The origin of national surveying and mapping in this region goes back to the Survey of India, established in the 18th century during British rule. After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, there was an urgent need for an independent national organization to carry out mapping, land surveys, and geospatial services for the new state.

In 1947, the Surveyor General of Pakistan office was established and entrusted with the responsibility of:

• Producing and maintaining topographic maps of the country
• Supporting defense planning and operations
• Assisting the government in development projects through reliable survey data

Initially, maps and records were inherited from the Survey of India, but these were limited in coverage and often outdated. Over time, Survey of Pakistan developed its own resources, expertise, and technologies to expand and modernize the mapping system.