Geography 2059/02 Class IX

Chapter I: The Natural Topography including Drainage

Physical Regions of Pakistan:

1. Mountains
2. Plateaus
3. Plains
4. Deserts
MOUNTAINS OF PAKISTAN:
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
KARAKORAM RANGE
HINDU KUSH RANGE
HIMALAYA: CENTRAL HIMALAYAS, LESSER HIMALAYAS and SUB
HIMALAYAS
WESTERN MOUNTAINS
SAFED KOH
WAZIRISTAN HILLS
SULAIMAN RANGE
KIRTHAR HILLS
PLATEAUS OF PAKISTAN:
POTWAR PLATEAU
BALUCHISTAN PLATEAU
PLAINS OF PAKISTAN:
INDUS PLAIN
UPPER INDUS PLAIN
LOWER INDUS PLAIN
VALE OF PESHAWAR
DESERTS OF PAKISTAN
THAL DESERT
KHARAN DESERT
SOUTHEASTERN DESERT:
CHOLISTAN DESERT
NARA DESERT
THARPARKAR DESERT

TOPOGRAPHY = RELIEF FEATURES+ DRAINAGE FEATURES

RELIEF FEATURES:
• Location
• General terrain/appearance/outcrop of the land
• Mountains
• Names
• Extension
• Average height
• Highest peak - name and altitude
Plateaus
Plains
Depressions/Basins
Deserts
Passes
Glaciers*
• Name
• Length
• Associated river
Valleys*
DRAINAGE FEATURES:
General slope of the land
Rivers
• Name
 • Nature - seasonal or perennial
• Source - rainfall, glacial melt or both
• Destination -inland, tributary or into open sea
Lakes
• Name
• Nature - seasonal (salty/brackish) or permanent (freshwater)
Glaciers*
• Name
• Length
• Associated river
• Valleys
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF PAKISTAN:
RELIEF FEATURES:
KARAKORAM RANGE
Location: To the extreme north of Pakistan, bordering China to the north and
northeast.
General terrain/appearance: Rugged landscape, characterized by snow-capped
sharp peaks, towering mountains, V-shaped steep sided valleys and cirques.
The range stretches in an east-west direction for 500 km between Hunza and Shyok
rivers.
The average height of the range is 6000 m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the range is Godwin Austin (K-2) with an altitude of 8611m
above sea level.
Some of the largest and famous glaciers of the range include,
• Siachen Glacier - 78 km long drained by Braldu River unfe
• Biafo Glacier - 72 km long drained by Shyok River
• Hispar Glacier - 71 km long drained by Shyok River
Important Passes of the range include Karakoram Pass and Khunjerab Pass.
HINDUKUSH RANGE:
Location: To the west of Karakoram Range and to the north-west of Pakistan,
bordering Afghanistan.
General terrain/appearance: Rugged landscape with snow-capped peaks mostly
during winter season.
It stretches from the Pamir plateau in the northeast to the southwest direction.
Average height of the range is 5000m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the range is Trich Mir with an altitude of 7690m above sea
level.
The range is also covered by a number of glaciers including Trich, Ric and
Niroghi glaciers. Important Passes of the range include Drosh Pass, Shandur Pass
and Lowari Pass.
HIMALAYAS
Location: To the south of Karakoram Range.
General terrain/appearance: Rugged landscape, towering mountains, steep sided
valleys, snow-capped peaks. Himalayas stretch in an east-west direction.
The average altitude of the range is 4000m above mean sea level.
It is further divided into three parallel ranges, based on their altitudes.
I-Central Himalayas - average altitude 4500m - 6000m above mean sea level.
ii-Lesser Himalayas - average altitude 1800m - 4500m above mean sea level.
iii - Sivaliks - average altitude 600m - 1200m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the Himalayas is called Nanga Parbat with an altitude of
8126m above sea level.
The Himalayas are also covered by a number of glaciers including Rupal (north)
and Rupal (south).
DRAINAGE FEATURES:
KARAKORAM RANGE:
1)The drainage slope of the Karakoram Range is generally in south-west direction.
2)Important rivers of Karakoram Range include River Indus, River Shyok, River
Hunza, River Gilgit etc.
3)Indus is the largest perennial river, which receives water from glacial melt,
monsoon rainfall and other
small seasonal streams which drain into Indus.
4)River Shyok, river Hunza,river Gilgit and river Braldo are the important
seasonal rivers of the range which flow mostly during summer season carrying
water from summer monsoon rainfall and glacial melt and finally drain into river
Indus.
5)Some of the largest glaciers of Pakistan lie in Karakoram Range including;
Siachen Glacier - 78km long - drained by Braldo River
Biafo Glacier- 72km long-drained by Shyok River
Hispar Glacier - 71km long - drained by Shyok River
Baltoro Glacier - 58km long - drained by Hunza River
Batura Glacier - 58km long - drained by Hunza River
6)Important Mountain valleys of Karakoram Range include Gilgit valley, Hunza
valley and Baltistan valley.
HINDUKUSH RANGE:
1)The drainage slope of the Hindukush Range is generally in southward direction.
2)Important seasonal rivers of Hindukush Range include River Kunhar, River
Panjkorap, River Ghizar, River Swat, River Mastuj etc.
3)Swat River and Panjokara River drain in Mastui River which joins Kabul River
which eventually drains in River Indus.
4)All the rivers of Hindukush range are seasonal in nature and flow mostly during
winter season carrying water from western depression rainfall.
5)The longest and most important glacier of Hindukush range includes Sakiz
Jarab Glacier which is 30km long and drained by River Kunhar. Other important
glaciers of the Hindukush range are Trich Mir Glacier and Rich Glacier drained
by River Kunhar.
6)Important Mountain valleys of Hindukush range include Swat valley, Chitral
valley and Dir valley.
HIMALAYAS:
1)The drainage slope of the Himalayas is generally in a southward direction.
2)Important seasonal rivers of Himalayas include River Neelum and River Kaghan
while Indus River is the only Perennial River flowing in south-west direction
through the mountains.
3)All seasonal rivers of Himalayas flow during summer season carrying water
from summer monsoon rainfall and Glacial melt water.
