Describe the meeting between President Zia-ul-Haq and Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in February 1987.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] they met during a cricket match (1) between Pakistan and India (1) in Jaipur (1)
2. [1] they discussed matters which were of concern to Pakistan (1) such as the Siachen glacier (1)
3. [1] the meeting helped to moderate relations between Pakistan and India at the time
4. [1] the media named the meeting 'cricket diplomacy'
5. Target: AO1, AO2
6. Mark according to the level of response descriptors in Table 1.
7. Indicative content: there were many economic, social and political problems facing Pakistan
8. Indicative content: the support of the army was lost because Jehangir Karamat had to resign as army chief of staff
9. Indicative content: the government also lost the support of the army because of events in Kashmir
10. Indicative content: the government tried to remove Musharraf (who had replaced Jehangir Karamat) as army chief of staff
11. Indicative content: Musharraf decided army control was needed
12. Indicative content: as Musharraf was the army chief of staff, he was able to come to power
13. Target: AO1, AO2
14. Mark according to the level of response descriptors in Table 2.
15. Indicative content (may agree that the differences between Benazir Bhutto and President Ishaq Khan was the main reason why she left office in 1990): both had differences of opinions over the appointment of political and military personnel
16. Indicative content (may agree that the differences between Benazir Bhutto and President Ishaq Khan was the main reason why she left office in 1990): the President was reluctant to give Benazir Bhutto full details of Pakistan's nuclear programme
17. Indicative content (may agree that the differences between Benazir Bhutto and President Ishaq Khan was the main reason why she left office in 1990): the President used the Eighth Amendment to dismiss her from office
18. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): in Sindh, areas of growing opposition to PPP and support for MQM
19. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): riots and unrest in Karachi
20. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): conflict with Nawaz Sharif who controlled provincial government in Punjab
21. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): a no-confidence motion in the government in 1989 was defeated
22. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): inflation and unemployment
23. Indicative content (counter-arguments might include): events in Kashmir