Karakoram mountain range, specifically in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The Karakoram is famous for its high peaks and extensive glacial systems, making option B the correct answer.

• The Pir Panjal range (A) is part of the Lesser Himalayas, located further south.
• The Himalaya range (C) is a distinct mountain system, though geographically close, the Biafo Glacier is specifically within the Karakoram.
• The Hindukush range (D) is located to the west of the Karakoram, primarily in Afghanistan and northern Pakistan.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, is a water-distribution treaty brokered by the World Bank. It divided the six rivers of the Indus system into two groups. Pakistan was granted exclusive rights to the waters of the "Western Rivers," which include the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. India retained control over the "Eastern Rivers." This treaty has largely endured despite political tensions, regulating water sharing between the two nations.

• Option A, "Ravi, Sutlej, Beas," represents the Eastern Rivers, whose waters were allocated to India.
• Options B and C incorrectly mix rivers from both categories. The treaty's core principle was the clear division of the rivers to ensure equitable water distribution for irrigation and other uses in both countries.

The question requires the correct phrasal verb to complete the sentence "The police are -----the incident." The correct answer is Looking into. The phrasal verb "look into" means to investigate, examine, or inquire about something, which is precisely what police do when dealing with an incident. This foundational concept is about understanding idiomatic English expressions. Distractor Looking on means to observe an event without participating, which is not the role of the police in an incident. Looking for means to search for something or someone, implying a missing item or person, not an investigation of an event. Looking at means to observe or consider, but "looking into" implies a more thorough and active investigation, making it the most appropriate choice for police action regarding an incident.

In Microsoft Word, the File tab (often referred to as the Backstage view) is the primary location for managing documents and application settings. It provides essential commands such as 'Open,' 'Save,' 'Save As,' 'Print,' and 'New,' which are fundamental for file operations. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

• The Home tab (A) contains common editing and formatting tools like font styles, paragraph settings, and clipboard functions.
• The Insert tab (B) is used for adding various elements to a document, including tables, pictures, shapes, and headers/footers.
• The View tab (D) controls how the document is displayed on the screen, offering options like different document views, zoom levels, and window arrangements.

The question addresses communities facing targeted violence in Balochistan. The Hazara community is the correct answer because they are a Shia Muslim ethnic group predominantly residing in Quetta, Balochistan, and have been subjected to severe sectarian violence and targeted killings by extremist groups for decades. This persecution is due to their distinct ethnic identity and religious beliefs.

• Brahuis are an indigenous ethnic group of Balochistan, but they are not the primary targets of sectarian violence in the same systematic way as the Hazaras.
• Turkmens and Uzbeks are Central Asian ethnic groups with minimal presence in Balochistan and are not associated with widespread target killings in the region.

Understanding the socio-political landscape and ethnic conflicts in Balochistan is crucial here.

The question asks for a word describing a "thing liable to break easily." The most precise answer is Brittle. Brittle describes a material that is hard but breaks or shatters easily when subjected to stress, without significant plastic deformation. This foundational concept relates to material science and properties. Distractor Breakable is a general term meaning capable of being broken, but "brittle" specifically refers to the material's inherent property of shattering. Ductile is the opposite of brittle; it describes a material that can be drawn out into a thin wire without losing toughness, meaning it deforms before breaking. Fragile is similar to breakable, implying delicacy and ease of damage, but "brittle" more accurately captures the material's characteristic of shattering rather than bending or deforming.

Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, a distinguished Pakistani scientist and former Chairman of the Higher Education Commission, was indeed awarded the prestigious “China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award” in 2020. This recognition honored his significant contributions to chemistry and his instrumental role in fostering scientific collaboration and exchange between Pakistan and China. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

• Dr. Abdul Qadir (A) is a prominent nuclear scientist, but not the recipient of this specific award in 2020.
• Mukhtar Ahmad (C) and Nazir Ahmad (D) are not widely recognized for receiving this particular international award in the specified year.

The transition period is the phase between two training seasons or competitive cycles. Its main purpose is to maintain a basic level of fitness while allowing the athlete to recover physically and mentally, preventing a sudden decline in performance.

