Cambridge O Level Pakistan Studies: Transport and Telecommunications — Practice Questions

These are original practice questions written in the style of Cambridge O Level Pakistan Studies (2059) assessment objectives. They are not taken from any past paper and are not endorsed by Cambridge International.

Related: Transport and Telecommunications study guide and revision notes

Below are two Paper 2 style questions on Section 7 Transport and telecommunications, each worth 25 marks in parts (a) to (d). Question 1 focuses on internal and international transport; Question 2 on dry ports, airports and telecommunications. Keep a blank outline map of Pakistan beside you for the map parts.

Question 1: Routes across and beyond Pakistan

Fig. 1.1 (described): a map of Pakistan showing the railway network. Lines are close together in central and northern Punjab, one line runs along each side of the Indus through Sindh, a single line runs from Sibi through the Bolan Pass to Quetta and on to Taftan, and there are no lines in Gilgit-Baltistan, Makran or the Thar desert.

(a) (i) Using Fig. 1.1, describe the pattern of the railway network in Sindh. [2]

(ii) Using Fig. 1.1, name the country reached by the railway west of Quetta. [1]

(iii) Name the pass used by the road from Pakistan to China. [1]

(b) Explain why the railway network is sparse in Balochistan. [4]

(c) (i) Compare road and rail for carrying cotton bales from Multan to Karachi. [4]

(ii) On an outline map, mark and label Keamari, Port Qasim and Gwadar. [3]

(d) The government plans to upgrade the main Karachi–Peshawar railway line. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this scheme for Pakistan’s development. [10]

Question 2: Dry ports, airports and telecommunications

Fig. 2.1 (illustrative): growth of mobile and broadband use in Pakistan.

Year	Mobile subscriptions (millions)	Broadband users (millions)
Year 1	140	40
Year 4	165	80
Year 7	190	135

(a) (i) Using Fig. 2.1, calculate the increase in broadband users from Year 1 to Year 7. [1]

(ii) Using Fig. 2.1, compare the growth of mobile subscriptions with that of broadband users. [2]

(b) (i) What is meant by a dry port? [2]

(ii) Explain why dry ports have been developed in cities such as Sialkot and Faisalabad. [3]

(c) (i) Explain why air transport is important for towns such as Gilgit and Skardu. [3]

(ii) Explain the problems of providing telecommunications in the mountains of northern Pakistan. [4]

(d) “Telecommunications have done more for Pakistan’s development than new motorways.” How far do you agree? Refer to education, industry, services and trade in your answer. [10]

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Mark scheme: Question 1

(a) (i) Linear [1], running north–south along both banks of the Indus, with few east–west links [1].

(ii) Iran [1].

(iii) Khunjerab Pass [1].

(b) Any four: mountainous and plateau terrain makes building costly [1]; long distances between scattered settlements [1]; low population density means little traffic and revenue [1]; deserts with shifting sand and extreme heat [1]; flash floods wash out track [1]; security problems have deterred investment [1]; few industries or bulk resources to carry, apart from minerals [1].

(c) (i) Comparison required. Up to 4: rail is cheaper per tonne over this long distance, whereas road costs more in fuel [1]; road can collect from the ginning factory and deliver to the mill or port door-to-door, whereas rail needs loading at stations [1]; rail is less flexible and can be slower because of delays, whereas trucks on the M-5 and M-9 are quicker [1]; trucks add to congestion and road damage, whereas rail reduces these [1].

(ii) One mark each for correct location: Keamari at Karachi’s harbour [1]; Port Qasim east of Karachi [1]; Gwadar on the Makran coast near the Iranian border [1].

(d) Levels: Level 3 (8–10) balanced and developed with a judgement; Level 2 (4–7); Level 1 (1–3).

Advantages: faster, safer passenger trains; more freight moved by rail from Karachi’s ports to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, cutting road congestion and fuel imports; lower transport costs for exporters; construction jobs; links to dry ports and to CPEC. Disadvantages: very high cost and foreign loans add to debt; years of disruption while track is rebuilt; Pakistan Railways’ losses may continue if management does not improve; land acquisition and resettlement along the route; benefits concentrated on the Indus corridor, not Balochistan or the north. A Level 3 judgement weighs long-term benefits against cost and risk.

Mark scheme: Question 2

(a) (i) 95 million [1].

(ii) Mobile rose by 50 million, about a third more, whereas broadband more than tripled [1]; broadband grew faster in proportion, though mobile numbers remain higher [1].

(b) (i) An inland terminal linked to a seaport by rail or road [1] where goods are cleared through customs and loaded into or out of sealed containers [1].

(ii) Any three: Sialkot and Faisalabad are major exporting cities far from the coast [1]; clearing customs locally saves time and cost [1]; sealed containers reduce theft and damage [1]; reduces congestion at Karachi’s seaports [1]; allows cheaper rail haulage of containers [1].

(c) (i) Roads such as the Karakoram Highway are long, winding and often blocked by landslides or snow [1]; a flight takes about an hour instead of a long road journey [1]; air carries tourists, officials and urgent supplies, and evacuates the sick [1].

(ii) Any four: steep terrain makes building masts and laying cable costly [1]; valleys block signals, so many masts are needed [1]; scattered, small communities give low revenue [1]; snow, landslides and earthquakes damage equipment [1]; unreliable power supply for masts [1]; difficult access for maintenance in winter [1].

(d) Levels: Level 3 (8–10); Level 2 (4–7); Level 1 (1–3).

For telecommunications: cheap to spread compared with roads; online education (Virtual University, open-university broadcasts, TV lessons in 2020); mobile banking and e-commerce reach people without bank branches; IT exports and freelancing create jobs; farmers get prices and weather warnings; exporters deal directly with foreign buyers. For motorways: goods still need physical transport; motorways such as the M-2 and M-5 cut journey times, lower costs and support industry and trade; they attract industrial estates and service areas; telecoms cannot move cotton or cement. Limits on both: rural and female digital gaps; motorway tolls and costs. A Level 3 answer reaches a judgement, for example that each does different work and they reinforce each other.

Frequently asked questions

How precise must map answers be? Place each feature in the right position relative to the coast, cities and borders. Label clearly; an unlabelled dot scores nothing.

What is the difference between “describe the pattern” and “describe the distribution”? Pattern refers to shapes such as linear, grid or radial; distribution refers to where features are relative to provinces, rivers and other features and how dense they are.

How should I use the data in Fig. 2.1 in part (d)? Quote one or two figures to show how fast telecommunications use has grown, then move on to evaluation; part (d) rewards judgement more than recall.