4)Important glaciers of Himalayas include Rupal (south), Rupal (north) and
Phangaton, Glacier, which eventually drain their water into River Indus.
5)Important Mountain valleys of Himalayas include Kaghan valley, Naran valley,
Shogran valley etc.
6)Important gullies with tourist attractions include Murree, Nathiagali and
Ghoragali
HUMAN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF NORTHERN MOUNTAINS:
LUMBERING:
It refers to the extraction of wood from the forest which is an important and
common economic activity of the people living in northern mountains of Pakistan,
Lumbering is carried out;
• To obtain fuel wood for domestic heating and cooking purpose
• To obtain commercial wood or timber for furniture industries
FISHING:
Small scale freshwater fishing is carried out in Kunhar River, Swat River and
Kaghan River.
Trout fish is considered a delicacy and is very famous among the tourists visiting
the valleys.
CROP FARMING:
Small scale subsistence crop farming (arable farming) is another important
economic activity which is carried out mostly on terraced fields and valley floors
where water is available from rivers and temperatures remain mild to warm.
Mostly food crops are grown including Wheat, Rice, Millets etc.
LIVESTOCK FARMING:
Small scale livestock farming (pastoral farming) is-practiced in mountainous areas
in order to obtain
meat, milk, wool and other by-products.
Common animals of mountains include Goat, Sheep, Yak, Dzu, Cows and Mules...
FRUIT FARMING:
Another important economic activity of the people is fruit farming both on
subsistence level and on commercial level. Common fruits grown in the orchids,
along the roadsides and on valley floors include Apples, Apricots, Plums, Peaches,
Almonds and Walnuts. Fruits not oniy provide nutrition and vitamins to the local
population but they are also supplied to large cities like Islamabad, Lahore,
Faisalalad and Karachi.
INDUSTRIES:
Inhospitable climatic conditions and poor infrastructure facilities like transport
and commu icatior. links make this area inaccessible. for most part of the year as a
result many people are engaged in cottage/craft industries, and some are employed
in small scale industries.
Important small-scale industries include; Furniture making and fruit drying and
processing industries
Important cottage/craft industries include; Carpet weaving, Embroidery, Candle
making etc
TOURISM:
A large number of people are engaged in tourism industry as tourist guides and in
other asssciated businesses such as hotels industry, transport industry and even
they work in small seasonai village
markets as shopkeepers.
TRANSHUMANCE:
People of northern mountains usually live semi-nomadic lives called
Transhumance, which a classified as a type of seasonal migration and as a type of
livestock farming.
Mountain people move to the plains and valleys during winter season along with
their les belongings and they again move back to the mountain in summer season.
Why do the mountain people move to plains/valleys during winter season?
• To protect themselves from severely cold winter i.e., below 0° C on the
misuntains.
• No outdoor economic activities possible due to cold.
• Area covered by snow with frozen topsoil thus agriculture is not possible.
• Avalanches are very common during the winter season.
 • All streams are frozen and covered with thick snow thus creating a
shortage of liquid water.
• To protect their animals from severely cold winter conditions that could be
fatal to them.
• Grazing lands and pastures are covered with thick snow thus creating a
shortage of fodder.

Why do the mountain people move back to the mountains during summer season?
• Pastures locally called Shamilats are replenished with nutritious grass for
livestosk.
• They have their native homes and farming lands in the mountains.
• They can grow crops on their farming lands or on terraced fields.
• Streams start to flow again providing water for domestic purposes, for
agriculture and for livestock needs.
• Summer temperature is quite tolerable i.e., warm to mild for agricuiture
and other activities;
• More seasonal employment opportunities created due to tourism industry
and other associated
businesses on the mountains How do they earn living/survive on
plains/valleys?
• . They perform temporary jobs.
• Self-employed in informal business activities such as vegetable seller or
street hawker etc.
• They use meat, milk and other by-products from their livestock.
• These products can also be sold to earn money.
• Some time they sell their animals to earn money
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF NORTHERN MOUNTAINS:
1)The northern mountains act as a natural barrier and the countries concerned
accept it as an international border.
2)These mountains also protect the plain areas of our country from the cold winds
of Central Asia during winter.
3)As these mountains are situated across the direction of wind, so they intercept
the summer monsoon winds coming from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
which becomes the cause of rainfall.
4)The higher peaks of Northern Mountains become snow covered during winter,
the show melts during spring and summer and feeds water into the rivers of our
country.
5)Several rivers like Indus and its tributaries originate from these ranges and
during rainy season they carry enormous quantities of water which is used for
irrigational purposes on plains.
6)Mountainous terrain with fast flowing rivers of northern mountains helps
construction of dams and production of hydroelectric power.
7)On the southern slopes of northern mountains are found magnificent and very
valuable forests of timber besides, on these slopes a number of fruit trees are also
cultivated which fulfil our requirement of fruits.
8)These mountains have a number of hill stations and tourist resorts such as
Murree, Nathia gully, Kaghan, Naran etc. which promote tourism business.

