Natural Resources Of Pakistan
- Natural resources play an important and vital role in economic welfare and uplift of the country . The natural resources provide a formidable edifice by the nature with vast quantity of natural resourcesQuaid .e.Azam said;
“Pakistan has become reality. It is endowed with vast natural resources. Now mush depends upon its people to exploit and make use of them by putting in incessant hard work and honest labour.”
1- Mineral Resources
- Rich deposits in Pakistan
- Need to explore and exploit
(1) Iron Ore
- Kalabagh, Mianwali, Sakesar
- Haripur, chirtral
- Chagi, Khuzdar, Nok Kundi
- 450 m Tons
- Insufficient for century needs
- Proposal of steel at Naukhandi
(2) Copper
- Used in electric goods, coins, utensils
- Saindak in Chagi
- Hopes of producing sufficient copper in coming years
(3) Rock Salt
- Largest deposits in world
- Salt range discovered before Mughals
- Khewra, Warcha, Kohat
- Extraction from sea water
(4) Chromite
- Used in making stainless steel, yes, instruments and photography
- Muslim Bagh, Chagi, Kharan
- Malakand and Mohmand agency
(5) Gypsum
- Used in cement, fertilizers, plaster of paris and paints
- Used in check salinity and water logging
- Jhelum, Mianwali, D.G. Khan
- Quetta and Sibbi
- Kohat, D.I.Khan
- Dadu, Sanghar
(6) Sulphur
- Chemical and match industry
- Chagi, Mardan, Khairpur
- Not self sufficient
(7) Marble
Peshawar, Chitral, Mardan, Naushehra
Rich variety of colours
2- Energy Resources
(1) Coal
- Coal mining started in 1887
- Inferior quality coal used in brick making
- Also used in railway engines and domestically
- Khudhab, Khewra, Dandot
- Makarwal, the largest and most superior
- Harnal, quetta- Sibi railway station
- Meeting, jhimpir, Lakhra
- LCDC (PMD 30%, WAPDA 20%, Sindh 20%, private sector 30%)
(2) Oil
- Four oil fields at independence
- Possibilities of more discoveries
- Johaya Mir
- Discovered by AOC in 1944 Balkasar
- West of Joya Mir and drilled by AOC in 1945
- Karsal
- North – west of Balkasar and discovered after independence
- Rut, Meyal, Sarang
- Located in Attock disrict
- Discovered in 1968, 69, 70
- Major oil producing fields
(3) Natural Gas
- Discovered at Sui in 1952
- Uch, Khairpur, Jacob Abad
- 80% from Sui, the largest in world
- Fertilizer factories use 20%, cement 11% and others 25%
- Power stations at Karachi, Multan, Hyderabad and Faisal Abad
(4) Nuclear Energy
- KANUPP in 1971
- Capacity of 137 MW
- CHASHNUPP in 1999
(5) Thermal Electricity
- 58 %
(6) Hydro Electric Power
- Tarbela, Mangla, Warsak
- Others in progress
- 42%
3- Forests
- Important and various uses
- 5 % area of Pakistan is under forests, where it must be 20%
- Two kinds;
- Natural Forests
- Forests of northern areas i.e. Chitral, Dir, Swat , Deodar , Chir
- Baluchistan hill forests in Quetta and Qallat
- The river an or Bola forests
- Artificial Forests
- Changa Manga, Chicha Watni, Wan Bachran(Thal)