Supply suspended: Balochistan without gas for third day

Supply was suspended after an 18-inch diameter gas pipeline was blown up twice near the troubled Dera Bugti region.

QUETTA: As temperatures continue to plummet in Balochistan, gas supply remained suspended for the third consecutive day in the province on Sunday causing serious inconvenience to people. Despite repeated claims by officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) that supply will be restored within hours, residents in the provincial capital Quetta kept waiting for gas supply resumption. Supply to Quetta, Kalat, Mastung, Pishin, Ziarat and other districts was suspended about three days ago after an 18-inch diameter gas pipeline was blown up twice near the troubled Dera Bugti region. But despite the lapse of three days, the damaged pipeline has not been repaired. According to an SSGC official, repair work has begun after security clearance. He claimed that the pipeline fixing will take a few hours. Quetta’s residents, meanwhile, faced great difficulty in going about their normal activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2012.