WESTERN MOUNTAINS OF PAKISTAN

RELIEF FEATURES:
SAFED-KOH RANGE:
Location: To the south of Hindukush range, bordered by river Kabul to the north
and river Kurram to the south.
General terrain/appearance: Rugged landscape, characterized by sharp peaks,
often covered with snow during winter season.
The range stretches in an east-west direction.
The average height of the range is 3600m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the range is 'Sakiram' with an altitude of 4718m above sea
level.
Western parts of the range are located in
Afghanistan while eastern parts are located in Pakistan.
Important Passes of the range include 'Khyber' and 'Kurram' pass providing easy
routes to Afghanistan.
Important farming areas include the Vale of Peshawar and Mardan while Kohat is
an important Military centre situated at the end of Kurram pass.

WAZIRISTAN HILLS:
Location: To the south of Safed-koh range, bordered by river Kurram to the north
and river Gomal to the south.
General terrain/appearance: Highly mineralized area, Rugged landscape, low
altitude hills.
The range stretches in a north-south direction.
The average height of the range is 1500m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the range is called Ilazai with an altitude of 2617m above sea
level.
This range forms a natural border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Important Passes of the range include 'Tochi' and 'Gomal' pass.
Bannu at Tochi pass and Dera Ismail Khan at Gomal pass are important towns
and military centers.

SULAIMAN RANGE:
Location: To the south of the river Gomal lies the Sulaiman range which runs in a
north-south direction.
General terrain/ appearance: Rugged landscape, bare rocks with irregular
slopes.
The average height of the range is 1500m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the range is 'Takht-e-Sulaiman' with an altitude of 3383m
above sea level.
This range forms a natural barrier between the Indus plain and Baluchistan
plateau.
Important hills include Bugti and Marri.
Important passes of this rangé include Bolan Pass.
Quetta is an important town and military base located at the northern end of Bolan
Pass.
KIRTHAR HILLS:
Location: To the west of lower Indus plain lies a hilly area called The Kirthar
Hills.
General terrain/ appearance: Low altitude hills, bare rocks with irregular
slopes, backed by Pub and Hala ranges.
It runs in north-south direction for about 400km, separating lower Indus plain
from Balochistan
The average altitude of the range is 1200m above mean sea level.
The highest peak of the range is ‘Zardak’which is 2260m and second highest is
'Kutto Ji Kabar’ which is 2174m above mean sea level.

DRAINAGE FEATURES:
SAFED-KOH RANGE:
The drainage slope of the Safed-koh Range is generally in an eastward direction.
Important rivers of Safed-koh Range include River Kabul and River Kurram,
which flow eastward and drain into River Indus.
These rivers are seasonal in nature and have high flow during winter season
mainly due to Western depression rainfall.
Warsak Dam on the river Kabul and Kurram Garhi Dam on the river Kurram are
the main sources of irrigation water to the valley of Peshawar and other adjoining
farming areas.
Important valleys of Safed-koh range include the valley of Peshawar, Kohat valley
and Mardan valley.
WAZIRISTAN HILLS:
The drainage slope of Waziristan hills is in an eastward direction.
Important rivers of Waziristan hills include, river Tochi and river Gomal, which
flow eastward and drain into River Indus.
These rivers are seasonal in nature and have high flow during winter season
mainly due to Western depression rainfall.
Kurram Garhi Dam on river Kurram and Gomal Dam on river Gomal are the
main sources of irrigation water to the farming valleys.
important valleys and military centers of Waziristan hills include Bannu and Dera
Ismail Khan.
SULAIMAN RANGE:
The drainage slope of the Sulaiman Range is generally in a southward direction.
An important River of Sulaiman Range includes Bolan River which passes through
the Bolan Pass and absorbed into Kachi-Sibbi plain.
These riversare extremely seasonal in nature and have high flow of water during
winter season mainly due to Western depression rainfall.
KIRTHAR HILLS:
The drainage slope of the Kirthar Hills is generally in a southward direction.
The Kirthar hills are drained by the Hub and Lyari streams which join Arabian
Sea near Karachi.
These rivers are extremely seasonal in nature and have high flow of water during
summer season mainly due to summer monsoon rainfall.

