Separatists attack main gas pipelines again
This is the second such attack in one week; protests erupt across the province.
QUETTA:
The main pipelines supplying gas to Quetta and eight other districts of Balochistan were blown up for the second time this week late on Wednesday night.
The pipelines are located in Nasirabad and Dera Bugti and were blown up three days ago as well, leaving thousands of residential and industrial consumers without gas supply.
After the incident, law enforcement personnel reached the site and cordoned off the area. The fire was brought under control after 17 hours, an official said.
The Sui Southern Gas Company, which owns the pipelines, has not given any specific timeframe for restoration of gas supply to Quetta and other districts. Officials say it could take up to two days.
A senior police officer said that no police was deputed in the area where gas pipelines were attacked by militants. “Merely two or three Levies personnel are usually deployed there,” he said.
In Dera Bugti district, unidentified men planted explosive material two pipelines and detonated them. Supply from several gas-wells was disrupted.
Banned militant outfit Baloch Republican Army (BRA) claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Suspension of gas has severely affected life for the people, as temperatures have plummeted to minus five to minus eight degrees Celsius with light rain in parts of Balochistan.
Meanwhile, Quetta and 14 other districts in Balochistan are facing a power crisis as electricity supply remained disrupted for the fifth consecutive day. Power was suspended after four pylons of main transmission lines were attacked in the Aab-e-Gum area.
“It will take four days to repair the 132-KV tower and six days to repair the 220-KV tower,” said a spokesperson for the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco). He said that shortfall has surpassed 1,010 MW in Balochistan as the Habibullah Coastal Power Plant was also affected by disruption of gas supply.
People in Kalat staged a protest demonstration on National Highway disrupting flow of traffic for several hours while in Quetta, dozens of people, chanting slogans against the authorities, burnt tyres on Sirki Road.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2011.
The main pipelines supplying gas to Quetta and eight other districts of Balochistan were blown up for the second time this week late on Wednesday night.
The pipelines are located in Nasirabad and Dera Bugti and were blown up three days ago as well, leaving thousands of residential and industrial consumers without gas supply.
After the incident, law enforcement personnel reached the site and cordoned off the area. The fire was brought under control after 17 hours, an official said.
The Sui Southern Gas Company, which owns the pipelines, has not given any specific timeframe for restoration of gas supply to Quetta and other districts. Officials say it could take up to two days.
A senior police officer said that no police was deputed in the area where gas pipelines were attacked by militants. “Merely two or three Levies personnel are usually deployed there,” he said.
In Dera Bugti district, unidentified men planted explosive material two pipelines and detonated them. Supply from several gas-wells was disrupted.
Banned militant outfit Baloch Republican Army (BRA) claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Suspension of gas has severely affected life for the people, as temperatures have plummeted to minus five to minus eight degrees Celsius with light rain in parts of Balochistan.
Meanwhile, Quetta and 14 other districts in Balochistan are facing a power crisis as electricity supply remained disrupted for the fifth consecutive day. Power was suspended after four pylons of main transmission lines were attacked in the Aab-e-Gum area.
“It will take four days to repair the 132-KV tower and six days to repair the 220-KV tower,” said a spokesperson for the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco). He said that shortfall has surpassed 1,010 MW in Balochistan as the Habibullah Coastal Power Plant was also affected by disruption of gas supply.
People in Kalat staged a protest demonstration on National Highway disrupting flow of traffic for several hours while in Quetta, dozens of people, chanting slogans against the authorities, burnt tyres on Sirki Road.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 11th, 2011.