What was the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat ?

1. The question asks for the immediate reason for Ahmad Shah Abdali to invade India and fight the Third Battle of Panipat (1761). 2. Option (A): The Marathas had indeed driven out Abdali's viceroy Timur Shah from Lahore and occupied Punjab, challenging Abdali's control over the region. Avenging this expulsion and reasserting authority was a major factor. 3. Option (B): While Adina Beg Khan played complex roles in Punjab politics, directly inviting Abdali for this specific campaign is not usually cited as the primary immediate reason. 4. Option (C): Issues regarding revenue collection from areas previously ceded to Abdali were ongoing but perhaps not the most immediate trigger for the large-scale invasion leading to Panipat. 5. Option (D): Ahmad Shah Abdali aimed to consolidate his control over Punjab and assert his influence deeper into North India, potentially up to Delhi. The Maratha expansion into Punjab directly threatened these ambitions, making a confrontation likely. This desire to secure and potentially annex the fertile plains of Punjab and counter the Maratha challenge was a key driver. (Note: Both A and D are strong reasons and closely linked. The answer key selects D, emphasizing the broader strategic goal of controlling Punjab up to Delhi's borders as the immediate driver prompted by the Maratha actions described in A). 6. Adhering to the key 'd', the primary immediate reason was Abdali's ambition to annex the fertile plains up to Delhi and counter the Maratha threat to this objective.