Defence, Nuclear & Space Programme MCQs With Answers
Pakistan's defence and strategic programmes are a regular feature of modern Pak Studies papers. These Pakistan defence, nuclear and space MCQs cover the 28 May 1998 Chagai tests and Youm-e-Takbeer, Dr. A.Q. Khan, Dr. Samar Mubarakmand, KRL and PAEC, the National Command Authority and Strategic Plans Division, the Ghauri, Shaheen, Babur and Nasr missiles, SUPARCO with Badr-1, PakSat-MM1 and the ICUBE-Q lunar mission, the three armed forces, Frontier Corps and Rangers, PMA Kakul and the Command and Staff College, and gallantry awards from the Nishan-e-Haider downwards. They help PPSC, FPSC, NTS, ISSB and armed forces test candidates.
Take a scored quiz instead →Pakistan’s first satellite launched into space in July 1990 was named:
Badr-1 was Pakistan's first indigenous digital communication satellite launched in July 1990.
SUPARCO (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission) of Pakistan was established in 1961 under the recommendation of Nobel laureate:
Dr. Abdus Salam advised President Ayub Khan to establish SUPARCO in September 1961.
In May 2024, Pakistan successfully launched its historic lunar cube satellite onboard China’s Chang’e-6 mission named:
ICUBE-Qamar was developed by IST and launched aboard China's Chang'e-6 lunar mission in May 2024.
In May 2024, SUPARCO successfully launched Pakistan’s multi-mission communication satellite named:
PakSat-MM1 was launched in May 2024 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Pakistan conducted its historic nuclear tests on May 28, 1998 at Chagai Hills, Balochistan. What is May 28 commemorated as nationally?
May 28 is commemorated as Youm-e-Takbeer marking Pakistan becoming a nuclear-armed state in 1998.
Who was the Prime Minister of Pakistan when nuclear tests were conducted in May 1998?
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif authorized the 1998 Chagai nuclear tests.
Which nuclear research facility in Pakistan led the development of uranium enrichment capability during Project 706?
Dr. A.Q. Khan and KRL played a pivotal role in uranium enrichment under Project 706.
Where is the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) flagship nuclear research reactor PARR-1 located?
PARR-1 (Pakistan Atomic Research Reactor-1) is located at PINSTECH in Nilore, Islamabad.
Who is regarded as the father of Pakistan’s uranium enrichment programme, set up at Kahuta?
Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan founded and led the Engineering Research Laboratories at Kahuta in 1976, later renamed Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), which developed uranium enrichment for Pakistan's nuclear programme.
Munir Ahmad Khan headed the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission from 1972 to 1991, and Dr Samar Mubarakmand led the team that carried out the 1998 tests.
On what date did Pakistan conduct its first nuclear tests?
Pakistan conducted its first nuclear tests, Chagai-I, on 28 May 1998 in the Ras Koh Hills of Chagai district, Balochistan, in response to India's tests earlier that month. The day is observed as Youm-e-Takbeer.
Which institution handles Pakistan’s space research?
- SUPARCO (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission) is Pakistan's national space agency, responsible for space research and satellite programs.
- It played a role in launching Pakistan's first satellite.
- It is based in Islamabad.
Which institution handles Pakistan’s civil nuclear energy?
- The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) oversees the country's nuclear power generation and related scientific research.
- It oversees nuclear power generation.
- It also conducts related scientific research.
Where is Pakistan’s premier military academy located?
The Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) at Kakul, near Abbottabad, was established in 1947 and trains cadets for commissions in the Pakistan Army. The PAF Academy is at Risalpur and the Pakistan Naval Academy is in Karachi.
What day honors the Pakistan Air Force’s role in the 1965 war?
- 7 September is observed as Air Force Day, commemorating the Pakistan Air Force's engagements during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, held the day after the broader Defence Day observance on 6 September.
- It is observed the day after Defence Day each year.
What are the three branches of Pakistan’s armed forces?
Pakistan's armed forces have three services: the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, each headed by its own chief.
