BEIJING, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday sent a message of sympathy to his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari over a major earthquake that has killed at least 160 people in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province.

    Hu said in the message that he was shocked upon hearing the news of the earthquake and felt pain over the great casualties and property loss in Pakistan.

People search for survivors at the ruined houses in the worst-hit Ziarat area in southwestern Pakistan's Balochistan province, Oct. 29, 2008. At least 160 people died as an earthquake hit southwestern Pakistan's Balochistan province early Wednesday morning.

The Chinese people are very sympathetic to the victims of the earthquake in Pakistan as they themselves are still recovering from a magnitude-8 quake that rocked China's Sichuan province in May, Hu said.

    The Chinese president extended his condolences to the victims and expressed the belief that the Pakistani people will overcome the difficulties and rebuild their homeland.

    Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also sent sympathy messages to their Pakistani counterparts on the same day.

    At least 160 people were killed and many others were injured in a major earthquake that hit Pakistan's Balochistan province early Wednesday morning.