Picture used for illustrative purposes.

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook parts of Pakistan and the Himalayan region of Kashmir early Tuesday, panicking residents, AP reported.

There were no immediate reports of damage, officials said.

The epicentre of the quake was in southwestern Kashmir, a region that is divided between neighboring India and Pakistan.

According to the National Seismic Monitoring Centre in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, the depth of the tremors was 20 kilometres. Shaking was felt across much of Pakistan, including Islamabad, some areas in the eastern Punjab northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces bordering Afghanistan.

Associated Press