The Tashkent Agreement, signed after the 1965 Indo–Pak war, was concluded on which date in January 1966?

Introduction / Context:
The Tashkent Agreement was a significant peace accord between India and Pakistan after the 1965 war. It aimed to restore normal relations and cease hostilities between the two countries. This question tests your knowledge of the exact date in January 1966 on which this agreement was formally signed in Tashkent (in the then Soviet Union).

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The event is the Tashkent Agreement following the 1965 Indo–Pak war.
• The agreement involved Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and Pakistani President Ayub Khan.
• The month and year are January 1966.
• The options provide four nearby dates in January, plus one more.

Concept / Approach:
We need to recall not the start of talks but the date on which the agreement was actually signed. Historically, the Tashkent Agreement was signed on 10 January 1966. It is sometimes confused with the date of Shastri's death, which occurred soon after, but the signing itself is clearly recorded as 10 January.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Remember that the Tashkent summit took place in early January 1966 under Soviet mediation.2. The formal signing of the agreement between Shastri and Ayub Khan occurred on 10 January 1966.3. Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away in Tashkent shortly after the agreement, which sometimes leads to confusion about dates.4. The options include dates around this period, but only one matches the documented signing date.5. Therefore, among the options 9, 10, 11, and 12 January, the correct date is 10 January.

Verification / Alternative check:
Reliable historical accounts of the 1965 war and subsequent diplomacy uniformly state that the Tashkent Agreement was signed on 10 January 1966. Newspapers, official records, and standard history texts confirm this date, despite minor variations in reporting about the exact timeline of meetings and Shastri's sudden death later in Tashkent.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 9 Jan: Talks were ongoing around this period, but the agreement had not yet been signed.
• 11 Jan: This date does not correspond to the signing; it falls after the actual conclusion of the agreement.
• 12 Jan: Also incorrect; the signing had already taken place by then.
• 13 Jan: Not associated with the formal conclusion of the agreement.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students mix up the date of the Tashkent Agreement with the date of Shastri's death, or they vaguely remember 'early January' without recalling the exact day. It is important to fix in memory that the agreement was signed on 10 January 1966, even though related events spanned several days.

Final Answer:
The Tashkent Agreement was signed on 10 January 1966, i.e., 10 Jan.