FPSC General Recruitment Test Pakistan Studies Syllabus

What is the Durand Line, and which two countries does it separate?

The Durand Line is the 2,640 km border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, demarcated in 1893 by an agreement between Sir Mortimer Durand and Amir Abdur Rahman Khan.

List the four provinces of Pakistan.

Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan. (Balochistan is largest by area; Punjab is largest by population.)

Which is Pakistan's longest river, and what is its approximate length?

The Indus River is Pakistan's longest river, approximately 2,900 km (about 3,180 km total), flowing from Tibet through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.

Name the five rivers of Punjab (the 'land of five rivers').

Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. (The Indus is the main river they join.)

Which is the largest dam in Pakistan by reservoir capacity, and on which river is it built?

Tarbela Dam is the largest, built on the Indus River. It is one of the largest earth-filled dams in the world.

On which river is the Mangla Dam built, and what is its significance?

Mangla Dam is built on the Jhelum River. It is the second-largest dam in Pakistan and a major source of hydroelectric power and irrigation water.

What is the difference between a dam and a barrage?

A dam stores large volumes of water in a reservoir (for storage, power, flood control), while a barrage is a low diversion structure that raises the water level to divert water into canals without significant storage.

Name two major barrages on the Indus River in Sindh.

Sukkur Barrage (Lloyd Barrage) and Kotri Barrage (Ghulam Muhammad Barrage). Guddu Barrage is another major one.

What is the highest mountain peak in Pakistan, and where is it located?

K-2 (Mount Godwin-Austen), at 8,611 m, is the highest peak in Pakistan and the second-highest in the world. It lies in the Karakoram Range in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Name the three major mountain ranges in northern Pakistan.

The Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush ranges.

What is the highest peak of the Hindu Kush range located in Pakistan?

Tirich Mir, at 7,708 m, is the highest peak of the Hindu Kush range, located in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Which is the largest glacier in Pakistan outside the polar regions?

The Siachen Glacier is the largest, though Biafo and Baltoro glaciers in the Karakoram are also among the longest. Siachen is one of the longest non-polar glaciers in the world.

What type of climate does most of Pakistan experience?

Pakistan has mainly an arid to semi-arid (dry) continental climate, with hot summers, cool/cold winters, and seasonal monsoon rainfall in summer (July-September).

Name three major mineral/natural resources found in Pakistan.

Natural gas (Sui, Balochistan), coal (Thar coalfield, Sindh), and copper/gold (Reko Diq and Saindak, Balochistan). Rock salt (Khewra) is also significant.

Where is the largest natural gas field in Pakistan located?

The largest natural gas field is at Sui in Balochistan, discovered in 1952, which is why piped gas in Pakistan is often called 'Sui gas'.

Under how many constitutions has Pakistan been governed, and in which years were they adopted?

Pakistan has had three constitutions: 1956, 1962, and 1973.

What governing document did Pakistan use before its first constitution, and what was the first constituent body?

Before 1956, Pakistan was governed under the Government of India Act 1935 (as adapted by the Indian Independence Act 1947). The first Constituent Assembly was formed in 1947.

What was the Objectives Resolution (1949) and what is its significance?

Passed in March 1949 under Liaquat Ali Khan, the Objectives Resolution laid down the guiding principles of the future constitution, declaring sovereignty belongs to Allah and that Pakistan would be a democratic Islamic state. It became a substantive part of the constitution in 1985.

What form of government and key feature did the 1956 Constitution introduce?

The 1956 Constitution declared Pakistan an 'Islamic Republic' for the first time, established a parliamentary, federal system, and provided for a unicameral legislature. It was abrogated in 1958 by martial law.

What system of government did the 1962 Constitution introduce, and under whom?

The 1962 Constitution, introduced under President Ayub Khan, established a presidential system with indirect elections through the 'Basic Democracies' system.

When was the 1973 Constitution enforced, and who was the Prime Minister at the time?

The 1973 Constitution was enforced on 14 August 1973, with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as Prime Minister. It remains Pakistan's current constitution.

What form of government does the 1973 Constitution establish?

It establishes a federal parliamentary form of government with Islam as the state religion, a bicameral legislature, and a President as head of state and Prime Minister as head of government.

What did the 18th Amendment (2010) to the 1973 Constitution achieve?

The 18th Amendment abolished the concurrent legislative list (devolving more powers to provinces), curtailed the President's discretionary powers, restored the parliamentary character of the constitution, and renamed NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

What did the 8th Amendment introduce, and which controversial power did it grant the President?

The 8th Amendment (1985) granted the President the power under Article 58(2)(b) to dissolve the National Assembly at his discretion. This power was later removed by the 13th Amendment (1997).

What are the two houses of Pakistan's Parliament (Majlis-e-Shoora)?

The National Assembly (lower house) and the Senate (upper house).

What is the total number of seats in the National Assembly and the term length?

The National Assembly has 336 seats (including reserved seats for women and minorities) and a term of five years. Members of the general seats are directly elected.

How is the Senate of Pakistan structured in terms of representation and term?

The Senate provides equal representation to all provinces regardless of population, ensuring federal balance. It has 96 members serving six-year terms, with half retiring every three years; it is a permanent body that cannot be dissolved.

What is the highest court in Pakistan, and who heads it?

The Supreme Court of Pakistan is the highest court, headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Below it are the High Courts of each province and the Federal Shariat Court.

Who is the head of state and who is the head of government in Pakistan, and how is each chosen?

The President is the head of state, elected by an electoral college (Parliament and provincial assemblies). The Prime Minister is the head of government, elected by the National Assembly as leader of the majority.

What are Pakistan's two most important cash (non-food) crops, and its two main food crops?

The main cash crops are cotton and sugarcane; the main food crops are wheat and rice. (Pakistan is a major exporter of rice and textiles.)

Approximately what percentage of Pakistan's population speaks Punjabi, and what is the national language?

Punjabi is the most widely spoken native language (about 38-44% of people). Urdu is the national language, though it is the first language of a minority (the Muhajir community).