Internal transport

Geography of Pakistan · Transport and telecommunications. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

Test this topic free All Geography of Pakistan topics

The idea

Transport networks in Pakistan are uneven. The plains of Punjab and Sindh have many roads and railways because the land is flat and there are many people, farms and factories to serve. Balochistan and the northern mountains have few, because the land is rugged, people are scattered and building costs are high.

You must be able to compare the three types. Road is flexible and goes door to door. Rail is cheap for heavy, bulky loads over long distances but only serves places on the line. Air is fastest but most expensive, so it suits light, urgent or valuable goods and remote mountain towns.

Rules to remember

Densest networks: central and northern Punjab. Sparsest: Balochistan, the northern mountains and desert areas.
Main railway line: Karachi, Hyderabad, Rohri, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar.
Motorways: controlled access and several lanes, so traffic is faster and safer. M-2 links Lahore and Islamabad; M-1 links Islamabad and Peshawar.
Mountains: steep slopes, landslides and snow make roads costly. Plains: rivers need long bridges and embankments, and floods cause damage.
Road carries most of Pakistan’s goods and passengers because trucks and buses reach places with no railway.
Rail: cheapest per tonne for bulk goods such as coal, cement, wheat and oil over long distances.
An airport needs a large area of flat land outside the built-up area, with clear approaches.

Common mistake

Students choose rail whenever the distance is long. First check whether the factory is on a railway line: if not, a truck is needed at each end, which adds cost and delay.

Worked example

A farmer 60 km from Lahore must get fresh vegetables to the city market each morning. Which type of transport suits best?

Vegetables are perishable, so they must travel quickly and without being unloaded on the way.
The distance is short and the farm is not on a railway, so rail would need a truck at each end.
Air is far too expensive for low-value goods and no airport is near the farm.
A truck can load at the farm and unload at the market.

Answer: Road transport, because it is flexible and door to door over a short distance.

Ask about this

Type what you are stuck on. The helper finds the explanation, worked examples and the notes to read, free and instant.

Read the full notes

Geography Key-Terms List

Keep going

← Trading partners International transport →Take a Geography of Pakistan test