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Question 24 of 72 · World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies
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The largest ethnic group in Pakistan is the:

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Answer: Option B — Punjabis

Detailed Solution

Punjabis are the largest ethnic group in Pakistan, making up about 40 per cent of the population.

About Punjabis in Pakistan:

They live mainly in Punjab province, the most populous province of Pakistan.

They speak Punjabi, written in Pakistan in the "Shahmukhi" script (a form of the Perso-Arabic script). In India, Punjabi is written in the "Gurmukhi" script.

Saraiki, spoken in southern Punjab, is sometimes considered a separate language.

Punjabis are well represented in Pakistan's army, government and business.

Other ethnic groups of Pakistan:

  • Pashtuns (Pakhtuns): about 15-18 per cent; second-largest; live mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan; speak Pashto.
  • Sindhis: about 14 per cent; live in Sindh province; speak Sindhi.
  • Saraikis: about 10-12 per cent; southern Punjab.
  • Muhajirs: Urdu-speaking people who migrated from India at the time of Partition in 1947, and their descendants; live mainly in Karachi and Hyderabad (Sindh).
  • Baloch: about 3-4 per cent; live in Balochistan, the largest province by area; speak Balochi.
  • Smaller groups include Kashmiris, Hindkowans, Brahuis and people of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Languages:

  • Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, although only about 8-9 per cent speak it as their first language.
  • Urdu and English are the official languages.
  • Punjabi is the most widely spoken first language.

About Pakistan:

  • Its capital is Islamabad; its largest city is Karachi.
  • It has four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
  • Its currency is the Pakistani rupee.
  • It became independent on 14 August 1947.
  • Its national poet is Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who wrote "Saare Jahan Se Achha".
  • Its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is called "Quaid-e-Azam" ("Great Leader").
  • Bangladesh (East Pakistan) separated from Pakistan in 1971.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Pashtuns are the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan (and the largest in Afghanistan).
  • ✗Sindhis live mainly in Sindh province.
  • ✗Baloch live mainly in Balochistan.

Quick tip

Remember: Pakistan = largest ethnic group Punjabis (Shahmukhi script); second Pashtuns; national language Urdu; capital Islamabad; Balochistan = largest province by area; Punjab = most populous.

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World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers world GK: countries with their capitals, currencies and parliaments, national symbols, famous landmarks, the longest, largest and highest features of the world, and international boundary lines such as the Radcliffe, McMahon and Durand Lines. The most common questions match a country with its capital or currency, or a parliament with its name (such as the Knesset of Israel or the Diet of Japan). Revise countries continent by continent, giving extra attention to India's neighbours. Questions on boundary lines usually ask which two countries a line separates. Practise the world GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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