Stratigraphic and tectonic evolution of the northwestern Indian plate and Kabul Block

Abstract

A 1: 500 000 scale geological map covering large parts of the northwest Pakistan-southeast Afghanistan border region between 31–34° N and 69–71° E has been compiled. The map covers the tribal areas of Kurram and of North and South Waziristan in Pakistan, where the map is based on unpublished data of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas Development Corporation. The map area comprises Precambrian crystalline rocks of the Indian and Kabul blocks, Permian to Quaternary sedimentary rocks, and the Late Cretaceous-Palaeocene Kabul-Altimur and Zhob-Waziristan-Khost ophiolite complexes. The Himalayan collision resulted in extrusion of the Kabul Block along the Chaman Fault system and formation of the Katawaz Basin which was filled with clastic deposits of the ‘Early-Indus’ fan. Ongoing contractional tectonics led to southward thrusting of the Spinghar Indian crystalline basement over the Miocene Murree Formation. New names and type sections are proposed for six units in the Spinghar and South Waziristan. These units are the Daradar Dolomite, Spinghar Quartzite, Sikaram Series, Makai Limestone, Wana Schist and Kaniguram Slates.

Structural setting and evolution of the Afghan orogenic segment – a review

“…Tapponnier et al (1981) assumed that the Logar ophiolites were thrust from the NW to the SE onto the autochthonous sedimentary cover of the Kabul Block, but it should be noted that the complicated nappe structure of the Kabul allochthonous units is, thus far, poorly documented. The distinction between sedimentary and tectonic contacts is controversial in some cases (Badshah et al 2000;Montenat 2009;Bohannon 2010a). According to Mennessier (1977), who mapped the area, the ophiolites are unconformably overlain by the Ali Pai Bel limestone of Santonian-Campanian age, fixing the time of ophiolite emplacement as pre-Maastrichtian (see also Badshah et al 2000).…”

“…The distinction between sedimentary and tectonic contacts is controversial in some cases (Badshah et al 2000;Montenat 2009;Bohannon 2010a). According to Mennessier (1977), who mapped the area, the ophiolites are unconformably overlain by the Ali Pai Bel limestone of Santonian-Campanian age, fixing the time of ophiolite emplacement as pre-Maastrichtian (see also Badshah et al 2000). Another timing mark is given by the sediments of the Azrao series.…”

Petrology of Indus River sands: a key to interpret erosion history of the Western Himalayan Syntaxis

“…Indian metamorphic rocks extend as far west as the Spinghar Crystalline in Afghanistan [46]. Tertiary foreland-basin sandstones are widely exposed from the Hazara syntaxis to the Potwar Plateau.…”

Lower Paleogene Tectonostratigraphy of Balochistan: Evidence for Time-Transgressive Late Paleocene-Early Eocene Uplift

“…However, we regard this interpretation as less likely for a several reasons. Although the Kabul block has an enigmatic origin [32,123,126,134], it is a relatively small (~200 km) continental fragment compared to the geographically widespread uplift observed here. Similarly, ophiolite obduction by itself does not normally leave behind the large-scale tectonostratigraphic imprint documented here.…”