FIELD REPORT ON ABBOTTABAD AND GALIYAAT

Submitted to:
Sir Hummad

Submitted By
Muneeb

DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

BAHRIA UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(2013)

1
 Chapter 1
Introduction:

We left our university around 10am and started our journey towards Abbottabad. Our areas of
field work were Islamabad, Abbottabad and Galiyaat. We observed the stratigraphy exposed in these
areas from younger to older or older to younger formations.

Geography:
The city is bounded by Sarban hills. River Dor is located in the south of Abbottabad. District
Mansehra is present in the north, Muzaffarabad is located in east, in west Haripur and in south
Rawalpindi of Abbottabad.

Climate:
Abbottabad has humid subtropical climate. In spring and autumn it is mild and warm and in june and july
it is hot while cold in winter. Maximum temperature reaches 38 centigrade in midsummer and the
temperature drops to -5 during winter. In December and January snowfall occurs and heavy rainfall
during the monsoon season from July to September.

Location:
Our main locations where we have done our field work were Abbottabd, Galiyaat upto Kiwai
which was the last point. On these locations we have seen several formations their stratigraphy and
tectonics of the area.

Accessibility:
The area is well accessible because of well carpeted roads and we haven’t faced any hurdle
reaching to our desired destination. The drive to the area is approximately 2:30 to 3:00 hours.

Our aims were:

Understanding the geology or stratigraphy of the area.

Major deformational structures from first point towards north.

Methodology:
By looking at their members and observe outcrops at locality.
Dip, strike and sketches of deformational structure.

2
 Chapter 2
Regional Tectonics:

MBT:
Main boundary thrust is the major frontal thrust of the Himalayan range. Which extends about
1500 KM from Assam in the east to Kashmir in the west. The MBT fault zone represents very high
earthquake potential in this region. It is the source of many earthquakes amongst which the greatest
events ever recorded are 1905 Kangra earthquake of M 8.6 1934 Bihar Nepal earthquake of M 8.4 and
the great Assam earthquakes of 1897 and 1950.
MBT separates the metapsammictic schists and phyllites of the lesser Himalaya (hanging wall) from the
conglomerates and sandstone of the sub-Himalaya (footwall ) .The SW directed movements associated
with this structure are characterized by brittle deformation (Cataclastites ). Three independent data sets
from northwestern India and Pakistan suggest initial displacement along >1000 Km of the main boundary
thrust earlier to 10 Ma, at least 5 m.y. Regionally broad changes in the depositional characteristics and
rates of the foreland basin fill between 11 and 9.5 Ma are interpreted to reflect new hinterland loading due
to the formation of the main boundary thrust due to the formation of MBT. Main boundary in the western
Himalaya shaped synchronously along strike in the middle-late Miocene, has a displacement rate of 10
mm/year and has a displacement history that is coeval with late displacement on the main central thrust.
Wadia in 1957 recognized a series of nearly parallel faults in his division of outer Himalayas which is
also known as Sub Himalayas . All these were referred to as the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) but now
the outermost of the fault named murree thrust is called the MBT.this distinct tectonic feature in Pakistan
has thrusted the Eocene and older rocks over the Mid- tertiary Murree Formation. Some parts of the
capital City Islamabad hold splays of the fault runs immediately north of it. The fault dips are not constant
varuing from 50* to nearly vertical. In the east along the Hazara Kashmir Syntaxis the fault loops around
it. However on the western side of the syntaxis, like the Panjal fault it is displaced by the left lateral
Jhelum fault. On both sides of the MBT. Hazara region in the north and Northern Potwar/Kohat Plaeaue
in the South a number of mostly left lateral strike slip faults occur.