HUMAN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES OF WESTERN MOUNTAINS:

LUMBERING:
It refers to the extraction of wood from the forest which is an important and
common economic activity fthe people living in western mountains of Pakistan.
Lumbering is carried out;
• To obtain fuel wood for domestic heating and cooking purpose
• To obtain commercial wood or timber for furniture industries.
CROP FARMING:
The climate and relief of western mountains do not support large scale farming.
Small scale Barani farming is carried out mostly on terraced fields while valley
floors are cultivated by canal irrigation water from Warsak and Kurram dams.
Mostly food crops are grown including Wheat, Barley, Millet while on some
terraced farms Sugarcane is also cultivated to make 'Gur' (raw / brown sugar).
LIVESTOCK FARMING:
Small scale livestock farming is practiced in mountainous areas in order to obtain
meat, milk, wool and other by-products. Common animals of western mountains
include Goat, Sheep, and cattle which can
survive harsh climate and can easily move on mountain slopes
FRUIT FARMING:
Another important economic activity of the people is fruit farming both on
subsistence level and on commercial level. Common fruits grown in the orchards,
along the roadsides and on valley floors include Apples, Apricots, Plums, Peaches,
Almonds and Walnuts.
Fruits not only provide nutrition and vitamins to the local population, but they are
also supplied to large cities like Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad and Karachi.
INDUSTRIES:
Rugged landscape and inhospitable climatic conditions make it very difficult and
costly to provide infrastructure facilities like Roads, Railways, Water supply and
electricity etc. except for few urban areas like Peshawar many areas are not
served with infrastructure facilities as a result industries and other business
activities have not been established.
Many people are engaged in cottage/craft and small-scale industries. Important
small scale and cottage industries of western mountains include; Furniture
making, Carpet weaving, Embroidery, etc.
TRANSHUMANCE:
People of western mountains usually live nomadic and semi-nomadic lives called
Transhumance which can be classified as a type of livestock farming.
Mountain people move to the plains and valleys during winter season along with
their livestock and belongings and they move back to the mountain in summer
season.
POTWAR PLATEAU:
RELIEF FEATURES:
POTWAR PLATEAU:
Location: To the south of Himalayas, the area of Rawalpindi, Jhelum and
Mianwali districts are known as Potwar plateau. It is bordered on the east by the
river Jhelum, on the west by the river Indus, on the north by the Kala-Chitta range
and on the south by the Salt range.
General terrain/appearance: Rugged and dissected landscape, extensive
undulating and uneven surface, covering an area of 18000 sq. km with an average
altitude ranging from 300 to 600m above sea level.
It is marked by a typical 'badland' cut up by deep ravines, known locally as
Khaderas'.
Other relief features are characterized by ridges, troughs, depressions and
irregular slopes.
Ridges and residual hills made up of limestone and sandstone are common e.g.,
Khairi Murat, Kheri Mar and Kala Chitta hills.
SALT RANGE:
The southern part of the plateau is represented by the areas of salt range with an
average altitude of 600m above sea level.
Sakesar is the highest peak which rises to about 1527m above sea level.
The salt range comprises parallel ranges of low, flat-topped hills, basin plains and
some saline lakes.
At Kalabagh the range crosses the Indus and then continues southwest into Bannu
district.
Large quantities of rock salt and other minerals like gypsum and coal are found
and extracted here.
DRAINAGE FEATURES:
POTWAR PLATEAU AND SALT RANGE:
The drainage slope of the plateau is in a south-westward direction.
Drainage of Potwar plateau is dominated by river Indus and river Jhelum, which
drain the western and eastern part of the plateau respectively.
Other important seasonal rivers include Soan River and Haro River, which flow
mostly during summer season carrying the water of summer monsoon rainfall and
finally join river Indus near Kalabagh.
Large saline lakes include Khabeki and Kallar-kahar, which are highly seasonal
and also add to the natural beauty of the area.

HUMAN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON POTWAR PLATEAU:

