Earthquake jolts Pakistan amid rising tensions with India

Hyderabad: A magnitude 4.0 earthquake rattled parts of Pakistan in the early hours of Saturday, sending tremors through an already tense region. The quake struck at 1:44 a.m., according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), which confirmed the epicentre lay 10 kilometres below the surface.

This latest seismic jolt marks the fourth earthquake in the region in recent weeks. On May 5, a slightly stronger tremor measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale was recorded. Pakistan, located at the confluence of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, is prone to frequent and sometimes intense seismic activity. The fault lines that run beneath Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan make these regions especially vulnerable.

As news of the quake surfaced, social media buzzed with commentary linking the natural disaster to the country’s increasing hostility towards India. Some online users described it as “nature’s retaliation” amid Pakistan’s alleged aggression.

Tensions have been steadily escalating following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where tourists were gunned down—an incident that sparked outrage across India. The demand for a firm crackdown on terrorism grew louder, prompting swift military response.

On the night of May 6 and into the early hours of May 7, India launched “Operation Sindoor”, reportedly deploying 24 missiles to destroy nine terror camps across the border. The precision strikes reportedly targeted and neutralised multiple militant hideouts.

Retaliation came swiftly from the other side. Beginning May 8, Pakistan attempted to carry out coordinated strikes on fifteen Indian cities using drones and missiles. However, Indian defence systems successfully intercepted and neutralised all incoming threats, averting any major damage.