No major earthquake in Islamabad: Met Office
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Meteorological office refuting rumours of a major earthquake in Islamabad has said that commenting on the future seismic zoning of Islamabad at this stage is premature and at this point that no major earthquake has occurred in Islamaba Met Office spokesman said during last 24 hours, 25 aftershocks have been recorded and their centers were in the area 30-40 Km northwest of Muzaffarabad. Out of these two aftershocks were significant.
First aftershock was recorded at 0029hours PST whose magnitude was 5.2 while another aftershock occurred at 0544 hours PST whose magnitude was 4.9 and both was felt in Mansehra he added. He also said so far 896 aftershocks have been recorded. Frequency of these aftershocks is decreasing gradually and these are likely to continue for another 2-3 weeks.
He said magnitude of normal pattern because all major earthquakes are followed by aftershocks activity. In fact positive aspects of these aftershocks is that they help in decreasing the energy build up in the earthquake affected area and reduce the chances to another major earthquake to occur in the same region he added. These are rumours that some major earthquake is predicted with specific date and time to hit Islamabad or Karachi.
In this connection it is informed that such rumours are spreading off and no in different cities. Met office therefore wants to make it very clear that there is no such technology or instrumentation available in the world, which can predict earthquake with specific date, time and place. He said the large earthquake will take large amount of time the reason is that it takes decades or even centuries to build that much huge amount of energy, which is needed for major/great earthquake to occur.
He also said that the center of the aftershocks has in fact shifted further away from Islamabad. Out of more than 800 aftershocks recorded so far the center of only one minor earthquake of magnitude 3.4 was close to Islamabad. He added such a situation is hardly significant because such minor seismic activity occasionally may take place in any part of the country including Islamabad. Seismic zoning of any region is mainly based on the past earthquakes and seismic records of this area. After every major earthquake, seismic zoning of the region is normally recomputed and redefined.