3
 Figure 1 MBT

Punjal Thrust:
The Panjal thrust is one of the major tectonics scars of the Lesser Himalayan domain in Kashmir.
Its type section is located in the Panjal range from where it extends northwards along the eastern flank of
the Hazara Kashmir syntaxiz and terminates at its apex. The Panjal thrust demarcates two zones, the
Tethyan and Himalayan. The Pir Panjal Range in Kashmir is the type section of the thrust along which the
Permo- Triassic sequence is thrust over by the metasediments of the Salkhala series of Precambrian
age.the Panjal thrust was regarded as an analogue of the Main Central Thrust (MCT) in the NW
Himalaya. The discovery of another deep level thrust called the Shontargali thrust by Tahirkheli (1988,
1989 0 in Kashmir and Astor area located on the southern margin of the Nanga Parbat massif, has
overlapped the earlier contention.
The Panjal thrust extends continuous from the Panjal Range towards NNE through Poonch, Reshian and
follows the eastern limb of the Hazara Kashmir syntaxis and terminates at its apex in Kaghan valley, In
all the sections examined in Kashmir the tectono stratigraphic frame of the PT appears alike and exposes
very vivid surficial characteristic fractures which can be observed easily.

Nathiagali thrust:
Coward and colleagues in 1988 divided Himalayas into two zones.
Internal zone (hinterland):
Internal zone composed of crystalline rocks in naran, upper Kashmir, upper hazara and swat.

External zone (foreland):

4
 The external zone consists of successions of stratified rocks in kohat, kalachitta and margala. The
boundary between northern internal zone and southern external zone is nathiagali khairabad thrust.

Hazara Kashmir Syntaxis:

The litho and tectono stratigraphic nets of the extended domain of the Panjal thrust west of hazara
Kashmir syntaxis are described in three isolated sections for comaparison with PT in Kashmir. These are
Salhad stream in abbottabad, Gandghar Range located on the western fringe of the haripur plain and The
attock Cherat Range located in the eastern part of the Peshawar plain.

Salhad stream Section:

This section is located on the southern edge of Abbottabad town along the Salhad stream. While
leaving the town for Haripur, the road extends along the southern bank of this stream. The rocks involved
in the thrust are Abbottabad group belonging to the Cambrian and Hazara slates of Late Precambrian age.
The thrust strikes east west along the stream and dips northwords with moderate angle.

Gandghar Range:
This segment is located west of Abbottabad between Haripur plain and the Indus river in an
secluded massif named Ganghar range. The rock types involved are the Sirikot slates considered
equivalent to the Hazara slates the Lockhart limestone of Paleocene age in an isolated outcrop in the
vicinity of Hassan abdal. The thrust runs east west along the haro river along which the late Precambrian
Sirikot slates thrustover the Paleocene limestone. Thus the Lockhart limestone is developed in the
footwall and older Sirikot slates constitutes the hanging wall.

Attock Cherat Range

This segment is located southwest of the Gandghar range across the Indus river. In this section
there are two thrusts which are assumed to represent the extension of the Panjal thrust. One is located
underneath the Quanternay alluvium between the Kalachitta range and the Attock Cherat range.
Sedimentary Mesozoic and late Cenozoic strata forming the footwall is thrustover by the metasediments
of Paleozoic-Precambrain sequences developed in the hanging wall of the thrust. Exposed rock in the
hanging wall is named Dakhner formation.

Chapter 3
Stratigraphy:
Sirban Formation:
Age og sirbon limestone is Cambrian . the unit is named after its occurance in the Sirban
hill near Abbottabad. Lithology of Sirban formation is dolomitic limestone. The weathered color is
blackish grey and fresh color is purple to light grey. Age of sirban formations cambriam. The upper
contact of Sirban formation with hazara sandstone is conformable and lower contact is with kakul shale.

Murree Formation:

5
 The age of murree formation is Palaeocene. The lithology of murree formation is limestone.
Dolomitic shale, sandstone. The weathered color of sandstone is radish brown and fresh color is light
brown while in other place the weathered color is maroon and fresh color is dark gray. The weathered
color of shale is brown to dark brown while fresh color is pale cream to purple. A cup like channel is
present on road side. The current direction of this channel is toward west and lithology is shale and sand
stone. The texture is fine to coarse grain. The grain size increase upward. The murree formation has
parallel laminations, amalgamation, calcitic veins.

