OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies: Globalisation, Transport and Communication (9236)

Globalisation, Transport and Communication in Pakistan is topic 3.2.3 of OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies 9236, one of two optional topics examined in Paper 2, Section C (21 marks). It asks how global connections affect Pakistan’s economy, people and environment, how transnational corporations operate there, how transport networks are distributed and developing, including the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, and how communication and financial systems support development.

Syllabus coverage

OXFORDAQA INTERNATIONAL GCSE PAKISTAN STUDIES (9236), VERSION 1.9 — 3.2.3

3.2.3.1 Globalisation

• Positive and negative impacts of globalisation on Pakistan’s economy, people and environment
• Characteristics of transnational corporations (TNCs) and their role in the economy
• Positive and negative impacts of TNCs on people, the economy and the environment
• Changing consumer cultures: digital consumers, global brands, shopping malls

3.2.3.2 Transport networks

• Factors affecting the distribution of road, rail, air, river and sea transport
• Opportunities and challenges for road and rail development
• Opportunities and challenges for dry ports, seaports and airports
• The importance of transport for economic development, including the role of CPEC

3.2.3.3 Expanding networks

• Factors in the development of communication networks: radio, television, telephones, internet
• Opportunities for expanding networks and their role in development
• Challenges for expanding networks
• Financial systems and their importance for development

What is globalisation and how does it affect Pakistan?

Globalisation is the growing interconnection of countries through trade, investment, migration, technology and culture. For Pakistan:

	Positive impacts	Negative impacts
Economy	Export markets for textiles; foreign investment; IT outsourcing jobs	Competition harms local firms; exposure to global price shocks and crises
People	Remittances from workers abroad; access to information, education and global products	Widening gap between connected cities and rural areas; cultural change seen by some as a threat to local traditions
Environment	Access to cleaner technologies and renewable energy equipment	Pollution from factories producing for export; more imported packaging and waste

What are TNCs and what is their role in Pakistan?

A transnational corporation has its headquarters in one country and operations in several. TNCs are usually large, invest heavily, bring brands and technology, and organise production and sales across borders. Examples active in Pakistan include consumer-goods firms such as Unilever and Nestlé, car makers producing in joint ventures with Pakistani partners (such as Pak Suzuki and Indus Motor, which assembles Toyota vehicles), soft-drink and fast-food companies, and technology and telecommunications firms.

Positive impacts: jobs and training; tax revenue; new technology and management skills; exports; better products for consumers; investment in local suppliers. Negative impacts: profits sent back to the home country; competition that pushes small local firms out of business; pressure on labour standards in supply chains; water use, waste and pollution; dependence on decisions made abroad.

How are consumer cultures changing?

Rising incomes in cities, smartphones and cheap mobile data have created digital consumers who shop online, pay with mobile wallets and follow global trends on social media. E-commerce platforms, such as Daraz, deliver nationwide. Global brands in clothing, food and electronics are popular with young urban consumers, while local brands, such as Pakistani fashion labels, compete by blending tradition and modern design. Large shopping malls in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad combine retail, food courts and entertainment.

Why are transport networks unevenly distributed?

• Road and rail are densest on the flat, populous Indus Plain, linking Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar. They are sparse in Balochistan and the northern mountains, where steep relief, landslides, snow, earthquakes, deserts and low population raise costs and reduce demand.
• Air links the major cities and serves remote northern towns such as Gilgit and Skardu, where roads are slow.
• River transport is very limited, because flow varies greatly between seasons and barrages block navigation.
• Sea trade passes through Karachi Port, Port Qasim and Gwadar.

What are the opportunities and challenges for transport development?

Road: motorways such as the M-2 Lahore–Islamabad and newer routes built under CPEC have cut journey times and costs; the Karakoram Highway links Pakistan to China. Challenges: cost, foreign debt, land acquisition, maintenance, overloaded trucks and road safety.

Rail: the main Karachi–Peshawar line (ML-1) is planned for upgrading under CPEC to allow faster passenger and freight trains, and Lahore opened the Orange Line metro in 2020. Challenges: old track and rolling stock, financial losses, competition from road haulage.

Ports and airports: dry ports in inland cities such as Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot let exporters clear customs near their factories; Gwadar, a deep-water port, is being developed with Chinese investment; new airports, such as Islamabad International (2018), have expanded capacity. Challenges: security concerns and limited local water and power at Gwadar; congestion at Karachi; high costs and debt.

CPEC, launched in 2015, is a programme of Chinese investment in roads, railways, power stations, Gwadar port and special economic zones. Supporters say it fills infrastructure and energy gaps and creates jobs; critics point to debt, the share of contracts and jobs going to Chinese firms, and the need for benefits to reach local communities, especially in Balochistan.

How are communication networks expanding?

Radio and television reach most of the population; private TV channels expanded rapidly from the 2000s. Mobile phones are now far more common than landlines, and the auction of 3G and 4G licences in 2014 brought mobile internet to millions. Opportunities: e-commerce, online education, telemedicine, freelancing and IT exports, and access to market prices for farmers. Challenges: mountain and desert terrain raises the cost of masts and fibre; power cuts; low digital literacy and a gender gap in phone ownership; cyber-security and internet shutdowns.

Why do financial systems matter for development?

Banks, microfinance institutions, Islamic banking, the stock exchange and mobile money channel savings into investment. The State Bank of Pakistan regulates banks and runs the instant payment system Raast (launched 2021). Mobile wallets such as JazzCash and Easypaisa let people without bank accounts send money, pay bills and receive government cash transfers, which supports financial inclusion, especially for women and rural households.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a company a TNC? It operates in more than one country, usually with headquarters in a richer country and factories, offices or sales networks in others.

What is a dry port? An inland terminal linked to a seaport by road or rail, where goods are cleared through customs and containerised.

Why is Gwadar important? It is a deep-water port close to the Strait of Hormuz and the southern end of CPEC, offering a route for trade with China, Central Asia and the Gulf.

Related pages

• Globalisation, Transport and Communication revision notes
• Globalisation, Transport and Communication practice questions
• People and Economy study guide

Source: OxfordAQA, International GCSE Pakistan Studies (9236) specification, Version 1.9, topic 3.2.3.