MINERAL EXTRACTION:
Potwar Plateau and Salt Range are rich in non-metallic minerals such as rock salt,
gypsum, limestone, soapstone, marble, clay and fossil fuels including coal and
mineral oil as a result mining and drilling activities are extensively carried out in
this region.
CROP FARMING:
The relief features of Potwar plateau do not support canal irrigation as a result
large scale commercial farming is very rare. Small scale Barani farming (rain-fed
cultivation) is carried out mostly on terraced fields depending on western
depression rainfall.
Mostly food crops are grown including Wheat, Barley, Maize and gram while on
some terraced farms Sugarcane is also cultivated to make 'Gur' (raw sugar/brown
sugar).
LIVESTOCK FARMING:
Small scale livestock farming is practiced in these areas in order to obtain meat,
milk and other by-products. Common animals reared in this area include Goat,
Sheep, and cattle.
INDUSTRIES:
Potwar plateau is rich in non-metallic minerals which provide raw materials to
Cement, Ceramic ard Chemical industries. The availability of fossil fuels including
mineral oil has led to the development of Pakistan largest oil refinery 'The Attock
Oil Refinery Limited', which has encouraged the development of many other
anciliary industries in this region.
The presence of mineral resources and development of secondary industries has
made Potwar piateau an economically productive region where infrastructure
facilities including roads, railways, airports, electricity and communication are
well developed.
BALUCHISTAN PLATEAU:
RELIEF FEATURES:
Location: This plateau lies to the west of Sulaiman and Kirthar Mountain in the
southwest of Pakistan.
General terrain/ appearance: Rugged and dissected landscape, most difficult and
complex geological structures covering an extensive area of 347,000 km? with an
average altitude 600m above sea level.
The highest peak of the plateau is called Ras-Koh with an altitude of 3010m above
sea level.
Important relief features of the plateau include;
1.Mountain Ranges:
The relief is characterized by many dry hills which run across the plateau from
north-east to the south-west.
Important mountain ranges include;
The Toba Kakar range and Chaghai ranges in the north which separate it from
Afghanistan.
The Sehan range, Central Brahui range and Makran range lie in the centre.
The Coastal Makran Range lies south of the plateau near the coastal area
Other smaller ranges include Ras Koh, Hala and Pab range.
2.Depressions/Low Lying Areas:
The plateau has a number of irregular depressions toward the north-east between
Sulaiman range and
Toba Kakar range such as Zhob basin and Loralai Basin.,
Small depressions in the south are locally called Hamuns or Salt Lakes which are
filled with water during rainy season and remain dry for rest of the year. The
largest one is called Hamun-e-Mashkhel while other important one is Hamun-e-
Lora.
3.Plain Areas:
Important plains located in Baluchistan include Kachhi Sibi plain and Labella
plain.
4.Mountain Passes:
Important mountain passes of Baluchistan include Bolan Pass, Gonshero Pass and
Khojak Pass.
5.Desert Area:
A large area in the northwest of Baluchistan is covered with Kharan desert which
is an extremely arid area with rocky outcrops.
6.Coastal Areas:
The coastal area of Baluchistan is broadly divided into two parts; the Labella
plain covering the eastern parts of the Baluchistan coast and the Makran coast
covering the western parts of Báluchistan coast.
DRAINAGE FEATURES:
NORTH AND NORTH-EASTERN BALUCHISTAN
The general slope of northern and north-eastern Baluchistan is in an eastward
direction.
The drainage of northern Baluchistan is dominated by Zhob river which is a
séasonal river and flows in northeast direction to join Gomal River which then
drains into river Indus.
Other important seasonal rivers of northeast Baluchistan include Kandhar and
Kalachi rivers which flow eastward and drain into river Indus.
INLAND DRAINAGE OF CENTRAL BALUCHISTAN:
The inland drainage of central Baluchistan is described as a process in which
rivers are either absorbed into land or evaporated or drained into depressions or
lakes called Hamuns e.g., Hamun-e-Mashkhel.
These rivers of inland drainage are unable to reach open sea and the main reasons
for the development of inland drainage in Baluchistan include;
I.Scarcity of rainfall - rivers are very small
II.Hot climate -Water loss through evaporation
iii.Dry land/topsoil - lots of water absorbed in underground
Important rivers of inland drainage include Bolan River, Loralai River, Chakkar
River and Mula River.
SOUTHERN BALUCHISTAN:
A number of small seasonal rivers flow in southern Baluchistan which drain into
Arabian Sea.
Important rivers of southern Baluchistan include Hub River, Porali River, Hingol
