Strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake jolts Islamabad, parts of Punjab and KP

A strong earthquake shook Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday night, prompting authorities to launch precautionary checks even as no immediate reports of casualties or major damage emerged. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the earthquake struck at 9:13pm and measured between 6.3 and 6.2 in magnitude. The department said the quake originated in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region at a depth of 190 kilometres, an area known for seismic activity that is often felt across Pakistan.

Some felt the jolts to be intense enough to serve as a reminder of the devastating 2005 earthquake.

The tremors were reported in Islamabad, Chitral, Peshawar, Swat, Shangla and a number of others across the northwest, sending residents out of homes and buildings in fear. In the federal capital, the shaking was described as intense enough to trigger an immediate response from the police.

🚨 A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Hindu Kush region Friday evening, the PMD says. Tremors felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Swat and nearby areas. No damage reported yet. pic.twitter.com/adNpnqeUPc

— Pakistan TV Digital (@PakistanTVcom) April 3, 2026

Islamabad Inspector General of Police Ali Nasir Rizvi directed officers across the city to assess the situation in their assigned areas and ensure a swift response to any emergency. He also instructed officials to relay situation reports from their jurisdictions without delay so that any developing incident could be addressed quickly.

International monitoring agencies recorded the event somewhat differently. The United States Geological Survey reported a 5.8-magnitude earthquake south of Jurm in Afghanistan, reflecting the slight variations that can appear in early seismic readings issued by different agencies.

Emergency teams put on alert, no major losses reported so far

In Rawalpindi, Rescue 1122 officials said no casualties or emergency situations had been reported in the immediate aftermath of the quake. Similar updates came from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where rescue authorities said tremors were felt in multiple districts but no distress calls had yet been received by the control room.

A spokesperson for Rescue 1122 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said districts including Peshawar experienced the tremors, but the situation remained calm, with no confirmed reports of injuries or structural collapse at the time of the update.

Punjab authorities also said the province had not recorded any loss of life or property in the aftermath of the earthquake. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said tremors were felt in Lahore, Mianwali, Jhang, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, the Potohar region, Sargodha and several other districts.

Officials said inspections of public and government buildings were under way to determine whether the shaking had caused any hidden structural damage. The PDMA added that its provincial control room, along with district emergency operation centres, remained active around the clock to respond to any developing situation.

Residents were urged to stay alert and report any earthquake-related damage to the PDMA helpline. Earlier in the day, seismic activity had also been recorded in the broader region, with the German Research Centre for Geosciences reporting a 5.5-magnitude earthquake near the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border.