Before 1947
- 1767 - Survey of India (SOI) established under Major James Rennell
- 1802 - Commencement of Great Trigonometrical Survey (GTS) at St. Thomas Mount, Madras by Colonel William Lambton
- 1815 - Office of Surveyor General of India established
- 1830-1840 - Meridional Arc Survey completed from Cape Comorin to the Himalayan foothills
- 1878 - Survey of India reorganized into Trigonometrical, Topographical and Revenue Survey branches
- 1911 - Arc measurement links India and Great Britain (Greenwich-Kalianpur)
- 1930 - Commencement of the use of aerial photography to supplement ground surveys
- 1947 - Partition of India; Survey of India reorganized for independent Pakistan and India
After 1947
- 1964 - Establishment of the Geo-Informatics Center Quetta
- 1986 - Establishment of Survey Training Institute at Islamabad
- 1989 - Establishment of Geo-Informatics Center Peshawar
- 1994 - Establishment of Geo-Informatics Center Lahore
- 1999 - Commencement of digitization of map sheets using satellite imagery
- 2023 - Reorganization of the Department
- 2023 - Establishment of Directorate of Cartography & GIS
- 2024 - Commencement of using aerial photos from drones for large scale mapping
- 2024 - MoU with China for cooperation in surveying and mapping activities
- 2024 - Commencement of New Geodetic Datum Project
Our Future
The organization is moving toward a fully digital future with smart mapping, drones, AI and a National Spatial Data Infrastructure to unify geospatial information. These advancements will strengthen e-governance, support smart cities, improve sustainability and enhance public access to reliable data. With innovation and collaboration, Survey of Pakistan aims to remain the mapping authority of today while becoming a geospatial leader for tomorrow