Powerful quake jolts Islamabad, Pindi and northern areas of country

An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude shook twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) early Sunday morning, creating panic in people who rushed out of their homes reciting Kalimae Tayyaba, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Besides Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the quake also jolted Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, Mirpur and Neelum Valley in AJK, different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chitral, Dir, Swat and Abbottabad, and Faisalabad, Shakargarh, Chiniot in Punjab.   

Pakistan Meteorological Department said the epicenter of the earthquake was Afghanistan-Tajikistan border while its depth was 223 kilometers.

Reporters: Rozeena Ali and Safeer Raza