River, and Dasht River which carries the water of Nihing River and Kach River.

HUMAN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON BALUCHISTAN PLATEAU:

MINERAL EXTRACTION/ MINING:
Baluchistan plateau is rich in mineral resources including fossil fuels like coal and
natural gas.
Saindak mines located in the northwest of Baluchistan covering an extensive area
of Kharan district are producing Gold, copper and Silver while other important
minerals such as gypsum, lead and chromite are extracted from Zhob, Khuzdar
and Muslim Bagh area.
Baluchistan plateau is also rich in fossil fuels including coal which is extracted
from Quetta coal field area where Harnai, Sor Range, Mach and Degari are
famous mining sites.Huge deposits of natural gas were discovered at Sui.
MARINE FISHING:
Fishing is the most dominant economic activity on the Balochistan coast where
both small-scale subsistence and large-scale commercial fishing is carried out.
Important fishing centers off Baluchistan coast include Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara
and Jiwani. Most fish catch of Baluchistan is exported to Sri Lanka,Japan and
UAE.
CROP FARMING:
In general Baluchistan plateau is an arid to semi-arid area which receives a small
amount of rainfall and there is a scarcity of fresh water thus due to the shortage of
water and uneven relief this area is not suitable for cultivation.
In a few areas of Khuzdar, Quetta and Pishin cultivation of various crops is
possible with the help of Karez irrigation system.
FRUIT FARMING:
One of the most important economic and farming activities of Baluchistan includes
Fruit farming. The main fruits grown are pomegranates, grapes, apples, plums,
apricots, peaches, almonds and dates - (Turbat in SW Baluchistan is famous for
dates) Most fruits produced in the areas are normally sent to large nearby markets
of Karachi, Hyderabad and to different cities of Punjab.
LIVESTOCK FARMING:
Small scale subsistence livestock farming is practised in Baluchistan where
Balochi people rear goats, sheep and camels to obtain milk, meat, skin and other
by-products.
Some large-scale commercial dairy farms are developed in and around Quetta city
to fulfil local requirement of meat and milk as well as to export their products to
Middle Eastern countries.
INDUSTRIES:
Although Baluchistan is rich in metallic and non-metallic minerals but due to
rugged terrain and lack of infrastructure faclities most minerals are unexplored,
which hinders industrial development in the area.
Some small-scale industries including cotton textile and woollen textile are
developed in and around.
Quetta to fulfil local demand of textile products which are Market oriented
ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF BALUCHISTAN PLATEAU:
MINERAL RESOURCES:
Large deposits of metallic and non-metallic minerals are found in Baluchistan
which can be explored and exploited with the development of infrastructure
facilities in the province such as roads, railways, electricity and communication
networks etc.
MARINE FISHING:
The Baluchistan coast is marked by a number of small fishing ports with one
recently developed large port of Gwadar which can contribute a lot to the economy
of Pakistan if provided with fish processing facilities and better means of transport
and communication.
AGRICULTURE:
Small scale agriculture in Baluchistan is mainly dependent on Karez irrigation
system and thus the productivity of land is very low. By constructing small dams
and reservoirs water can be stored for agricultural use while tube wells and canals
can be used to provide irrigation water for large scale cash crop farming.
Fruit farming can be further promoted in this area to increase exports and to fulfil
local demand of fruits in large cities of Pakistan.
Livestock farming can be encouraged on a large scale if the local people are
provided with counselling land livestock research facilities which can increase the
foreign exchange earnings through exports of livestock and their by-products.
MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING INDUSTRY:
Development of infrastructure including road and railway networks, power supply
lines and communication network can boost the mining activity in Baluchistan
which can attract a number of manufacturing and processing industries utilizing
locally produced raw materials such as cement industry, woolen textile industry,
leather industry etc.
FOREIGN TRADE:
The relative location of Baluchistan makes it very important area to conduct
foreign trade with neighbouring countries like Iran and Afghanistan as well as if
provided with proper transport infrastructure it can connect Pakistan to land
locked countries of Central Asia who can use the deep sea port of Gwadar for their
trade with outer world.China has already started using the Gwadar port under
CPEC agreement.