Since the 27th Amendment (2025), joint coordination is overseen by the Chief of Defence Forces, and the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee was abolished.
Which force guards Pakistan’s western border regions?
- The Frontier Corps operates as a paramilitary force in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan under the administrative control of the Ministry of Interior, with separate wings for each province, handling border security and internal law-and-order support duties.
- It handles both border security and internal security support.
Which force handles security duties in Punjab and Sindh?
- The Pakistan Rangers operate as separate Punjab and Sindh wings, handling border security along the frontier with India as well as internal security and law-enforcement support duties, particularly in cities like Karachi.
- It is also active in cities like Karachi for internal security.
What is Pakistan’s liquid-fuelled medium-range ballistic missile series called?
The Ghauri (Hatf-V) series consists of liquid-fuelled medium-range ballistic missiles; Ghauri-I, first tested in April 1998, has a range of about 1,300–1,500 km. It is named after Sultan Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghori, the 12th-century ruler.
The Shaheen series also includes medium-range missiles but is solid-fuelled, Babur is a cruise missile and Abdali is a short-range ballistic missile.
What is Pakistan’s cruise missile called?
- The Babur cruise missile, first tested in 2005, is a domestically developed subsonic cruise missile system named after the founder of the Mughal Empire, part of Pakistan's diversified strategic weapons program.
- It is named after the founder of the Mughal Empire.
- It is subsonic and domestically developed.
Which force provides security at Pakistan’s airports?
- It operates under the federal Ministry of Defence.
- It is distinct from the Civil Aviation Authority, which regulates aviation.
- It was established to protect civil airports.
What is Pakistan’s highest military gallantry award?
- Nishan-e-Haider ("Sign/Emblem of the Lion") is Pakistan's highest military gallantry award, given posthumously in almost every case, for extraordinary acts of bravery in combat.
- It is given posthumously in almost every case.
Which award ranks just below the Nishan-e-Haider?
- Hilal-e-Jurat ranks as the second-highest military gallantry award in Pakistan, awarded for acts of conspicuous bravery, below only the Nishan-e-Haider in the award hierarchy.
- It recognizes conspicuous bravery in combat.
Who was the youngest Nishan-e-Haider recipient?
Pilot Officer Rashid Minhas, aged 20, is the youngest recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider. On 20 August 1971, before the war began, his instructor tried to hijack their T-33 trainer to India; Minhas fought for the controls and crashed the aircraft near Thatta, giving his life.
He is the only Pakistan Air Force officer to receive the Nishan-e-Haider.
Who led the technical execution of the 1998 nuclear tests?
- Dr.
- Samar Mubarakmand played a leading role in the technical execution of Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests at Chagai, Balochistan, and later contributed significantly to the country's missile technology development programs.
- He later contributed to missile technology work too.
Which body oversees Pakistan’s missile development?
- It coordinates Pakistan's strategic weapons programs.
- It works closely with related defense organizations.
- It operates under the National Command Authority.
Which desert is near Pakistan’s 1998 nuclear test site?
- The Chagai Desert in western Balochistan is the site of the Ras Koh Hills, where Pakistan conducted its first nuclear weapons tests (Chagai-I) in May 1998, giving the district lasting historical significance in Pakistan's strategic history.
- It gave the district lasting strategic significance.
In which year did Pakistan first test-fire the Ghauri missile?
- Pakistan conducted the first test-firing of its Ghauri medium-range ballistic missile in April 1998, shortly before its May 1998 nuclear weapons tests at Chagai, both events occurring amid heightened regional security tensions that year.
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What is Pakistan’s military staff college in Quetta called?
The Command and Staff College, Quetta, founded in 1905, trains mid-career army officers for command and staff appointments and is one of the oldest staff colleges in the region.
What is Pakistan’s institution for military-strategic studies in Islamabad called?
The National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, is the senior institution for strategic and national-security studies. It grew out of the National Defence College, set up in 1971, and became a university in 2007.
Who was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army?
- He was a British officer who briefly held the post in 1947.
- General Ayub Khan later became the first Pakistani to hold this position.
