ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday expressed solidarity with Myanmar and Thailand after a powerful earthquake killed more than 150 people and injured hundreds in the two Southeast Asian countries.
The shallow 7.7-magnitude tremor hit northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar in the early afternoon, and was followed minutes later by a 6.4-magnitude aftershock.
The quake flattened buildings, downed bridges, and cracked roads across swathes of Myanmar, and even demolished a 30-story skyscraper under construction hundreds of kilometers (miles) away in Bangkok.
The Foreign Office in Islamabad said the Pakistani people were saddened by the heartbreaking news of the devastating earthquake and their thoughts were with everyone impacted by this tragedy.
“We applaud the courageous individuals and emergency responders who are working diligently on the ground to deliver rescue and relief efforts. Their bravery and commitment during this urgent time are truly admirable,” it said.
“We express our solidarity with the governments and communities affected during this challenging period. May strength and resilience lead those impacted toward healing and recovery.”
While the full extent of the catastrophe is yet to emerge, the leader of isolated Myanmar, in the grip of a civil war, issued a rare plea for international aid.
Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said 144 people had been killed, with 732 confirmed injured, but warned the toll was “likely to rise.” Eight deaths have been confirmed so far in Thailand, with more expected.
“In some places, some buildings collapsed,” he said in a televised speech. “I would like to invite any country, any organization, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help. Thank you.”
Across the border in Thailand, a 30-story skyscraper under construction collapsed to a tangled heap of rubble and dust in a matter of seconds.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said eight dead bodies have been recovered and, with between 90 and 110 people unaccounted for, the toll is expected to rise.
“We see several dead bodies under the rubble. We will take time to bring the bodies out to avoid any further collapses,” he told reporters.
Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the center of the country, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination.

KARACHI: Pakistan witnessed a growth of 12% in the volume of retail digital payment transactions from Oct. till Dec. 2024 on a year-on-year basis, the Pakistani central bank said, attributing it to the largescale use of mobile banking and e-wallet services.
Retail transactions witnessed an 11% increase in volume, reaching 2,143 million, while the value of transactions increased by 12% to Rs154 trillion, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
The growth in value was primarily driven by mobile banking app payments, and Internet banking payments, and over-the-counter (OTC) transactions at bank branches.
“Digital payment channels processed 88% of all retail transactions by volume, with mobile app-based banking playing a crucial role,” the SBP said in its quarterly report issued on Friday.
“These platforms which includes mobile banking apps, branchless banking (BB) wallets, and e-Money wallets, collectively processed 1,450 million transactions worth PKR 24 trillion, marking a 12% increase in volume and 28% increase in value.”
Pakistan, with a population of 240 million, is home to one of the world’s largest unbanked populations, with around 64% of its adult population having a bank account, according to central bank figures. The South Asian country has lately undertaken several reforms to document and digitize economy and broaden its tax base.
The number of users leveraging digital banking services also saw a steady rise in the second quarter of this fiscal year, according to the SBP.
“Mobile banking app users grew to 21 million (↑7%), e-Money and BB wallet users increased to 4.7 million (↑13%) and 64.3 million (↑7%) respectively, while Internet banking users reached 13.3 million (↑7%),” it said.
Digital e-commerce transactions increased by 30% in volume to 152 million, amounting Rs193 billion, up by 32%, according to central bank figures.
The SBP-operated Raast Instant Payment System processed 296 million transactions, while the Real-time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) registered a 19% increase in large-value transactions.
The central bank said Pakistan’s transition toward a digital economy was being driven by the SBP’s strategic initiatives and collaborative efforts of banks, fintechs, and payment service providers, and it was committed to further fostering financial inclusion and enhancing payment efficiency for individuals and businesses.