OxfordAQA IGCSE Pakistan Studies: The People and Economy of Pakistan — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: People and Economy study guide | People and Economy revision notes

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What do these questions practise? All four key developments of topic 3.2.2 in OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies 9236: population, industry and employment, trade and economic development, and urbanisation. The mix of multiple-choice, short and extended items mirrors the styles named for Paper 2 Section B.

Multiple choice

1. Which measure combines life expectancy, education and income? A GDP B FDI C HDI D balance of trade [1]

2. Which city is the centre of Pakistan’s sports goods and surgical instrument industries? A Faisalabad B Sialkot C Quetta D Hyderabad [1]

3. Natural increase is calculated as: A birth rate + death rate B birth rate − death rate C immigration − emigration D death rate − birth rate [1]

Short answer

4. Define infant mortality rate. [1]

5. Give two reasons why death rates in Pakistan have fallen since 1947. [2]

6. State two physical factors that explain low population density in Balochistan. [2]

7. Name two of Pakistan’s main exports and one main import. [3]

8. Explain how remittances affect Pakistan’s economy. [3]

Extended response

9. Explain why Faisalabad has become a major centre of the textile industry. [4]

10. Describe how the importance of the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors in Pakistan has changed since independence. [6]

11. Explain the impacts of international migration on Pakistan’s society and economy. [6]

12. Explain why the quaternary sector is concentrated in Pakistan’s largest cities. [4]

13. “The challenges of urbanisation in Karachi and Lahore outweigh the opportunities.” Evaluate this statement. [9]

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Answers

1. C [1].

2. B [1].

3. B [1].

4. The number of babies who die before their first birthday per 1,000 live births in a year [1].

5. Any two: vaccination programmes; better medical care and hospitals; cleaner drinking water and sanitation; improved food supply [2].

6. Any two: mountainous and plateau relief; very low rainfall and shortage of water; extreme temperatures; poor soils in deserts [2].

7. Exports, any two: textiles/clothing, rice, leather goods, sports goods, surgical instruments [2]. Import, any one: oil/petroleum, LNG, machinery, chemicals, palm oil [1].

8. Remittances bring in foreign exchange [1], which helps pay for imports and reduces the effect of the trade deficit [1]. Families spend them on housing, education and small businesses, raising living standards and demand in the economy [1].

9. Faisalabad lies in the cotton-growing area of central Punjab, giving a nearby supply of raw cotton [1]. It has a large labour force, including skilled textile workers [1]. Road and rail links connect it to Karachi’s port for exports and imported machinery [1]. Clustering of mills, suppliers and traders reduces costs and spreads skills [1].

10. Level-marked. At independence the primary sector, mainly farming, produced most output and employed most workers [1–2]. Its share of GDP has fallen but it still employs more than a third of workers [1]. The secondary sector grew from the 1950s, especially textiles, then cement, fertiliser, cars and steel [1–2]. The tertiary sector now produces the largest share of GDP, with growth in banking, telecoms, retail and IT, and a growing quaternary sector [1–2]. Maximum 6.

11. Economic impacts: remittances support families and the balance of payments [1–2]; loss of skilled workers such as doctors and engineers reduces services at home [1–2]; returning migrants bring savings and skills [1]. Social impacts: families separated for long periods [1]; diaspora communities spread Pakistani culture and strengthen links with countries such as the UK [1]; changing consumption and aspirations among families receiving remittances [1]. Maximum 6, with both economic and social impacts needed for the top level.

12. Quaternary firms need highly educated graduates, who are trained at universities in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad [1]. They depend on fast, reliable internet and power, which are better in large cities [1]. Cities offer clients, investors and other technology firms, so companies benefit from clustering [1]. Government technology parks and incentives are also located there [1].

13. Level-marked. Challenges: not enough formal jobs, so many work informally on low pay [1–2]; housing shortages and katchi abadis without proper water or sewerage [1–2]; congestion and long commutes [1]; air pollution and winter smog in Lahore; sewage reaching the sea at Karachi [1–2]. Opportunities: jobs in industry and services and higher wages than in rural areas [1–2]; access to universities, hospitals and innovation hubs [1]; investment in mass transit and infrastructure [1]; cities generate a large share of national output [1]. Top-level answers reach a supported judgement, for example that challenges currently dominate for the urban poor but cities remain essential to Pakistan’s development if strategies such as settlement upgrading and mass transit are expanded. Maximum 9.

Frequently asked questions

How should I answer a 9-mark evaluation? Give developed points on both sides with specific examples from Karachi or Lahore, then a clear judgement that answers the statement.

Do I need exact statistics? Use approximate, up-to-date figures from your course materials and from any resource in the question; examiners reward accurate use of the data provided.

Based on the OxfordAQA International GCSE Pakistan Studies (9236) specification, Version 1.9, topic 3.2.2.