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Sub-Himalayan Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic-stratigraphic properties and deformation features in the western limb of Hazara Kashmir syntaxis, Pakistan

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Abstract

This study has documented the structural and stratigraphic investigations of the Darwaza, Tajwal, Masot, Bhurban, Dewal, and Malkot areas of Murree and KPK, Pakistan. The proposed territory is positioned along the western limb of the Hazara Kashmir syntaxis (HKS). The HKS is an anti-formal hairpin-like architecture, which is seismically an active folded-and-thrust belt in the sub-Himalayas of Pakistan. It was studied using the Kink method (stratigraphic and structural analysis) combined with detailed field observations. The results reveal that the sedimentary rock sequence is fully exposed to the area from the Middle Jurassic (Samana Suk Formation) to date (Quaternary alluvium). Structurally, the study area is highly deformed. Two main deformational episodes (D1 and D2) were recognized. D1 deformation is characterized by tight to isoclinal folds with penetrative axial plane cleavage, axes plunging N43°E/80°NW, and interlimb angle 03–05°, whereas D2 deformation is categorized by open to gentle-style folds with an axial plane ranging from N28°E/68° SE to N50°E/86°NW and an interlimb angle of 95–122°. Moreover, faults and folds are present in the area. Sandh overturned syncline, Sandh anticline, Sandh syncline, Daryagali anticline, Tandoi syncline, Bhurban anticline, and Potha syncline are the major folds. These folds are northwest verging and southeast or southwest plunging. These are isoclinal to gentle folds. The Darwaza fault, Masot fault, and Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) are the major faults in the study area. These faults are northeast–southwest trending and dip to the northwest, thus forming thrust-fault–related folds.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the Department of Geology (Structure Geology Lab), University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir for providing logistical support during this research. We would also like to thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for helpful comments that helped clarify our results. We wish to acknowledge Prof. Dr. Mirza Shaid Baig, Asst. Prof. Shahab Parviz, and others for their help during the fieldwork.

Funding

This work is supported by the National Nature Sciences Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41872235, 42172236, and 41872233), the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities, and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant Nos. 300102270202, 202110710062, and 300103183081).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Xi’an Key Laboratory for Mineralization and Efficient Utilization of Critical Metals, School of Earth Science and Resources, Chang’an University, No.126 South Yanta Road, Yanta District, Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi Province, People’s Republic of China

    Irshad Hussain, Zuo-Chen Li, Xian-Zhi Pei, Ya-Jie Yang, Meng Wang, Rui-Bao Li, Lei Pei & Hao Lin

  2. Hubei Subsurface Multiscale Image Key Laboratory, School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Irshad Hussain & Wakeel Hussain

  3. School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, 710054, Xi’an, China

    Misbah Fida

  4. Bahria University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Jabir Hussain

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  1. Irshad Hussain
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Hussain, I., Li, ZC., Fida, M. et al. Sub-Himalayan Mesozoic-Cenozoic tectonic-stratigraphic properties and deformation features in the western limb of Hazara Kashmir syntaxis, Pakistan. Arab J Geosci 17, 16 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11817-z

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