The primary objective of this phase is the stabilization of performance, ensuring that the athlete remains prepared for the next training cycle without complete detraining.

Why the other options are incorrect:

• Recreation – Recreation may be part of the transition period, but it is not its primary aim.
• Recovery – Recovery is an important component of the transition period, but the overall objective is to maintain and stabilize performance.
• Super compensation – Supercompensation occurs after appropriate training and recovery within a training cycle, not during the transition period.
• Stabilization of performance – Correct. The transition period helps preserve the athlete's performance level while preparing for the next season.

"Video Graphics Array" is the correct expansion for VGA.

VGA is a foundational standard for computer display hardware, initially introduced by IBM in 1987. It defines the specifications for the display adapter, monitor, and the signals used to transmit video information. This standard was crucial in the early development of personal computing graphics, providing a common interface for displaying images and text on monitors. Even today, the term VGA is often used to refer to the D-sub 15-pin connector found on many graphics cards and monitors. The other options,

• "Visual Graphics Adapter,"
• "Virtual Graphics Adapter," and
• "Volatile Graphics Adapter,"

are incorrect acronyms and do not represent any recognized computer display standard. Understanding such acronyms is fundamental in computer literacy and hardware knowledge.

Charles Babbage is widely recognized as the 'Father of the Computer' for his pioneering work in the 19th century. He conceptualized and designed the Analytical Engine, which incorporated many fundamental elements of modern computers, including a programmable design, memory, and a processing unit. His theoretical contributions laid the groundwork for future computing developments, making option A the correct answer.

• Alan Turing (B) was a brilliant mathematician and computer scientist who made significant contributions to theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.
• Grace Hopper (C) was a computer scientist and U.S. Navy rear admiral who developed the first compiler.
• Tim Berners-Lee (D) is credited with inventing the World Wide Web.

The question concerns an endocrine gland requiring iodine for hormone synthesis, with deficiency causing goitre. The Thyroid gland is the correct answer. This gland produces thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), vital for regulating metabolism, growth, and development. Iodine is an essential micronutrient incorporated into these hormones. A lack of dietary iodine impairs hormone production, causing the thyroid gland to enlarge in an attempt to compensate, leading to a condition known as goitre.

• The Hypothalamus controls the pituitary but doesn't directly synthesize iodine-dependent hormones.
• The Pancreas produces insulin and glucagon, unrelated to iodine.
• The Adrenal gland produces hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which do not require iodine.

The Makli Hill Graveyard, also known as the Makli Necropolis, is correctly located near the city of Thatta in the Pakistani province of Sindh. This vast funerary site is one of the largest in the world, spanning approximately 10 square kilometers and housing hundreds of thousands of tombs and graves. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its intricate architecture and historical significance, dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries.

• Hyderabad, Taxila, and Karachi are significant cities in Pakistan, but none of them are the location of the Makli Hill Graveyard.

This question tests geographical and historical knowledge of important cultural heritage sites.

The Mirani Dam is a crucial multi-purpose concrete-faced rock-fill dam located in the Central Makran Range of Balochistan, Pakistan. It was constructed on the Dasht River to provide essential water storage for irrigation and to offer flood control benefits to the surrounding agricultural areas. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

• The Bolan River (A) is another significant river in Balochistan, but the Mirani Dam is not located on it.
• The Hingol River (C) is also in Balochistan and is known for its national park, but it is not the site of the Mirani Dam.
• Option D, 'None of these,' is incorrect as the dam is indeed located on the Dasht River.

The question asks about the author of "Al-Tafseer Al-Kabir." The correct answer is Fakhr-ud-Din al-Razi. He was a renowned Persian polymath and Islamic scholar of the 12th century. His monumental work, "Al-Tafsir al-Kabir," also known as "Mafatih al-Ghayb," is one of the most comprehensive and influential commentaries on the Quran, distinguished by its philosophical and theological depth.

• Imam Ghazali was a prominent theologian and mystic, but not the author of this specific tafsir.
• Imam Razi is a partial name for Fakhr-ud-Din al-Razi, but the full name is more precise.
• Ibn Taymiyyah was a later influential scholar known for his Hanbali jurisprudence, not "Al-Tafsir al-Kabir."