- The role was later renamed Chief of Army Staff.
Who was the first Pakistani Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army?
- He took over the post in 1951.
- He later became President following the 1958 coup.
- He ruled Pakistan until 1969.
What is the name of Pakistan’s ballistic missile series named after a 12th-century ruler, Muhammad Ghori?
- It is a medium-range ballistic missile.
- It was first tested in 1998.
- It forms part of Pakistan's broader strategic missile program.
Which series of solid-fuelled medium-range ballistic missiles complements Pakistan’s liquid-fuelled Ghauri series?
The Shaheen series consists of solid-fuelled ballistic missiles; Shaheen-III, with a range of about 2,750 km, is Pakistan's longest-range missile. It is named after the shaheen falcon.
Nasr is a short-range tactical missile, and Babur is a cruise missile.
What is the name of Pakistan’s short-range nuclear-capable missile, often described as a tactical weapon?
- It has a shorter range than the Ghauri and Shaheen series.
- It is designed for battlefield deployment.
- Its development reflects Pakistan's evolving deterrence strategy.
Which organization coordinates Pakistan’s overall nuclear command and control structure?
- It is chaired by the Prime Minister.
- It oversees policy decisions related to nuclear weapons.
- The Strategic Plans Division serves as its secretariat.
Pakistan conducted its first-ever nuclear test series in which mountain range?
- The tests took place in Balochistan's Chagai district.
- They were conducted in May 1998.
- The site remains a symbol of Pakistan's nuclear capability.
Which award recognizes bravery among Pakistan’s civilians, distinct from military gallantry awards?
- It honors acts of courage by ordinary citizens.
- It is part of Pakistan's civil bravery awards system.
- It differs from military-specific gallantry awards.
Which is Pakistan’s third-highest military gallantry award, below Nishan-e-Haider and Hilal-e-Jurat?
- It recognizes acts of bravery in combat.
- It ranks below the Hilal-e-Jurat in the honors hierarchy.
- It is one of several tiers in Pakistan's military awards system.
Which military award recognises gallantry in non-combat situations?
Sitara-e-Basalat is awarded to members of the armed forces for acts of gallantry outside combat with the enemy, such as rescue operations.
Nishan-e-Haider, Hilal-e-Jurat and Sitara-e-Jurat are gallantry awards for action against the enemy.
Who was the third recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider, honored for actions during the 1965 war?
Major Raja Aziz Bhatti was martyred defending the BRB Canal sector near Lahore in September 1965.
He was the third recipient of the Nishan-e-Haider, after Captain Raja Muhammad Sarwar (1948) and Major Tufail Muhammad (1958).
Who was the first Nishan-e-Haider recipient, in 1948?
- His actions took place in the early Kashmir conflict following partition.
- He set the precedent for Pakistan's highest military award.
- His story remains widely taught in Pakistan Studies curricula.
Who earned the Nishan-e-Haider in East Pakistan, 1971?
Major Muhammad Akram was martyred at Hilli in East Pakistan in December 1971 after holding his position against heavy attacks, and was awarded the Nishan-e-Haider.
Other 1971 recipients, such as Lance Naik Muhammad Mahfuz and Major Shabbir Sharif, fought on the western front.
Which Pakistani city is home to the Pakistan Navy’s main fleet base and dockyard?
Karachi, Pakistan's main seaport, hosts the Pakistan Navy's main fleet, its principal bases and the Karachi Naval Dockyard.
Naval Headquarters (NHQ) is in Islamabad, while Ormara (Jinnah Naval Base) and Gwadar are naval stations on the Makran coast.
Which mountain range hosts Pakistan’s high-altitude military positions near the Siachen Glacier?
- It includes some of the highest military positions in the world.
- Both Pakistani and Indian forces are deployed in this region.
- The terrain makes military operations extremely challenging.
Which Pakistani military exercise series is regularly conducted to demonstrate joint forces’ readiness?
- It involves large-scale coordinated military exercises.
- It tests the readiness of Pakistan's armed forces.
- It has been conducted periodically over the years.