INDUS PLAIN
UPPER INDUS PLAIN (UIP):
RELIEF FEATURES:
Location: It lies to the north-eastern Pakistan covering an extensive area of
upper and central Punjab extending from Attock in the north to Mithan kot in the
south.
General terrain/appearance: Plain, flat, smooth, extensive, undulating land
including most parts of Punjab province.
The UIP has an altitude of 180m to 300m above sea level.
Most of the areas of UIP are dominated by alluvial soil brought by river Indus and
its eastern tributaries.
The five big rivers of Punjab drain this plain, and the land lies between two rivers
is called "Doab" / interfluves and thus there are four doabs on UIP.
DOABS are the lands between two rivers:
DOABS OF UPPER INDUS PLAIN:
1.Sind Sagar Doab - it lies between River Indus and River Jhelum covering areas
of Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Leah and Sargodha.
2.Chaj Doab - it lies between River Jhelum and River Chenab covering areas of
Gujrat, Jhang and Lieah districts.
3.Rachna Doab - it lies between River Chenab and River Ravi covering areas of
Sheikupura, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sialkot district.
4.Bari Doab - it lies between River Ravi and River Sutlej covering areas of Lahore,
Kasur, Sahiwal and Multan.
FEATURES OF DOAB:
Active Flood Plain:
Narrow strips of land on either side of a river. The land slopes or dips toward the
river. Generally, the height of the land varies from 2 - 3 m above river level.
It is also called 'bet' or 'khaddar'.
This land floods annually during the summer season. It is covered by recent
alluvium called 'khaddar soil'. It is characterized by levees, meanders and oxbow
lakes/dhands and dhoros
Old Flood Plain:
Away from active flood plain areas the land rises on the old flood plain.
The land slopes /dips towards the river.
Width or extents of the lands varies according to the size and flow of river.
Altitude of land ranges from 3 - 5 m
above river level.
It is also called 'bangar'. It inundates every 7 to 8 years during severe flooding. It
is covered by old alluvium called "bangar soil'.
It is characterized by meander scars, abandoned channels, remains of oxbow lakes
and braided
Bluff / Cliff / Escarpment:
Steep slope or cliff that separates old flood plain with the alluvial terrace.
It is represented by old ailuvium.
The general altitude varies from 7 - 8 m above river level.
Alluvial Terrace / Scalloped Interfluves / Bar Upland:
The land in the centre of a Doab rises to an elevated plain is called 'Bar' or
alluvial terrace. It is covered by old alluvium deposits. General altitude varies
from 10 - 12 m above river level.It is the most protected area from flooding due to
its altitude.
It is mostly cultivated by means of canals and tube wells.
Many parts of Bahawalpur plain have similar height as the bars of the doabs.
These areas lie within the boundary of Indus plain and have been reclaimed by
means of canal irrigation.
Followings are the various bars in different Doabs of Punjab;
Chaj Doab - Kirana Bar
Rachna Doab - Sandal Bar
Bari Doab - Ganii Bar and Nili Bar
Sandy Plain:
The land between river Indus and river Jhelum is called Sindh Sagar Doab which
is dominated by extensive sandy plains called Thal desert. It is covered with very
low and large number of sand dunes.
Dust storms are very common resulting in extensive soil erosion.
Piedmont Plains
• These plains lie between the foothills of the mountains and the old flood
plain of river.
• These plains are dominated bycoarserr materials includinggravels, pebbles
and sand eroded and deposited by the flowing river.
• Alluvial fans or cones are the dominating feature of piedmont plains.
• In the areas of low rainfall, high temperature and scares surface water
reservoirs, the alluvial fans are considered ideal for the construction of
Karez because of high groundwater table and softer material on the surface
which helps construction of Karez.
• On upper Indus plain, the piedmont plains are common in the north between
the foothills of Siwaliks and the old flood plain of river Jhelum while in the
west of upper Indus plain these plains are found between the foothills of
Waziristan and Sulaiman hills and the old flood plain of river Indus.
DRAINAGE FEATURES:
UPPER INDUS PLAIN
• The general slope of upper Indus plain is in southwest direction with a
gradient of 1m/5km.
• River Indus is the main perennial river of upper Indus plain with its width
varying from 1.3 - 1.4 km.
• The drainage is dominated by river Indus and its eastern tributaries namely
River Jhelum, River Chenab, River Ravi and River Sutlej. River Beas is a
tributary of River Sutlej in India.
• All eastern tributaries of River Indus including Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej
and Beas, join together at Punjnad to form Punjnad River which flows for
72km in southwest direction and joins river Indus tat Mithan Kot.
LOWER INDUS PLAIN (LIP):
RELIEF FEATURES:
Location:
It lies to the south of Upper Indus Plain covering an extensive area of Sindh
province extending from Mithankot in the north to Indus Delta in the south.
General terrain/appearance:
Plain, flat, smooth, extensive, undulating land including most parts of Sindh
province on either side of River Indus.
Active Flood Plains:
Similar features as active flood plain on upper Indus plain:
Old Flood Plains:
Similar features as the old flood plain on upper Indus plain.
Piedmont Plains:
Similar features as piedmont plain on upper Indus plain.
On lower Indus plain, the piedmont pains are located between the foothills of
Kirthar range and the old flood plain of river Indus.
Cuestas:
Cuestas are ridges with steep slopes on one side and gentle slopes on the other.
In Sindh or on lower Indus plain there are two Cuestas namely Ganjo Takkar near
Hyderabad and Rohri Cuestas in upper Sindh.
These Cuestas/ridges are made of limestone thus can be used as a source of raw
material (limestone) for cement and other associated industries.
They also provide firm foundations for the construction of barrages and also add
to the scenic beauty of the area.
Indus Delta:
A triangular piece of land where a river splits into distributaries and drains into
the open sea, is called Delta.
Delta is a depositional feature of an old age river thus Indus delta is dominated by
deposition of alluvium.
It starts from Thatta district, where river Indus splits into two major distributaries
namely Gujro and Ochito, which then drain Arabian Sea.
Estuaries are the seasonal lakes or depressions carrying saline water and formed
between the distributaries of Indus-on-Indus delta.
DRAINAGE FEATURES:
LOWER INDUS PLAIN:
• The lower Indus plain has southward slope with a gradient of 1m/10km.
River Indus flows alone as a gigantic perennial river with a width of nearly
1.6km.
• Nara River is a small eastern tributary of Indus that flows only during
summer season to drain monsoon rainfall into river Indus.
• South of Thatta, river Indus splits into distributaries to form its delta and
finally drains into Arabian
Sea.

