1. Coal
Pakistan
newly discovered one low and four low-to-medium quality coal seams in the Punjab.
Low sulfur coal was recently reported at the Baluchistan
and near Islamabad. Bituminous,
sub-bituminous, and lignite coal have been found in Pakistan.
Coal reserves are estimated at 175 billion tons. This would equate to 618
billion barrels of crude oil. When compared to oil reserves his is more than
twice the amount of the top four countries. If At KSA’s current usage, the
reserves would last more than 200 years.
2. Soil
Soil is defined as that part of the unconsolidated material covering the
surface of the earth which supports plant growth. It has three major
constituents. (1) Solid Particles (Salts, mineral and organic matter), (2) air
and (3) water. The type of soil formed is a function of topography, climate
vegetation and the parent rocks from which the soil material is derived. Soil
material transported and deposited by running water is known as alluvium which
that transported and deposited by winds form aeolian soil. Soils formed in silt
are termed residual. Soil forming process is complex and continuous. As a
result, soils vary in their chemical composition colour, texture and organic
content place to place.
3. Water
Water is basic need of life. Human beings, animals and plants cannot live
without water. Water is essential for sustaining quality of life on earth. This
finite commodity has a direct bearing on almost all sectors of economy. In Pakistan
its importance is more than ordinary due to the agrarian nature of the economy.
The share of agricultural sector in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Pakistan
is about 25%. Since agriculture is the major user of water, therefore
sustainability of agriculture depends on the timely and adequate availability
of water. The increasing pressures of population and industrialization have
already placed greater demands on water, with an ever increasing number and
intensity of local and regional conflicts over its availability and use.
Historically, the high aridity index of the country is adding further to the
significance of water in development activities in Pakistan.
Though, once a water-surplus country with huge water-resources of the Indus
River System, Pakistan
is now a water-deficit country. Surface water-resources of Pakistan
are mainly based on the flows of the Indus
River and its tributaries. The Indus
River has a total length of 2900
kilometres (Km) and the drainage-area is about 9,66,000 sq.km. Five major
tributaries joining its eastern side are Jhelum, Chenab,
Ravi, Beas and Sutlej;
besides, three minor tributaries are the Soan, Harow, and Siran, which drain in
mountainous areas. The famous lakes of Pakistan
are Haleji Lake,
Hana Lake,
Keenjhar Lake,
Manchhar Lake,
Saiful Muluk
Lake.
4. Air/Winds
Air is very important for the existence of life because all living beings
respire through air. The air is composed of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide
etc. These are the base of existence of ever form of life on earth. The oxygen
in the air is essential for our life whereas other gases are necessary for
animal and plant life.
5. Forests
Forests are extensive, continuous areas of land dominated by trees. The forests
of Pakistan
reflect great physiographic, climate and edaphic contrasts in the country. The
desired level of forests is 20-30 percent of the total land of a country. In Pakistan
only about 4.8 percent of the total area is forested which is very low.
Forests are important in many different ways. From an ecological point of
view, they help to maintain a balance in the environment by checking pollution
and protecting the soil from erosion by wind or water and intercepting
rainfall, particularly on sloping ground. By preventing soil erosion, the trees
on the slopes of hills also regulate the supply of water to the reservoirs
thereby reducing floods.
Decomposition of leaves helps in humus formation, which maintains the
fertility of the soil. This ensures food supply to millions of people.
From a commercial and industrial point of view, forests provide raw
materials to various industries e.g. timber, pharmaceutical paper. They also
have recreational value, promote tourism and provide employment in the forest
department. The are many employment opportunities that depend on the forests.
The type and distribution of forests are closely linked to altitude. In
areas above the snow line, there is hardly any vegetation. Alpine forests grow
just below the snow line. From 1000 to 4000 meters, coniferous forests are
found. Below 1000 meters, only irrigated plantations have good species of wood.
6. Minerals and Power/Energy
Resources
Minerals and power resources are the foundation of economic development. They
help in giving an initial push to the raising of production in all sectors of
the economy. Pakistan
has a large variety of minerals some of which have Bubatantial reserves and
quite a few are of high quality. Besides rock salt, coal, iron, ore, limestone,
chromite, gypsum, marble, copper, magnetite and uranium useful deposits of
magnesite, sulphur, barites, china clay, bauxite, antimony ore, bentonite,
dolomite, fire clay, fluorite, fuller’s earth, phosphate rock, silica sand,
soap stone and molybdenum are found in the country development. Semi-autonomous
corporations under the Ministry of Petroleum and natural resources have been
set up for the purpose. These are the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation
(PMDC), the Resource Development Corporation (RDC) and the Geological Survey of
Pakistan (GSP).
Pakistan has
extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some
proven oil reserves, coal and a large hydropower potential. However, the
exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and
domestic political constraints. Domestic petroleum production totals only about
half the country’s oil needs, and the need to import oil has contributed to Pakistan’s
trade deficits and past shortages of foreign exchange.
The current government has announced that privatization in the oil and gas
sector is a priority, as is the substitution of indigenous gas for imported
oil, especially in the production of power. Pakistan
is a world leader in the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for personal
automobiles.
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