ISLAMABAD: A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Pakistan on Friday night, with tremors felt across Islamabad, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department’s National Seismic Monitoring Centre, the quake was recorded at 9:13pm PST at a depth of 190 kilometres. The epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan.
Strong tremors were reported in several major cities, including Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and Skardu, as well as Murree, Taxila, Faisalabad and Multan.
In Punjab, the quake was felt in multiple districts including Sargodha, Chakwal, Jhelum and Mianwali, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, residents of Nowshera, Swat, Abbottabad, Mardan and other areas reported tremors.
Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir also experienced shaking in areas such as Gilgit, Diamer, Bhimber and Neelum Valley.
No significant damage or casualties have been reported so far.
Tremors were also felt beyond Pakistan’s borders, including in Kabul and New Delhi, according to witnesses.
Pakistan lies along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it prone to seismic activity. The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes in the past, including the 2005 Kashmir earthquake 2005, which killed more than 73,000 people and left millions homeless.
Experts say the mountainous terrain in many affected regions complicates rescue operations, underscoring the need for preparedness and effective disaster response systems.
