The document summarizes the major geographic features of Pakistan, including plains, plateaus, and deserts. It describes the Indus Plain and its tributaries, and divides the Indus Plain into three sections: the Upper Indus Plain, Lower Indus Plain, and Indus Deltaic Plain. It also discusses the Potwar Plateau, Salt Range, Balochistan Plateau, Thal Desert, Cholistan Desert, and Nara and Thar Deserts. The document provides details on the locations, elevations, soils, irrigation, and other characteristics of each of these key geographic regions in Pakistan.

1. Plains, Plateaus
and Deserts in
Pakistan
Made By: Aqsa Manzoor
Discipline: Bs(hons) Zoology
Semester I
Roll No: 2180

2. Subject:
Pakistan Studies
Submitted to:
Ma’am Zarmina

3. The Indus Plain
River Indus is the largest river of our country.
After originating from Lake Mansarowar in
Tibet (China), it passes through Himalayas and
enters Pakistan near Gilgit. It's main Eastern
tributaries are Sutlaj, Bias, Ravi, Chenab and
Jehlum.
All the plain areas of our country have existed by
the sediment bought by River Indus and it’s
tributaries.

4. Plains in Pakistan
Indus Plains In Pakistan:
1. The Upper Indus Plain
2. The Lower Indus Plain
3. The Indus Deltaic Plain

6. The Upper Indus Plain
It is the region from Attock to Mithankot i.e.
most of the areas of Punjab Province. The upper
indus plain has a height from 180m to 300m. Five
big rivers of Punjab drain this plain and cover it
with alluvial soils but some dry hills known as
“Kirana hills” appear near Sargodha, Chiniot and
Sangla. The general slope of the land is from
northeast to southwest. The northeastern part is
flood plain and the piedmont area is marked by
numerous streams and torrents.

8. The Lower Indus Plain
This plain includes the area from Mithankot
(junction of river indus and it’d eastern
tributaries) to Thatta. It is a level alluvial plain
and is very fertile but rainfall is scanty so
agricultural activities are limited. The northwest
areas of the plain are suffering from water logging
and salinity.
The sindh plain forms the major part of the lower
indus plain and the Rohri ridge of limestone is
it’s most outstanding feature

10. The Kachhi-Sibi Plain
The kachhi-Sibi plain is bounded on the north
by the Marri-Bugti ranges, and on the west
by Kalat ranges. This plain is arid waste,
and most of it is barren, and cultivation is
not possible without irrigation.

11. The Deltaic Plain
It begins from north-east of Thatta and covers an
area between 20 to25 Sq. miles. A coastal strip of
10-40 km wide is flooded at high tide and contains
mangrove swamps. The deltaic soils are formed of
sub-recent alluvium and estuarine deposits.
The eastern region is the Rann of Kutch, a saline
marshy land. Due to slow drainage conditions,
Stalinization is the most active process in deltaic
area.

14. Doabs and Bar Uplands
Doabs
1. Bari Doab
2. Rachna Doab
3. Chaj Doab
4. Sindh-sagar
Doab
Bar Uplands
1. Nilli Bar
2. Ganji Bar
3. Sandal Bar
4. Kirana Bar

15. Plateaus In Pakistan
Plateaus:
1. The Salt Range
2. Potwar Plateau
3. Balochistan Plateau

16. The Salt Range
The areas of Salt Range begins in the east near
Jehlum in the Joggi Tilla and the Bakralla
Ridges, and runs southwest to the north of river
Jehlum for some distance before turning north-
west to cross the Indus near Kalabagh. The
average height of the range is about 2000ft.
The Khwera Salt Mines are the biggest salt
mines in the world and produce the best quality
of salt.

18. Potwar Plateau
North of the salt range the area of Rawalpindi,
Jehlum and Mianwali districts are known as
Potwar Plateau. It is an area of about
18000sq.kilometers with an elevation of 300-600
meters. This plateau is drained by River soan and
has a typical bad-land topography. It is not
suitable for agricultural activities but most of our
country’s minerals like mineral oil, coal, lime
stone etc are found here.

20. The Balochistan Plateau
This plateau, which lies in the west of the Sulaiman-
Kirthar mountains is covered with dry hills which
run from northeast to southwest. The Toba Kakar
and Chaghai Ranges in north separate it from
Afghanistan. River Zhob and Gomal flow through
it.
This area is rich in coal, iron and chromite deposits
but is not suitable for cultivation due to scarcity of
water and uneven topography.

22. Deserts In Pakistan
Deserts:
1. Thal Desert
2. Cholistan Desert
3. Nara and Tharparker
Deserts

23. Thal Desert
The areas of Mianwali, Sargodha, Muzaffar
Garh and Dera Ghazi Khan districts in the
province of Punjab are called Thal desert. Here
rainfall is very low and large number of sand
dunes are found. Although a large area has been
irrigated by canals but still many parts of the
desert are barren.

24. Cholistan Desert
The south border of our
Bahawalpur division is known as
Cholistan. In fact, it is a part of
Rajhistan desert situated in India,
due to shortage of rainfall these areas
have become dry barren lands. This
area is known for it’s rich desert
culture of husk huts, camels, festivals
and the Rajasthani dresses!

25. Nara And Thar Deserts
The southern border areas of Khairpur districts in
Sindh is known as Nara desert and border areas of
Mirpur Khas and Sanghar districts are called
Thar deserts. These are the driest parts of our
country. Here rainfall is lowest except for the
barren land with huge sand dunes and some
scattered, stunted, thorny bushes, nothing can be
seen.