plate tectonic of pakistan

7/30/2019 Plate Tectonic of Pakistan

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What is Plate Tectonic :

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large-scale motionsofEarth's lithosphere. Where plates meet, their relative motion determines the

type of boundary: convergent, divergent, transform. Earthquakes, volcanic

activity, mountain-building, and oceanic trench formation occur along these plate

boundaries. The lateral relative movement of the plates typically varies from zero

to 100 mm annually.

Plate Tectonic of Pakistan:

Pakistan lies in one of the most striking and unique global tectonic framework withthe three main tectonic plates present in this part of world. These plates includes

EURASIAN, INDIAN AND ARABIAN Plates and are intersection with other four

plate boundaries. These boundaries are exposed in different part of Pakistan.

Among these two suture present continent to island arc, MAIN MANTAL

THRUST (MMT) AND MAIN KARAKURAM THRUST (MKT) collision.

One boundary depicts ocean to continent subduction and the fourth one is a

transform fault plate boundary, known as CHAMAN-ORNACH NAL FAULT.

Which is extending from north of Kabul in the north to Arabian sea as Murray

ridge in the south. These extensive tectonic elements are responsible for all the

geologic, structural and tectonic framework of the region, hosting Pakistan.

TECTONIC SET-UP OF THE HIMALAYAS:

The Himalayan orogeny took place in the Eocene age and is characterized by

compressinal tectonic regime. It gave rise to convergent tectonic in the proto-

Himalayan zone. As a result of under thrusting and crustal shortening a foreland

fold and trust belt develop on the southern margin of this zone. The collision

between the Indian and Eurasian plates started around 55 my ago. As a result of

this Himalayan orogeny belt was formed in the north west of Pakistan.

The Himalayan collision zone lying in the North west Pakistan is one of the most

extensive active collision zone in the world. Here active foreland thrusting is
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occurring on the continental scale where Indian Plate is under thrusting the

Eurasian plate along in the northern margin as a result of which a series of north

dipping south verging thrusts are being produced. This crustal shortening has

resulted in the formation of a number of folds and thrusts belts.

TECTONIC SET-UP OF TRANS INDUS RAMGES :

The Trans Indus ranges constitute southern part of the fold and thrust belt in the

Kohat-Potwar province and Upper Indus Basin of North Western Pakistan. The

Trans Indus Ranges are actually extension and continuation of famous Salt Range

of Pakistan on the west of mighty Indus River, Hence the name "Trans Indus".

These ranges constitute a group of arcade mountains lying west of the salt range.

These ranges consist of Bhitanni range in the north central part of Pakistan. Theseranges are distributed in the orates of districts Mianwali, Kohat, Tank, laki marwat

and DI Khan. The Trans Indus ranges along with the salt range of the sub-

Himalayans in the north central Pakistan represents an active deformational front

of Kohat and potwar Province. All these ranges lie to south and south east of the

Bannu basin and are bounded by Kohat Plateau in the north, in the south and west

by Bannu basin and Pezu Wrench Fault and in the east by Khala Bagh Fault bagh

syntaxis.

TECTONIC SET-UP OF SURGHAR RANGE :

It is consider to be the western analog of the Salt range in the east. It constitutes the

northern part of the Trans Indus Ranges, On the southern side it is bounded by

Kurram River. It runs parallel to the Shinghar range and merges into it. The

Surghar Range is present in the Trans Indus range as the tectono-stratigraphy

boundry between Kohat Plateau to the north, Bannu Basin to the west and Punjab

foreland to the south.

The Surghar Range and the salt range are separated by Kala Bagh Fault in thesouth after crossing river Khurram. The Surghar Range and the Khisor Range, both

as the foreland fronts, represent the southern margin of the collision zone of the

North Western Pakistan. while the Surghar range forms the leading thrust front of

the Kohat fold and thrust belt.


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TECTONIC SET-UP OF MARWAT RANGE :

The Marwat range is a hill Range, lies south of Bannu Basin. It outcrops in the

form of broad anticline known as Marwat Anticline and is distributed in the

southern oart of District Laki Marwat. The Marwat Range runs parallel to theKhisor range. The strata exposed in the range have been subjected to brittle and

ductile and a number of folds and faults have been develop in this area. The part of

Marwat Range, where the Sheikh Buddin Hills are situated too major tending

plunging anticlines are separated by a plunging syncline. A strike slip fault cuts

through the datta and part of the Kingriali Formation in the Aster jalal wahan on

the southeren slopes. The Marwat Ranges follows the Kihisor Range as the back

thrust structure. This range is extended from Kurram River in the north Bhitanni

Fault Zone.

plate tectonic of pakistan

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