An Express News screengrab showing the damaged pipeline.
SNGPL claims insurgents from Balochistan blew up the pipelines overnight. However, police have not yet verified if this was an attack or a result of negligence on the part of SNGPL maintenance team working in the area.
Most of the province is now without gas because of the explosion.
Police said they have gathered evidence from the site and waiting for the analysis report before they can confirm the exact nature of the explosion.
Ayub Bajwa, the emergency manager on duty for SNGPL in Islamabad, said this was the first time insurgents have blown all three pipelines simultaneously. "They used to just blow up one here or there," he said.
The pipelines are large - 24, 18 and 16 inches in diameter. It will take at least two days to repair them, Bajwa said.
During that time, millions of Pakistanis will be unable to heat their homes or run their factories.
Spokesperson for the banned Baloch Republican Army (BRA) Sarbaz Baloch said his group had blown up the pipelines near Rahim Yar Khan, about 600 km south of Islamabad.
COMMENTS (42)
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1726722687-0/Express-Tribune-Web-(9)1726722687-0-270x192.webp "instability hurts progress cm punjab")
@Truth_Prevails - "If India had signed for the IPI pipeline, BRA/BLA wouldnt have blown it. "
Had you signed for merger with India in 1947, you wouldn't have been blow apart either.
@Imran Ahmed - " think we should open up an office for BRA in Islamabad, give them immunity from the Police/ drones/lawsuits and invite them for tea, biscuits and negotiations while another lot of them is actively encouraged to continue destroying other stuff"
Just give them their land and country.. That will be more than enough. No need for tea, biscuits.
Pakistan should allow the Baloch the right to self-determination, the same rights that Pakistan has been parroting for the Kashmiris. Why not?
@Zarb e Hanood:
"Freedom and Self Determination for Balochistan cannot be denied. I do hope that the Indian Consulates in Afghanistan and Iran are providing all available diplomatic and moral support to the people of Balochistan in their struggle for freedom and self determination."
@Truth_Prevails: "@PeaceMonger: If India had signed for the IPI pipeline, BRA/BLA wouldnt have blown it."
Baniyas, Shias, Yahoodis and Yankees, All in it together !!!!!!!!!
Punjab the master of Pakistan...has to depend on other provinces for every thing...
Balochis have suffered many injustices. Most of them at the hands of their hereditary aristocrats. If they would remove their own rotting head they would get all their rights. Separation will hurt their children more than ours although both will suffer. However they have the same right of self determination as Kashmiris.
So there are 3 gas pipelines supply Baloch gas to punjabis while there is no piped gas supply in all of Balochistan!
Interesting!!!!
Arent they your boys gone astra? Why dont u talk to them. Pl provide helicopters so that they can meet your committee.
This is what happens when Punjab denies rights of Baluchistan.
@Moiz Omar:
Part Baluch isn't good enough. Why don't we let full Baluchis decide what they want?
@ET, why do you call them insurgent. They are freedom fighters.
@Zarb e Hanood: I am part Baloch but a proud Pakistani. Balochistan is an integral part of Pakistan.
Although I condemn these actions severely, perhaps it's time Pakistan's Punjab based government gave out Baloch brothers done of their rights
@ Zain.... Like the demanded operation ever gonna happen. Long Live Sick Political Ideology in Pakistan
True Freedom = Freedom should not only be free; it should seen to be free
Why BLA / BRA guys are not called terrorist, only 'insurgents' ?
Why no demand of military operation against BLA / BRA ?
I've never really liked a BRA. Ever!
Pipeline gets blown up due to BRA - so no gas for Punjab okay i have a dirty mind :/
I think we should open up an office for BRA in Islamabad, give them immunity from the Police/ drones/lawsuits and invite them for tea, biscuits and negotiations while another lot of them is actively encouraged to continue destroying other stuff. Let us also televise their speeches, maybe someone from PTI can help them get organised and teach them media savvy?
And what did the Baloch insurgents achieve for themselves by doing this? Absolutely nothing. Total garbage from the BRA.
most of Balochistan is without gas since the discovery of gas at sui in 1952
@Paki:
You mean if they don’t like their gas being stolen by the big province they deserve to be punished for this? Then what with the support for Kashmiris?
The BRA claim to suffer
What about making the innocent 10 million population suffer due to their act..
How can they ever justify this ?
@SKChadha: I am sure it was sarcasm? :|
Someone rightly said "pakistan sambhala nahi jata aur kashmir chahiye inhe" :)
@ SK Chadha
Your take on geography and level of intellect is mind blowing. How can gas pipelines bypass Balchistan ? Overhead through India perhaps?
Freedom and Self Determination for Balochistan cannot be denied.
I do hope that the Indian Consulates in Afghanistan and Iran are providing all available diplomatic and moral support to the people of Balochistan in their struggle for freedom and self determination.
Pakistanis always talk about human rights violation,right to self determination etc., in Kashmir. How about about giving the same to Balochistan. It is just a matter of time when Balochistan becomes free.
No peace can EVER prevail in my balochistan until the life line of BRA and BLA is cutoff. By that I mean to uproot the consulates from Afg. You have been outfunded my dear pakistanis. The amount of money these consulates are pumping in baloch insurgency is huge.
@Paki:
why this discrimination, because they affected Punjab you want to punish them and when Talibans kill people in other provinces you want to take them out on a date(Muzakarat)?
PTI and PML-N has triggered a path of violence, now everyone will get a seat date from the Govt the more they blow up things.
Hope the police get their hooks on the BRA insurgents.
For safety purposes, no gas pipeline should pass through Baluchistan.
What an unfortunate acronym.
Pakistan must negotiate with BRA and hear out their legitimate demand under the United Nations umbrella.
Imagine if India had signed up for the IPI pipeline !!
Cool, another stakeholder in the making, lets take them out for a talk. They all now know the surest way to get attention, courtesy Talibans and of course thank you PTI
Wish media has made the human rights violations of state forces in Balochistan such a headline in past and exposed them right away, this day wouldn't have come. You push them to the wall, gift them with mass graves and expect patriotism? These guys are the biggest patriots for us