General Knowledge

Ishaq Dar, who became Pakistan's Foreign Minister in 2024, has made several significant diplomatic visits to key allied countries including China and Saudi Arabia. He has also engaged in high-profile meetings in Washington, D.C., and visited Bangladesh, signaling active diplomatic efforts. The other options (only Afghanistan, only Israel, only India) are incorrect as his visits have been broader and include China and Saudi Arabia among others.

As of May 2026, the current Foreign Minister of Pakistan is Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar. He assumed office on 11 March 2024 and is serving concurrently as Deputy Prime Minister. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was the Foreign Minister until August 2023, succeeded by Jalil Abbas Jilani (caretaker), and then Ishaq Dar took over in March 2024. Therefore, the correct answer is Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, not Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

On Pakistan Day, official messages are typically issued by key national figures including the Army Chief, Prime Minister, and President. The Pakistan Foreign Office often shares messages from the Army Chief as part of the national celebration, recognizing the Army Chief's significant role in national security and foreign affairs. This is consistent with the tradition of the Foreign Office celebrating Pakistan Day with a message from the Army Chief, confirming option B as correct.

According to verified sources including Wikipedia, Agha Shahi served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 14 January 1978 to 9 March 1982. Therefore, the correct end year of his tenure is 1982, which corresponds to option C. The original question's explanation incorrectly stated 1981 as the end year, but the search confirms 1982 as accurate.

In Pakistan, the Foreign Minister is a member of the federal cabinet and reports to the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. The Foreign Minister does not report directly to the President, National Assembly Speaker, or Chief of Army Staff.

According to the Constitution and official sources of Pakistan, the Foreign Minister is formally appointed by the President of Pakistan on the advice of the Prime Minister. While the Prime Minister nominates the candidate, the President is the formal appointing authority, making option D (President) the correct answer.

Ishaq Dar, a prominent Pakistani politician and finance minister, has emphasized the importance of trade diplomacy and investment to strengthen Pakistan's economy and international relations. The other options are either too narrow or incorrect in this context.

Ishaq Dar is currently serving as Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, having taken over the foreign ministry portfolio in 2024 under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Prior to Ishaq Dar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was the Foreign Minister. The other options—Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Hina Rabbani Khar, and Sartaj Aziz—held the position in earlier governments but not immediately before Ishaq Dar. Therefore, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was the immediate predecessor of Ishaq Dar as Foreign Minister in the current government setup of Pakistan.

Mian Arshad Hussain served as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan from 1968 until 1969, after which other ministers took over. Therefore, 1969 is the correct end year.

The Foreign Minister of Pakistan is responsible for representing the country in international matters, including issues like Kashmir at international forums. Options A, C, and D relate to domestic or unrelated areas, which are not the Foreign Minister's primary responsibilities.