What is Plate Tectonic :

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large-scale motions of Earth'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 with the 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 protoHimalayan 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

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. These ranges 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 subHimalayans 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 the south 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.

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 the Khisor 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.