Tanawal Formation:
Wynne (1878) used the name “Tanol group” for this formation’s rocks. Middlemiss (1896)
called them “tanol quartzite”. The formation is well uncovered in the north and south of mansehra
granite. The formation consists of Quartoze schist, Quartzite and Schistose conglomerate. The south of
Mansehra granite the formation consists of medium grained quartzite and fine grained mica-quartz
schist. To the north of Mansehra granite the formation mainly consists of granite and biotite muscovite-
quarts schist. Ali (1962) estimated the thickness as 1666m. Tanawal formation underlies Abbottabad
formation and overlies Hazara formation in the area between Abbottabad and Indus river. The upper
contact with Abbottabad formation in this area is unconformable. In the area between Abbottabad and
Garhi Habibullah the lower contact of the Tanawal formation with the Hazara formation is gradational.
The formation also consist Quartzite and Mica-quartz Schist. The contact relation of the formation shows
that the Tanawal formation is younger than Hazara formation but older than Abbottabad formation. The
presence of Tanaki conglomerate between tanawal and Abbottabad Formation show that the age of
Tanawal formation is late Precambrian.

Hazara Formation:
The name “Hazara Formation” is given by Calkin and Ali (1969) for “Salte series of Hazara” of
Middlemiss (1896) and “ Hazara Slates formation” of marks (1961). The formation has its type locality
near Hazara District, Exposure around Baragali along Abbottabad-Nathiagali Road can be regarded as its
type section. The formation consists of slate, phyllite and shale with minor occuences of limestone and
graphite layers. Slate and Phyllite are green to dark green and black in color. Limestone beds with
maximum thickness of 150m and calcareous phyllite gypsum from 30 to 120m thick are found in
Southern most Hazara.Marks and Ali (1961) regarded the formation as a deep water turbidity current
deposit. Calkins contended that the beds limestone, graphite and gypsum are unlikely to occur in a
turbidity sequence and regarded the formation as a shallow water argillaceous sequence.
Latif (1970) has reported fossils from the formation similar to Protobolella. The age of this formation is
Precambrian.

Kuldana Formation:
Wynne, 1874, identified and named these rocks as Kuldana beds after their occurrence near
Kuldana. The rocks are recongnised as a distinct formation. The formation consists of variegated shales
of crimson and purplish colours apart form khaki buff to pale grey shales and marls. The red shales are
generally gypsiferous and/ or arenaceous. The fauna includes Assilina granulosa, Assilina spinosa and
Assilina exponens showing a range from the top of the lower Eocene to the base of Middle Eocene.

6
Samana Suk Formation:
This formation consists of thin bedded limestone and inter calated shales/ marl stones. The name
“Samana Suk” was introduced by Davies 1930 for the Jurassic limestone in samana Range.The
limestone range from dense calcilutites to fine pelletal calcarenites containing occasional thin dolomites.
Boring surfaces are also rich throughout this formation. Cross beddings are also common in calcirudites
and calcarenites. Its upper contact with chichali Formation is Disconformable. The thickness of this
formation varies from 5 meters at Nammal Gorge in the east to over 300 meters westwards in Pezu area.

Lumshiwal Formation:
This formation is exposed in Western Salt Range, Samana Range, Surghar Range and Sheikh
Budin Hills and has also been encountered in some wells drilled on Punjab Platform. Its thickness in
type locality, Lumshiwal ( Salt range) is 120 meters. The formation consist of sandstone which is light
grey, thick bedded to massive, current bedded, feldspathic, ferruginous and contains carbonaceous
material in the upper part. Subordinate shale is silty, sandy and glauconitic.

