5.6-magnitude earthquake jolts Islamabad, Pindi, parts of KP

• No immediate reports of casualties or damage.
• In KP, tremors felt in Malakand, Lower Dir, Swat.
• Buner, Shangla, Swabi also experienced quake.
  

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab on Friday, with tremors felt in several cities, including Peshawar and Islamabad.

The quake's epicentre was located in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region at a depth of 73 kilometres, the seismological centre said.

No immediate reports of casualties or damage have been received so far.

In KP, tremors were also felt in Malakand and Lower Dir, while residents in Hangu, Kohat, Bajaur and Swat also experienced quake.

Tremors were also felt in Buner, Shangla and North Waziristan, Swabi and Upper Dir.

Pakistan's susceptibility to earthquakes stems from its location along the boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. The country has experienced multiple devastating quakes in recent decades.

On January 19, 2025, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake rattled Islamabad, Swat, and Hunza, while the 2005 quake in Azad Kashmir killed over 73,000 people and left millions homeless. Balochistan also suffered in 2021, when a quake in Harnai killed at least 20 people and hampered rescue operations due to landslides.

Experts warn that the rugged terrain of Pakistan’s earthquake-prone areas complicates relief efforts and makes preparedness critical. The recent tremors in KP and Punjab serve as a reminder of the ongoing seismic threat in the region.