Internal Transport

2026 Syllabus Objectives

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

  1. Interpret maps to describe the regional variations in the density and pattern of the road, rail and air transport networks within Pakistan
  2. Explain the factors which help and hinder the location, maintenance and development of roads, railways and airports
  3. Describe improvements that have recently taken place in road, rail and air communications, and consider the feasibility of new developments
  4. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of road, rail and air transport within Pakistan for both goods and people
  5. Evaluate the development of new transport schemes, including motorway and airport development

1. Regional Variations in Transport Networks

https://cambridgeassistant.com

Road Network Distribution

The road network in Pakistan varies greatly across different regions. Density means how many roads there are in an area compared to its size.

Punjab

  • Has the densest (most concentrated) road network in Pakistan
  • A thick web of roads runs along river banks and across the doabs (land between two rivers)
  • Main road hubs (centres) are Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan
  • Motorways connect major cities: M-2 links Lahore with Islamabad, M-3 connects Lahore to Faisalabad, M-4 joins Faisalabad with Multan
  • Roads lead to the Indian border at Wagah near Lahore
  • The reason for this density: Punjab has the highest population and is the most economically prosperous province, so there is high demand for roads

Sindh

  • Roads follow a mainly South-North pattern along the Indus River
  • Major highways: N-55 (Indus Highway) and N-5 run along both banks of the River Indus
  • Main road centres are Karachi and Hyderabad
  • M-10 motorway is located near Karachi
  • The eastern Thar desert has very few roads because it is inhospitable (difficult to live in) with extreme heat and little water
  • Roads are concentrated where people actually live and work

Balochistan

  • Has the lowest density of roads in Pakistan
  • Quetta is the main hub with roads leading to:
    • Chaman (border with Afghanistan)
    • Dalbandin (border with Iran)
    • Zhob in the north
  • The RCD Highway (formed by N-40 and N-25) connects Pakistan with Iran
  • The Makran Coastal Highway connects the port cities of Gwadar and Pasni with Karachi
  • Roads are sparse because the terrain is rugged and mountainous, the population is very low, and building roads is expensive and difficult

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

  • The Indus Highway (N-55) connects Dera Ismail Khan with Peshawar
  • A highway leads to Afghanistan through the Khyber Pass at Torkham
  • M-1 motorway connects Peshawar with Islamabad
  • The network is limited because of rough, mountainous terrain – roads mainly connect valleys

Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir

  • The famous Karakoram Highway (KKH) connects Hassan Abdal (near Islamabad) with China via the Khunjerab Pass
  • The Murree Express Highway connects Islamabad with Murree and Muzaffarabad
  • Very few roads overall due to extremely high mountains, steep slopes, and danger of landslides

Rail Network Distribution

The railway network also varies by region. Railways use different gauges (track widths). Broad gauge (wider tracks) is the main type; meter gauge (narrower, 1 meter wide) is used in some areas.

Sindh

  • Starts from Karachi where broad gauge double lines (two parallel tracks) lead to Hyderabad
  • The main line follows the Indus River bank north towards Rohri
  • A broad gauge single line branches from Hyderabad to Khokrapar, then into India
  • Many single lines connect smaller cities west of the Indus, like Dadu and Larkana

Balochistan

  • From Rohri in Sindh, a broad gauge single line goes to Quetta
  • From Quetta:
    • A broad gauge double line leads to Afghanistan through Chaman
    • A single line leads to Iran via Dalbandin and Taftan
  • Overall density is very low because of the difficult terrain and small population

Punjab

  • The most developed railway network in Pakistan
  • From Rohri, the double broad gauge continues to Lodhran
  • An electrified (powered by electricity, not diesel) broad gauge double line runs from Khanewal through Raiwind to Lahore
  • From Lahore, a double line runs through Wagah into India
  • Railways cross the doabs and run along the banks of the Indus tributaries (Chenab, Ravi, Jhelum, Sutlej)
  • Broad gauge single lines are the most common

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

  • From Rawalpindi, a broad gauge double line operates to Attock
  • After Attock, major cities like Peshawar are served by broad gauge single line or narrow meter gauge single line
  • Density is low because of the mountainous terrain

Northern Areas

  • There are no railway lines in Gilgit Baltistan or Azad Kashmir
  • The terrain is too mountainous and steep to build railways

Air Route Distribution

Air routes are the paths that planes follow when flying between cities.

General Pattern

  • Most air routes follow a South-North direction
  • Fewer routes go East-West
  • Most routes run across the flat Indus Plains where airports are easier to build

Major Hubs (Foci)

  • Karachi has the most flights in Pakistan – it is the main hub
  • Other major centres with international airports: Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Multan, and Sialkot
  • These cities have frequent flights connecting them

Minor Routes

  • Some smaller routes branch from major airports
  • For example, Bannu is only accessible by air from Peshawar
  • Towns like Gilgit, Skardu, Chitral, and Gwadar have airports for regional flights

Areas with Few Flights

  • Very few flights in the North of the country (mountainous areas)
  • Very few in West Balochistan (desert areas)
  • Reasons: low population, extreme climate, and difficult terrain limit the number of passengers

Sign in to view full notes