Pakistan GK MCQs – Geography & History (20 Explained)

Pakistan’s geography and history are high-frequency topics for CSS, PMS, MPT, and General Knowledge papers. This set of 20 original MCQs covers capitals, provinces, rivers, mountains, national symbols, dams, and key dates. Attempt all 20 without looking at the answers, then check the explained answers. These are original practice questions, not copied from FPSC papers or competitor question banks, and this site is not affiliated with FPSC. Scoring: 18–20 = strong. 15–17 = good. 12–14 = fair, revise the ones you missed. Below 12 = memorise the revision table, then re-attempt in 2 days.

Questions:

Q1. What is the capital of Pakistan? A) Karachi B) Lahore C) Islamabad D) Rawalpindi

Q2. Which is the largest province of Pakistan by area? A) Punjab B) Sindh C) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa D) Balochistan

Q3. K2 (the second-highest mountain in the world) is in which range / region? A) Himalayas / Azad Kashmir B) Karakoram / Gilgit-Baltistan C) Hindu Kush / Chitral D) Sulaiman / Balochistan

Q4. Which is the longest river of Pakistan? A) Jhelum B) Chenab C) Indus D) Ravi

Q5. Pakistan came into being on: A) 14 August 1947 B) 15 August 1947 C) 23 March 1940 D) 26 January 1950

Q6. Who was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan? A) Muhammad Ali Jinnah B) Liaquat Ali Khan C) Khawaja Nazimuddin D) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Q7. What is the national animal of Pakistan? A) Snow leopard B) Markhor C) Indus dolphin D) Chinkara

Q8. What is the national flower of Pakistan? A) Rose B) Jasmine C) Sunflower D) Tulip

Q9. What is the currency of Pakistan? A) Taka B) Rupee C) Dinar D) Riyal

Q10. Which is the largest city of Pakistan by population? A) Lahore B) Islamabad C) Karachi D) Faisalabad

Q11. Gwadar Port is in which province? A) Sindh B) Punjab C) Balochistan D) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Q12. The Lahore Resolution was passed in: A) 1930 B) 1935 C) 1940 D) 1946

Q13. Pakistan’s first Constitution was adopted in: A) 1949 B) 1956 C) 1962 D) 1973

Q14. What is the national language of Pakistan? A) Punjabi B) Sindhi C) Urdu D) English

Q15. Which pass connects Pakistan to Afghanistan (Peshawar to Jalalabad)? A) Bolan Pass B) Khyber Pass C) Lowari Pass D) Khunjerab Pass

Q16. The Thar Desert is mainly in: A) Punjab B) Sindh C) Balochistan D) Gilgit-Baltistan

Q17. What is the highest peak in Pakistan? A) Nanga Parbat B) K2 (Godwin-Austen) C) Tirich Mir D) Broad Peak

Q18. Which sport is considered Pakistan’s national sport? A) Cricket B) Field hockey C) Football D) Squash

Q19. Which is the largest dam in Pakistan by storage capacity? A) Mangla Dam B) Tarbela Dam C) Warsak Dam D) Diamer-Basha Dam

Q20. Which city is called the City of Gardens? A) Karachi B) Peshawar C) Lahore D) Quetta

Answer Key + Explained Answers:

Q1 – C) Islamabad. Islamabad is the capital (since 1960s, replacing Karachi as capital). Karachi was the first capital; Lahore is Punjab’s capital; Rawalpindi is a neighbouring city, not the capital.

Q2 – D) Balochistan. Balochistan is the largest province by area (about 44% of Pakistan’s land). Punjab is largest by population, not area.

Q3 – B) Karakoram / Gilgit-Baltistan. K2 is in the Karakoram range in Gilgit-Baltistan. Nanga Parbat is in the Himalayas; Tirich Mir is in Hindu Kush; Sulaiman is a different range.

Q4 – C) Indus. The Indus is Pakistan’s longest river and its lifeline. Jhelum, Chenab, and Ravi are its tributaries.

Q5 – A) 14 August 1947. Pakistan was created on 14 August 1947. 15 August is India’s independence day. 23 March 1940 is Lahore Resolution. 26 January 1950 is India’s Republic Day.

Q6 – B) Liaquat Ali Khan. Liaquat Ali Khan was the first Prime Minister. Jinnah was the first Governor-General, not PM. Nazimuddin was second PM; Bhutto was later.

