The correct option is (c).
Explanation
Ahmad Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani) was a pivotal figure in the mid-18th-century geopolitics of North India. His repeated incursions accelerated the disintegration of the Mughal Empire and checked the expansion of the Maratha Confederacy.
Statement 1 is Correct:
Ahmad Shah Abdali was the ruler of Afghanistan. Following the assassination of Nadir Shah in 1747, Abdali declared independence and established the Durrani Empire, unifying various Afghan tribes under his leadership.
Statement 2 is Incorrect:
He did not invade North India only once. Between 1748 and 1767, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded India approximately eight times. While the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 was his most historically significant engagement against the Marathas, it was part of a series of persistent raids aimed at plunder and political dominance.
Statement 3 is Correct:
Abdali successfully seized strategic territories from the declining Mughal authority. In 1752, he compelled the Mughal Emperor to cede the provinces of Lahore (Punjab) and Multan. He subsequently annexed the Sarkar of Sirhind, thereby extending his direct control over key regions of North India.
Key Takeaway:
Ahmad Shah Abdali, the founder of the modern Afghan state, launched multiple invasions into India between 1748 and 1767, significantly weakening the Mughal administration and defeating the Marathas at the Third Battle of Panipat (1761).