HUMAN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ON INDUS PLAIN:

LUMBERING:
Upper and lower Indus plains are covered with extensive irrigated forest including
Changa Manga, Chichawatni, Khanewal and Hyderabad, thus lumbering or
extraction of wood for domestic and commercial purposes, is an important
economic activity gn Indus plain.
The Indus delta is covered with mangrove forests which supply firewood and
timber for the local population living along the coast.

MINING:
Rohri cuesta and Ganjo Takkar cuesta serve as source of limestone quarrying for
supplying raw material for cement industries.
Coal extraction from Thar coal field, located on lower Sindh area, is carried out
by a large number of focal people living on lower Indus plain. There are huge coal
deposits in Thar region
Natural gas extraction is carried out on upper Sindh area near the border of
Punjab. Important gas fields of Indus plain include Mari gas field and Khairpur
gas field etc.
Mineral oil extraction is an important economic activity on lower Sind region
where Laghari, Mazari and Dhabi are important oil drilling sites,
FISHING:
Inland freshwater fishing is practiced in rivers, lakes, canals and manmade
rectangular ponds to fulfill the local demand of fish and to sell it in other large
cities of different provinces of Pakistan.
Palls is the most popular fish of this region
CROP FARMING:
Cash crop farming or large-scale commercial farming is extensively practiced on
upper and lower Indus plains where geographical conditions are suitable for
cultivation.
Important crops producing areas of upper Indus plain include;
Wheat in Faisalabad and Jhang,
Rice in Sheikhupura and Gujranwala
Cotton in Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar while Sugar cane in Faisalabad.
Important crops producing areas of lower Indus plain;
Wheat in Nawabshah, Rice in Larkana, Cotton in Nawabshah and Sanghar while
Sugar cane in Nawabshah and Thatta.
FRUIT FARMING:
A large area of Indus plain is reserved for fruit farming in orchards such as;
Citrus fruits in Punjab namely Khanewal
Mangos in Multan and Rahimyar Khan
Dates in Khairpur and Jacobabad and Bananas in Ranipur and Hyderabad.
LIVESTOCK FARMING:
Large-scale commercial cattle farms are common which help produce meat and
milk for ever growir population of the country.
Buffalo is a very common and typical animal of the Indus plain, contributing a
major share in the milk and meat production.
A large number of goat farms are well distributed throughout the Indus plain
because it's easier and economically feasible to rear goats on open, flat land with
plenty of water and grass for grazing.
In the village economy apart from providing draft power in agriculture, livestock
also plays an important role by providing meat, milk, skin and other by-products
for family consumption as well as for sale purposes to earn money.
INDUSTRIES: The Indus plain has a number ofseconday industries distibuted
throughout the region of the upper and lower Indus plain. Most of the industries on
the Indus plain are agro-based industries, utilizing locally produced raw materials
such as cotton textile, sugar mills, wheat flour mills etc.
Important cottage craft industries of Indus plain include Bangle making, Jewellery
making and embroidery.
Important small-scale industries include sports goods industries, surgical
instrument industry, cutlery industry etc.
Important large-scale industries of Indus plain include cotton textile industry,
sugar mills, fertilizer industry, cement industry, Leather industry/Tannery etc.
Most industrial products are supplied to a large local market while others are
exported to other countries to earn foreign exchange.
TOURISM:
A number of natural, cultural and historical attractions have been made available
for tourism on the Indus plain.
Important natural attractions of Indus Plain include wildlife (blind Indus dolphin),
national parks (Kirthar national park) and bird sanctuaries (wetland centers and
freshwater lakes in Sindh).
A number of cultural attractions which have been developed on Indus plain as
tourist destination include archaeological sites such as Mehr Gahr (prehistoric),
Moen-jo-daro and Harappa (Indus Valley Civilisation), Taxila and Takht-i-Bhai
(Gandharan-Buddhist civilization).
Several important historical sites of Indus plain include Lahore fort, Badshahi
mosque, Shah Jahan Mosque, Shalimar gardens, Allama Iqbal's and Ranjit Singh's
tombs in Lahore, Sultan-sar-Mast's tomb near Sukkur, clock towers in Faisalabad
and Hyderabad etc.
Other important tourist destinations of Indus plain include Minar-e-Pakistan,
Chashma and Sukkur barrages, traditional crafts and bazaars such as Anarkali
bazaar and Food sfreet in tahore.
TRADE:
Indus plain being the most industrialized physical region of Pakistan, contribute a
major share in domestic and international markets.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION:
Infrastructure facilities including roads, railways, airways, water supply and
electricity are much easier to develop on Indus plain which encourages
industrialization and high population density in the region.

Vale of Peshawar
RELIEF AND DRAINAGE FEATURES:
The Vale of Peshawar is located in the western highlands of Pakistan.
It is surrounded by mountains from three side i.e., Hindu Kush to the north, Safed-
koh to the west and Waziristan hills to the south.
This plain valley consists of Peshawar and Mardan districts and it has been
formed by the alluvial sediments brought by Swat and Kabul rivers.
A large number of crops are cultivated with the help of irrigation canals taken
from Warsak dam on river Kabul.

DESERTS OF PAKISTAN
KHARAN DESERT:
RELIEF FEATURES:
Location:
It lies to the south-western part of Pakistan covering an extensive area of Kharan
district in north-western Baluchistan.
General Terrain/Relief Features:
Kharan is a rocky desert, located in northwestern Baluchistan.
The outcrop is dominated by bare rocks, lose soil with very little or no vegetation.
It covers an extensive area dominated by strong winds and the weathering of
rocks.
It experiences extremely arid conditions with less than 125 mm/year of rainfall.
Inhospitable climatic conditions with
Summer temperatures over 40°C and cool to cold winter make this area devoid of
natural vegetation.
Mining of metallic minerals including copper, gold and silver is an important
economic activity in Kharan district. Saindak Copper and Gold mines produce
metallic minerals mainly for export and some non-metallic minerals use within the
country.
THAL DESERT:
RELIEF FEATURES:
Location:
Thal desert is located on Sind Sagar doab in between river Indus and river Jhelum.
General Terrain/ Relief Features:
Thal is a sandy desert dominated by extensive sandy plains with arid climatic
conditions i.e., mean annual rainfall remains in between 125 to 250 mm per year.
Many parts of the desert are being converted to farmland by means of irrigation
through canals and tube wells.
Farming is the dominating occupation in the region, where depending on the
availability of irrigation water people grow a variety of crops including wheat.
SOUTH-EASTERN DESERT:
RELIEF FEATURES:
Location:
It is located to the southeast of Pakistan. It is further divided into three deserts
namely; Cholistan desert in south-eastern Punjab, Nara desert in north-eastern
Sind and Tharparkar desert in southeastern Sindh.
General Terrain:
Extensive strips sandy plains called 'Pattis'
Latitudinal and longitudinal rolling sand dunes.
Bare rocks with marks of weathering and wind erosion.
Lose soil with very little moisture in it.
Very sparse thorny and cactus type vegetation.
Broad inter-dunal valleys covered by lose sand.