During the reign of Emperor Akbar, up to which natural frontier did the northwestern boundary of the Mughal Empire effectively extend?

Introduction / Context:
The territorial extent of the Mughal Empire under Akbar is an important theme in medieval Indian history. Questions often ask about its boundaries in different directions, especially because many later conflicts revolved around controlling frontier zones. The northwestern boundary under Akbar reached a significant natural barrier in Central Asia. This question tests whether you can correctly identify that frontier from among several possible regional names.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The period in question is the reign of Akbar, the third Mughal emperor.
• The focus is on the northwestern limit of his empire.
• The options mention Punjab, Hindukush, Kabul region only, Sindh, and the Indus near Multan.
• You must select the natural frontier that best represents the farthest Mughal reach in that direction during Akbar rule.

Concept / Approach:
Akbar expanded the Mughal Empire far beyond the core territories inherited from his predecessors. In the northwest, Mughal forces brought Kabul and parts of Afghanistan under control. Akbar authority extended up to the mountain range known as the Hindukush, which acted as a significant natural barrier between Indian territories and deeper Central Asian regions. While Punjab, Sindh, and Multan were important provinces, they do not describe the ultimate frontier line in the same way that Hindukush does.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Akbar consolidated Mughal rule in north India and then turned to frontier regions such as Kabul and parts of Afghanistan. Step 2: Recognise that his campaigns led to control over the Kabul region and areas that extended up to the Hindukush mountain range. Step 3: Understand that the Hindukush range forms a major natural frontier between the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Step 4: Evaluate the other options: Punjab, Sindh, and Multan describe provinces within the empire rather than the outermost frontier. Step 5: The option Kabul region only does not fully reflect the additional extension to the Hindukush, which lies beyond Kabul and marks the limit more clearly. Step 6: Therefore, the correct description of the northwestern frontier under Akbar is the Hindukush.

Verification / Alternative check:
Maps of the Mughal Empire at its height under Akbar and his immediate successors show the empire stretching from Bengal in the east to the Hindukush in the northwest. Kabul, Kandahar, and related territories are often marked as frontier regions. Historical narratives underline that beyond the Hindukush, Mughal authority became weaker and faced competition from Central Asian powers. This repeated emphasis on Hindukush as the natural frontier confirms that it is the appropriate choice in this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Punjab: This region lay well within the Mughal Empire and cannot be regarded as the furthest northwestern boundary during Akbar time.

Kabul region only: Although Kabul was important, the real frontier line extended beyond it up to the Hindukush mountain range.
Sindh: This province lies more to the southwest along the lower Indus and does not represent the limit of expansion toward Central Asia.
Indus river near Multan: While the Indus is a major river, it was not the ultimate northwestern boundary during Akbar reign because Mughal control reached further to the Hindukush.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students equate administrative provinces like Punjab with frontier lines without considering further conquests. Others may assume that the Indus itself always marked the political boundary, ignoring later expansion. To avoid such errors, imagine the Mughal map expanding north and west beyond Punjab and Multan until it meets the mountain barrier of the Hindukush, which then forms the natural limit of Akbar domain in that direction.

Final Answer:
During the reign of Akbar, the northwestern frontier of the Mughal Empire extended up to the Hindukush mountain range.