Patala Formation:
The section exposed in Patala formation is chosen as type section in salt range. In the Salt range,
the formation consists of shale and marl with subordinate limestone and sandstone. The shale is greenish
grey and containing carbonaceous material. The limestone is white to grey and nodular. Coal seams of
economic value are present in upper part. The formation thickness is 27m at khewra and 90m at Patala
nala. It is exposed widely in Potwar and Hazara areas. Throughtout its extent, the Patala formation
conformably overlies the Lockhart lime stone. The Patala formation is conformably and transitional
overlain by Nammal formation is Salt range. The formation is richly fossiliferous and contains abundant
foraminiferas, mollusks and ostracodes. Its age is Late Paleocene while in Hazara its Early Eocene.

Lockhart Formation:
Lockhart formation is light grey, pale grey to khaki grey, bluish grey and blackish grey on
weathered surface and dark grey on fresh surface.

Mansehra Granet:
Mansehra granet contains white color grains that are shiny and are muscovite grains. Black shiny
grains are biotite. Tormaline and Schroal. Pyrite is also present it is an intrusive igneous rock with higher
silica content. It is an intrusion in the country rock. The country rock at this place is Tanol Formation of
Precambrian Age.
A dike has intruded a Granet body, the composition of dike is Quartzite. There is a cross cutting
relationship between quartzite and granet which is a Metamorphic rock.

7
 Chapter 4

Day 1:

Station 1:
Our first location was D 12 where we observed youngest formation of this area which is murree
formation consisting clays and sandstones the sandstone is of Greenish grey color while clay is of
reddish to brownish/maroonish color. Murree formation was the youngest formation throughout the
whole field. We also saw conglomeratic beds which were greater than 2mm.

Figure 2 muree formation consisting clays and sandstone

Station 2:
Our second location was Shah Allah ditta here we observed major part of Himalayan thrust
system which is called Main Boundary Thrust (MBT). We saw limestone of Jurassic age which is
probably of lamshiwal formation. So now limestone of Jurassic age is lying above muree formation of
Miocene age so ultimately there is something which is disturbing the order and that is Main Boundary
Thrust.

8
 Figure 3 Limestone of jurassic age

Station 3:
We observed sandy limestone which is formed due to areneous contents i.e fossil fragments accumulated
at one place and they accumulate only in stormy conditions and they are called Tenthestite beds.

Figure 4 areneous contents

Station 4:
Here we saw Forum fossils which are Light grayish and if we break it will be more grayish.
Forums are from Paleocene and Eocene age. We also observed nodular limestone in which cavities are
present which are produced because of dissolution and this limestone is Lockhart limestone.

9
 Figure 5 forum fossils

Station 5:
At this station we saw calcareous rocks and these rocks have excessive pores. They are formed
when calcite precipitates in fresh water. Calcite when precipitates in shallow marine water it forms
limestone but when it precipitates in fresh water it forms Calcareous Tofa or Travertine. Due to
excessive pores they rocks are good aquifers and karst aquifers are found in these rocks.

Figure 6 Calcareous rocks

Day 2:

Station 1:

10
 Our this station is Hernoi and here we saw Patala shale which is of Blackish color and it is due
organic contents. Organic matter is present in them and we also mine coal from it. Its age is Paleocene.
We also saw Lockhart formation, Patala formation, and Margalla formation of Eocene age. Vegetation is
a lot in this area.

Station 2:
Here we saw conglomeratic beds and in between them bands of mud. At one place it deposits
conglomerate and on the sides it deposits mud. Conglomerates are deposited in the bottom of the stream
while on the sides we see sand lenses in geological record.

Station 3:
At this station we saw polished surface it becomes polished when there is some movement along
the surface which makes the surface smooth. Here the rough surface is because of relative movement. It
shows the formation fault. We see Cater marks which originate on fault plane.

11
 Figure 7 Polished rock

Station 4:
At forth stop limestone fold are formed becuase to flexural slip and every lithology concerned in folding.
Lets say a note book is fold then every page of notebook is slip this kind of folding is called flexural slip
folding. Strata are stack of multiple layers and layers are not glued to each other and layer can slip
relation to each other.

