"The president... has called for swift and concerted international efforts to deal with this massive natural disaster," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Musharraf expressed his profound shock over the severity and destruction of the earthquakes and offered Pakistan's help in "containing and mitigating the widespread suffering."

Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also expressed his "deepest sympathies" to the victims and their families in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand, where thousands of people have died or have been reported missing.

"Pakistan would do its utmost in providing relief to the affected countries," Aziz said.

Musharraf and Aziz also sent separate condolence messages to their Indian, Sri Lankan and Maldivian counterparts.

Foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan said Pakistan will send a consignment of relief goods comprising tents, medicines and water to Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Meteorological department officials told AFP that no part of this South Asian country felt any tremors by the massive earthquake that caused widespread damage in neighbouring India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

South Asia was the worst hit region, with at least 2,000 deaths reported by Sri Lanka and India.

The quake, one of the largest in history and measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale, struck in the Indian ocean southwest of Aceh province on Sumatra island.