The tremors caused panic among the residents of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

According to the Seismological Centre, the earthquake struck at a depth of 102 kilometres.

The epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. The tremors were felt in major cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar as well as in surrounding areas.

Other affected areas include Swat, Malakan, Mardan, Haripur, Hangu, Phalia, Taxila, Wah Cantt, and the districts of Mohmand, Shangla and Mirpur in Azad Kashmir.

According to area residents, strong jolts forced them to rush out of their homes.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that no casualties or property damage have been reported so far.

According to a PDMA spokesperson, they are in contact with the administration of all the affected districts to assess the situation.

The PDMA has urged citizens to contact their helpline at 1700.