Political and administrative divisions help government organise services, taxation, development and representation. Major cities perform different functions and form a settlement hierarchy from small villages to very large urban centres.
Learning objectives
- Explain the main geographical ideas in this lesson.
- Use Pakistan-specific evidence and map terminology.
- Apply knowledge to structured and evaluation questions.
Administrative framework
Pakistan is organised into provinces and federal or administered territories. For geographical study, learners should locate Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, as well as Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Administrative boundaries do not always follow physical regions. One province may contain mountains, plateaux, plains and deserts, so development needs can vary greatly within the same administrative unit.
Functions of major cities
Islamabad is the federal capital and contains national government institutions. Karachi is the largest port and a major industrial, financial and commercial centre. Lahore is an important cultural, educational, industrial and administrative centre. Faisalabad developed strongly around textiles and agricultural processing.
Peshawar serves as a regional centre for north-western Pakistan, while Quetta performs administrative and market functions in Balochistan. Multan, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Sialkot have specialised industrial, trading or service functions.
Settlement hierarchy and spheres of influence
A village provides basic local services; a town has a wider range; a city offers specialised hospitals, universities, wholesale markets and higher-order administration. The larger the settlement, the larger its sphere of influence and usually the better its transport connections.
Urban growth can create jobs and services but also congestion, housing shortages, pollution, pressure on water supplies and informal settlements. Balanced answers recognise both benefits and costs.
O Level examination guidance
- Learn city functions rather than memorising names only.
- For comparison questions, use linked contrasts such as “Karachi has a port function whereas Islamabad has a national administrative function.”
Review questions and answers
- Why does a provincial capital attract migrants?
It offers government employment, education, health care, trade and transport services. - Give one problem caused by rapid city growth.
Examples include traffic congestion, inadequate housing, air pollution, waste disposal or pressure on water.
