Along the northern margin of the India-Eurasia convergent boundary is the Main Himalayan Thrust which accommodates north–south continental collision.

Thrust faulting in the Hindu Kush and Himalaya region is the direct result of the plate interaction.

In the Balochistan region, the convergence is highly oblique, involving the large Chaman Fault; a left-lateral strike-slip structure.

While a large portion of the boundary is accommodated by strike-slip faulting, the region also hosts the Sulaiman fold and thrust belt.

[4] At the location of the earthquake, the loss of salt on the decollement led to increased friction and seismic strain.