5.6-magnitude earthquake jolts Islamabad, parts of KP

Published
An image of earth affected by earthquake. — Reuters/File
An image of earth affected by earthquake. — Reuters/File

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Islamabad and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday.

The tremors were felt in Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, Swabi, Bajaur, Mardan, Charsadda and Mansehra, DawnNewsTV reported, adding that they were also felt in Islamabad.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the quake struck at 4:12pm at a depth of 114 kilometres. It said the earthquake’s epicentre was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region.

The department also added that the quake was felt in Islamabad, Swat, Peshawar and Chitral. Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region.

Last week, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted parts of KP, with tremors felt in Shangla, Swat, Mardan, Swabi and Nowshera.

Opinion

Editorial

AJK violence
Updated 16 Jul, 2026

AJK violence

Violent confrontations have claimed some 30 lives of both security personnel and protesters since last month.
Deadly lapses
16 Jul, 2026

Deadly lapses

PAKISTAN has investigated too many HIV outbreaks over the past decade to still be surprised by the causes. The ...
Doomed tax initiative
16 Jul, 2026

Doomed tax initiative

THE FBR’s draft simplified tax regime for small shopkeepers is the latest in a long line of attempts to persuade...
Beyond declarations
Updated 15 Jul, 2026

Beyond declarations

States that fail to harness the talents of half their population limit their own growth and resilience.
A timely authority
15 Jul, 2026

A timely authority

EVERY summer now seems to bring fresh warnings from Pakistan’s northern mountains. This week was no different, ...
India voter purge
15 Jul, 2026

India voter purge

AFTER over 12 years of BJP rule, minorities in India — particularly its Muslims — face fascist thuggery at the...