Figure 8 Limestone fold

Station 5:
At fifth stop oolites Jurassic limestone and oolite is a sedimentary rock created from ooids spherical grain
composed of concentric layer. Oolite are straight representation of Jurassic limestone.

12
 Figure 9 Oolite sedimentary rock

Station 6:
At sixth stop shale is present and shale is a fine grained clastic sedimentary rock created of mud that is a
mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny wreckage. Phyllite is a type of foliated metamorphic rock created
from slate. Schist is a medium grade metamorphic rock with medium to large grains of mica flakes and
gneiss is a frequent and wide distributed type of rock formed by high grade regional metamorphic
processes from pre-existing formation.

Figure 10 Fine grained clastic sedimentary rock

Station 7:

13
At seventh station sheared limestone due to shear stress. Precambrian rocks are thrusted with Eocene
rocks. This fault is known as nathia gali thrust and in southwest it is called khairabad thrust. Shear zone
represent fault zone.

Figure 11 Sheared limestone

Day 3:
Station 1:
Our first stop was chitta batta. Its Rock is quartzite and quartzite formed because of metamorphism of
medium grained sandstone. All mineral does not change and layering is not disturbed if sandstone limited
more than 90% quartz.

Figure 12 quartzite rock

Station 2:

14
 At this staion we saw Manshera granite.Silver mica and muscovite.Dark colour amphibole and
feldspar in white colour.Tanawal quartzite is older and granite is younger.Feldspar is mined from here
and sent to ceramic factories.Basic rocks dikes and sills are intruded into Manshera granite and Manshera
granite as a whole intruded in tanawal quartzite.

Figure 13 Mansehra granet

Station 3:
At third station murree formation is reddish in colour. Metamorphic hazara slates and
sedimentary limestone sliding mean there exists fault and which is further improved by landsliding and
fault is Balakot fault. Alluvial fan are finest aquifer. Because of earthquake the alluvial fan with water in
pores becomes liquefied and the soil liquefaction land sliding occurs.

Figure 14 Murree formation in redish color

15
 Day 4:
Station 1:

Station 2:
Second station consist of Abbottabad group which have following formations Sirban it is
younger, Mirpur, Mohammada gali , sanghar, Tanakki boulder bed.

Station 3:
At this station we studied thick bedded unit of sand stone and sandy dolomite of pinkish to purple
color. Its has rough texture.

16
 Figure 15 Sandy dolomite Pinkish to purple in color

Station 4:
Shale content is increasing but the rocks are same as previous station and butcher chop structure
was seen.

Conclusion:
Pakistan contains geological structure with variation. Abbottabad region which is in the province
of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is wealthy in geological features. This survey helped us to understand the
geology of this area. It was found that the region has many different type of formation, belonging to
different age and has many dissimilar types of depositions. The regional tectonics of the area includes
Main Boundary thrust (MBT), Panjal thrust (PT), Nathiagali thrust (NT) and Hazara Kashmir syntaxis
(HKS). The formations which are found includes Murree formation, Sirban formation, Hazara formation,
Kuldana formation, Samana suk formation, Lockhart formation and Patala formation.

17
References:

Latif, M.A (1961) “The revision of the sedimentary stratigraphy south-east Hazara distric.

Marks, P.& Ali, C.M (1961) “The geology of Abbottabad area, with special referring to the infra- trias.

Middlemiss, C.S (1896) “The geology of Hazara”.

Treloar, P.J., Coward, M.P., Chambers, A.F., Izatt, C.N. and Jackson, K.C., (1992) Thrust geometries,
interferences and rotations and their Northwest Himalaya. In: McClay, K.R. (ed.), Thrust
Tectonics.Chapman and Hall, London, UK, pp. 325–342.
http://comp1.geol.unibas.ch/~zanskar/CHAPITRE4/page42.html

http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/23/5/423.abstract

18