Q7 – B) Markhor. The Markhor (wild goat) is Pakistan’s national animal. Snow leopard and Indus dolphin are also found in Pakistan, but Markhor is the national animal.

Q8 – B) Jasmine. Jasmine (Chambeli) is Pakistan’s national flower. Rose, sunflower, and tulip are not the national flower.

Q9 – B) Rupee. Pakistan’s currency is the Rupee (PKR). Taka = Bangladesh, Dinar = several Arab states, Riyal = Saudi Arabia.

Q10 – C) Karachi. Karachi is Pakistan’s largest city by population and its economic hub. Lahore is second largest; Islamabad is the capital but smaller; Faisalabad is a major industrial city.

Q11 – C) Balochistan. Gwadar is in Balochistan, on the Arabian Sea. It is the key port of CPEC.

Q12 – C) 1940. The Lahore Resolution was passed on 23 March 1940. 1930 = Iqbal’s Allahabad Address; 1946 = elections/Cabinet Mission.

Q13 – B) 1956. Pakistan’s first Constitution was adopted in 1956 (23 March 1956, when Pakistan became a republic). 1962 and 1973 are later constitutions. 1949 is Objectives Resolution.

Q14 – C) Urdu. Urdu is the national language. English is the official language. Punjabi and Sindhi are provincial languages.

Q15 – B) Khyber Pass. The Khyber Pass connects Peshawar (Pakistan) to Jalalabad (Afghanistan). Bolan Pass is in Balochistan; Lowari connects Chitral; Khunjerab connects Pakistan to China.

Q16 – B) Sindh. The Thar Desert is mainly in Sindh (Tharparkar) and extends into Rajasthan, India. It is not mainly in Punjab, Balochistan, or Gilgit-Baltistan.

Q17 – B) K2 (Godwin-Austen). K2 (8,611 m) is Pakistan’s highest peak and the world’s second-highest. Nanga Parbat (8,126 m) is second-highest in Pakistan; Tirich Mir is highest in Hindu Kush; Broad Peak is also in Karakoram but lower than K2.

Q18 – B) Field hockey. Field hockey is considered Pakistan’s national sport (Pakistan has won multiple Olympic golds and World Cups in hockey). Cricket is the most popular sport, but not the official national sport. Squash has also been strong (Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan), but hockey is the national sport.

Q19 – B) Tarbela Dam. Tarbela (on the Indus, in KP) is Pakistan’s largest dam by storage capacity. Mangla (on Jhelum) is second. Warsak is smaller. Diamer-Basha is under construction — do not list it as completed/largest.

Q20 – C) Lahore. Lahore is called the City of Gardens (and the cultural heart of Pakistan). Karachi is the City of Lights; Peshawar is the City of Flowers; Quetta is the Fruit Garden of Pakistan.

Quick Revision Table:

Capital: Islamabad (first capital: Karachi). Largest province by area: Balochistan; by population: Punjab. Largest city: Karachi. Longest river: Indus. Highest peak: K2 (Karakoram, Gilgit-Baltistan). National animal: Markhor; National flower: Jasmine; National language: Urdu; Currency: Rupee; National sport: Field hockey. Key dates: Lahore Resolution 23 March 1940; Independence 14 August 1947; First Constitution 1956; Current Constitution 1973. Key people: First Governor-General: Jinnah; First PM: Liaquat Ali Khan. Key places: Gwadar (Balochistan), Khyber Pass (to Afghanistan), Khunjerab (to China), Thar Desert (Sindh), Tarbela Dam (Indus, KP), City of Gardens (Lahore).

Weak-Section Review:

Which 3 did you get wrong? Write the fact, the correct answer, and one line explaining why. Common confusions: First capital vs current capital (Karachi vs Islamabad); largest by area vs by population (Balochistan vs Punjab); K2 vs Nanga Parbat; first PM vs first Governor-General (Liaquat vs Jinnah); first Constitution (1956) vs current (1973); national sport (hockey) vs most popular (cricket). Re-attempt in 2 days.

These are original practice questions written for csspastpapers.pk. They are not FPSC official questions, and this site is not affiliated with FPSC.

Keep practising: try the Pakistan Affairs past papers, check the CSS syllabus, and read the Pakistan Affairs topic guide.