The Maratha attempt to rule Punjab was a classic case of “geographical overextension.” Pune was nearly 2,000 kilometers away from Lahore, making it impossible to maintain supply lines or send reinforcements quickly. The Marathas lacked a local support base in the Northwest and were caught between the hostile Durrani Empire of Afghanistan and the rising Sikh misls, making Punjab an untenable frontier. ANSWER: (B) Geographical overextension
The failure of the Marathas to establish lasting control in Punjab reveals— (A) Afghan military superiority (B) Geographical overextension (C) Religious hostility (D) Lack of artillery
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The conquest of Punjab in 1758 pushed the Maratha Empire to its absolute physical limits. The logistical challenge of defending a frontier so far from the Deccan heartland was insurmountable. The Maratha sardars in the North were already stretched thin and the absence of a permanent, large-scale administrative presence in Punjab meant they had no local allies to help fend off Ahmad Shah Abdali. This overreach provoked the Afghans and led directly to the disaster at Panipat, proving that the Marathas had expanded beyond their capacity to govern effectively.