| Abstrakt: |
During the Late Neoproterozoic to Early Mesozoic the Indian Plate was part of Pangaea, the Palaeo supercontinent, with the African Plate to the west, as interpreted by various authors. At the same time, the Indian Plate was juxtaposed with the Central Iranian Plate, which separated it from the Arabian Plate in the vicinity of present-day Oman, c.800 Ma ago. Between 612 and 200 Ma (Late Neoproterozoic to the end of the Triassic) these plates remained firmly attached. The changing configuration of the plates from 200 Ma to the present are provided in this paper. The Neoproterozoic–Cambrian rocks are recorded along the eastern border of Pakistan with India, extending into the Indian Territory and comprising part of the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian basin (Lower Indus Basin). The southern part of the Lower Indus Basin, from the Thar Platform in the east, deepens westwards towards Karachi (embayment) and the Kachhi Foredeep, where the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian succession is likely to be deep-seated. However, c.5 km uplift of the Kirthar Fold Belt (KFB) across the Western Boundary Thrust (WBT) and the subsequent erosion have exposed the Middle Jurassic Chiltan Limestone, particularly in the central region of the KFB (Landsat images and domal structures with Jurassic outcrops are described in this paper) The limestone rests over older strata, with a possible presence of that of Neoproterozoic–Cambrian age, which is interpreted to be at drillable depth. |
