Introduction

The Kohat Plateau, located in North-Western Pakistan, is a part of sub Himalaya formed due to
the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The structural evolution records of this area
demonstrate that it consists of tightly anticlinal and broad synclinal structures. Old studies show
that the structural pattern of this area has been produced due to many episodes of deformation.

The collision of these two plates affected more severe the western region of the collision plate as
compared to the eastern region due to irregular convex curve structure. Horizontal shortening
and vertical thickening of crustal rocks and the generation of high orogeny characterize the
deformation within regions of lithospheric convergence. The northern part of Pakistan has been
deformed tectonically as a result of continent-continent collision of the Indian Eurasian Plates.

In the southern part of the Kohat Plateau east-west trending folds and north- and south-dipping
reverse faults are common. Most of the faults tip out laterally into anticlines (fault propagation
folds). The Bahadur Khel Salt is exposed in 'mticlinal cores whereas Jutta Gypsum is commonly
imbricated and folded with slivers Panoba Shale.

Evolution of Kohat plateau

The Indian and Eurasian plate collision affected more intensively the western portion of the
collision plate compared to the eastern region due to irregular convex curve structure. Horizontal
compression and vertical thickening of crustal rocks and the generation of high orogeny
characterize the deformation within regions of lithospheric convergence. The northern region of
Pakistan has been deformed tectonically as a result of continent-continent collision of the Indian
and Eurasian Plates.

After the convergence, a SE to NW rotational anti clock wise movement of the continent
occurred in structural changes occurring in the area. This convergence and later rotational
movement have been occurred in a WNW-ESE trend of thrust tectonics in the Potwar area
(Parachha, 2000) while it has been recognized that within the Kohat Basin area the trend moved
rapidly to NNE-SSW. Accordingly, the northern area became geologically elevated compared to
the adjacent areas and the stratification in the area has been affected by the difference in
thickness between the east and west of the Kohat region.

The structural and tectonic setting moved rapidly towards the west of the area during the Eocene-
Paleocene gap (Parachha, 2001). The Kohat Basin area of the Kohat- Potwar Plateau is the most
popular complex tectonic area of northern Pakistan. The Kohat portion in northern Pakistan is a
complex tilted fold and thrust belt.

The interpretation results of the geological and geophysical data have present that the studied
area had a number of salt tectonic and/or thick skinned involved thrust/reverse faulting systems
formed as a result of transpersonal tectonics in this area (Parachha, 2001). The Kohat, Chorgali
and Top Paleocene formations were studied, analyzed and mapped with reference to geological
structure and hydrocarbon potential of the area (Parachha 2001).All these data is based on wells
drilled in Kohat plateau.

The Indo-Eurasian abduction has formed a number of parallel complex imbricate thrust faults in
this area. The magnitude of the tectonic vector forces effect is more sever in the western part as
compared to the eastern part, as a result of which the tectonic rotational activities have happened.
Thus, the tectonic potential is greater in the western part than in the eastern part of the Kohat-
Potwar sub-basin.

The Kohat-Potwar plateau on the southern part of the Himalayan and Karakorum mountain belt
is a result of compression tectonics after the Indian and Eurasian plate convergence. The Kohat-
Potwar plateau is surrounded to the north by the Kalachitta Hills. The Salt Range and Trans-
Indus Range mark the surrounded to the south. The western boundary is characterized by the
Kurram-Parachinar Range.

The Indus River separates the Kohat-Potwar Plateau into the Potwar region on the east and the
Kohat region on the west.

REGIONAL TECTONIC SETTING

The kohat plateau constitutes the western part of Himalyan fold and thrust belt and is
approximately 70 km wide in north south direction.it is bounded to the north by the MBT (main
boundary thrust) to the south by surghar range thrust which is separated friom salt rang thrust by
kalabagh strike-slip fault and in the south west it merges into Bannu basin. Indus river marks its
eastern limit which separates it from the potwar plateau whereas towards the it is truncated by
the kurram fault.in the kohat plateau the MBT brings Mesozoic and younger strata over Neogene
molasses sediment. The kalabagh fault is the most prominent north south structural feature at the
southernmost fringe of the kohat potwar foreland fold and thrust belt and trace on the surface
runs for about 135 km. kalabagh fault trends N20W and is characterized by transgressive right
lateral strike-slip movement.

As a result of the present investigation it has been found that the structure of this part of the
kohat plateau is dominantly controlled by large scale folds, thrusts and back- thrusts. All the
major folds trend approximately in latitudinal fashion,i.e east-west and comprise large scale
narrow anticlinal trends mostly truncated by east-west trending thrust and back-thrust.in between
the anticlinal folds large scale intervening synclines are present most of which have both limbs
overturned and clearly show fan-folded geometry in cross-sectional view.in addition to fan
folded synclines several fan folded anticlines are also mapped.at the extreme southern margin of
the map, two broad anticlines are observed. These structure are in fact large scale anticlinoria on
the basis of the systematic development of intermediate amplitude anticlines and synclines on
their limbs. The southern most anticlinorumis named as Ghorzandi anticlinorium.in the northern
part of the mapped area a suite of sedimentary rocks from panoba shale upto muree formation are
exposed. At place, complete stratigraphic section from kuldanna formation upto muree formation
is repeated. This repetition is because of south verging thrust faults and south verging back
thrusts.

Structural geometry of kohat plateau the fold are grouped as following

(1)Anticlinoria
Ghorzandi, Mamikhel anticlinorium
(2)Fan folds
Walai, ghorzandi, shaker khel syncline

(3)Anticlinal fold

Sumari, chaprai, walai anticline

(4)Synclinal folds

Teri, kajbi khana, Mir khweli sar syncline

(5) Faults

(a)Thrust faults

Mir khwelisar fault, chappar, walai, Shaker khel fault, Mami khel

(b)Back thrusts

Sumari bala, ghorzandi back thrust fault

Stratigraphy of kohat plateau

The stratigraphy units of the kohat plateau fall within the fallowing three major Groups.

1. Chharat Group – Eocene

2. Rawalpindi Group – Miocene
3. Siwalik Group – Pliocene

Age Formation Description Environment of

deposition
Middle Dhok Cyclic alteration of
Pathan grey to light grey
Formation sandstone with brown
calcareous
Early Nagri Sandstone with
Formation interbeds of dull
Pliocene

orange clay and

intraformational
Siwalik Group

conglomerate
Late Chinji Red clay with
Formation subordinate fine
grained soft sandstone

Middle Kamlial Grey to greenish

Formation greysandstone with
subordinate clay
siltstone and
Rawalpindi Group

Fluvial
intraformational
Sediments
conglomerate
Early Murree Red purple sandstone
Miocene

Formation and marl

Middle Kohat Calcareous shale and

Formation light grey limestone
Kuldana Brownish red silty clay comtimemtal
with thin beds of
Cherat Group

sandstone
Early Jatta Gypsum with interbeds lagoonal
Gypsum of gypsiferous shale
E0cene