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General Knowledge About Pakistan: 60 Important Questions and Answers
60 essential general knowledge questions about Pakistan — geography, history, politics, economy, culture, and more for all competitive exams.
Pakistan-related general knowledge questions dominate every competitive exam in the country. From CSS and NTS to FPSC, PPSC, and university entry tests, examiners love testing your knowledge about your own country. This article covers 60 essential Pakistan GK questions organized by topic.
Pakistan: Geography
- How many provinces does Pakistan have? — 4 (Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, KPK)
- What are Pakistan's federal territories? — Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK)
- Which countries border Pakistan? — India (east), Afghanistan (west and north), Iran (southwest), China (northeast)
- Which is the longest river in Pakistan? — River Indus
- Name the five rivers of Punjab. — Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej (Punjab means "land of five rivers")
- Which lake is the highest in Pakistan? — Rush Lake in Gilgit-Baltistan (approximately 4,694 meters)
- What is the Karakoram Highway? — The highest paved international road connecting Islamabad to Kashgar, China
- Which pass connects Pakistan to Afghanistan via KPK? — Khyber Pass
- Which pass connects Pakistan to Afghanistan via Balochistan? — Bolan Pass
- What is the total coastline of Pakistan? — Approximately 1,046 km along the Arabian Sea
Pakistan: History
- When was the All-India Muslim League founded? — 30 December 1906, in Dhaka
- Who presented the Two-Nation Theory? — Sir Syed Ahmed Khan is credited with laying its foundations; Allama Iqbal articulated it politically
- When was the Pakistan Resolution passed? — 23 March 1940, in Lahore
- Who presided over the session where the Pakistan Resolution was passed? — Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah
- When did the first India-Pakistan war start? — October 1947 (over Kashmir)
- Who was the last Viceroy of British India? — Lord Mountbatten
- What was the Objectives Resolution? — Passed on 12 March 1949, it laid down the framework for Pakistan's constitutional structure based on Islamic principles
- When was One Unit formed? — 1955 (merged all West Pakistan provinces into one unit)
- When was One Unit dissolved? — 1970
- What event led to the creation of Bangladesh? — The 1971 war and fall of Dhaka on 16 December 1971
Pakistan: Constitution and Governance
- How many constitutions has Pakistan had? — 3 (1956, 1962, 1973)
- Which constitution is currently in force? — The Constitution of 1973
- How many articles are in the 1973 Constitution? — 280 articles (as originally enacted)
- What is the minimum age to become President of Pakistan? — 45 years
- What is the minimum age to become Prime Minister? — 25 years
- How many members does the National Assembly have? — 342 members
- How many members does the Senate have? — 100 members (after the 25th Amendment reduced it from 104)
- Which article of the constitution deals with fundamental rights? — Articles 8–28
- What does the 18th Amendment address? — Provincial autonomy — transferred many federal subjects to provinces
- Who appoints the Chief Justice of Pakistan? — The President, on the advice of the Prime Minister (after consultation with the outgoing CJP)
Pakistan: Economy
- What is the main export crop of Pakistan? — Cotton and textiles
- Which sector employs the most people in Pakistan? — Agriculture (approximately 37–40% of the labor force)
- What is CPEC? — China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a $62 billion infrastructure and energy project
- Where is Pakistan's Stock Exchange located? — The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) main office is in Karachi
- Which city is the industrial capital of Pakistan? — Karachi
- What is Pakistan's main import? — Petroleum and petroleum products
- When was the State Bank of Pakistan established? — 1 July 1948
- What are Pakistan's largest trading partners? — China, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia
- Which is the largest dam in Pakistan by storage capacity? — Tarbela Dam
- What is the Gwadar Port's strategic importance? — It provides China with access to the Arabian Sea and is a key node in CPEC
Pakistan: Culture and National Symbols
- What is the national anthem of Pakistan called? — Qaumi Taranah
- Who composed the music for the national anthem? — Ahmed G. Chagla
- What is the national tree of Pakistan? — Deodar (Cedrus deodara)
- What is the national fruit of Pakistan? — Mango
- What is Pakistan's national dress? — Shalwar Kameez
- Which city is known as the cultural capital of Pakistan? — Lahore
- Name two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pakistan. — Mohenjo-Daro (Sindh) and Taxila (Punjab)
- What is the Kalash Valley famous for? — The Kalash people and their unique culture, festivals, and ancient traditions (in Chitral, KPK)
- What is truck art? — A distinctive form of colorful artistic decoration on commercial trucks, unique to Pakistan
- What is the meaning of the word "Pakistan"? — "Land of the Pure" (from Urdu/Persian)
Pakistan: Defense and Military
- When did Pakistan become a nuclear state? — 28 May 1998 (Chagai-I nuclear tests)
- Who is the Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Armed Forces? — The President of Pakistan (constitutionally)
- What is the Pakistan Army's motto? — "Iman, Taqwa, Jihad fi Sabilillah" (Faith, Piety, Struggle in the way of Allah)
- When was Pakistan Air Force established? — 14 August 1947
- Which missile is Pakistan's longest-range ballistic missile? — Shaheen-III (range approximately 2,750 km)
Pakistan: Sports and Achievements
- When did Pakistan first win the Hockey World Cup? — 1971
- How many Hockey World Cups has Pakistan won? — 4 (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994)
- Which Pakistani squash player was world champion for over a decade? — Jahangir Khan (unbeaten streak of 555 consecutive matches)
- Who is the youngest Test cricket captain in history from Pakistan? — Waqar Younis (20 years old when first appointed)
- Which Pakistani mountaineer summited K2 in winter for the first time? — Muhammad Ali Sadpara was part of the attempt; a Nepali team completed the first winter ascent in 2021
Tips for Pakistan GK Preparation
- Start with geography and history — These are tested in every exam without exception.
- Learn the Constitution basics — Especially for CSS, PMS, and FPSC exams.
- Stay updated on CPEC developments — This is a current favorite topic for examiners.
- Memorize national symbols — Quick-recall questions that are easy marks if you know them.
- Practice daily on HighYield — MCQ practice is the fastest way to lock in GK knowledge.
Pakistan GK is the most reliably tested content in any competitive exam. Master these 60 questions and you will have a solid foundation that covers the majority of exam questions on this topic.