Sovereignty first: ‘Gas pipeline blast suspects arrested’

They belong to the Balochistan Liberation Army, says the district police officer.

RAHIM YAR KHAN:

Police claimed on Sunday to have arrested three terrorists who had blown up gas pipelines in south Punjab.

Addressing a press conference at his office, District Police Officer (DPO) Sohail Zafar Chattha said the men had been arrested from Head Fazilwa, Bhong following a raid by a police team on Saturday night.



He said the team, led by Sadiqabad Assistant Police Superintendent Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi, included Bhong Station House Officer (SHO) Jam Abdul Ghaffar, Sub-Inspector Abdul Ghaffar and Sadiqabad Saddar SHO Inspector Muhammad Afzal Lodhi.

“Ramazan Shabbani, Mewa Bugti and Pehar Din, residents of Sui, opened fire at police when they were asked to surrender… All three were arrested following a brief shootout,” he said.

Chattha said nine kilograms of explosives, six detonators including three remote control detonators and three pistols were seized from them.

He said their two accomplices managed to flee.

“All of them belong to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)… they were planning to blow up a main gas supply pipeline in the area,” the DPO said.

He said Ramazan, Mewa and Pehar were involved in blowing up gas pipelines in Rojhan, Rukanpur and Abbaspur.

“During initial questioning, the terrorists have confessed to blowing up pipelines in Rangpur village of Abbaspur on February 9, 2014. This had suspended gas supply to the Punjab.”

The DPO said some Sui Southern Gas Company officials were also involved.

“The officials have been identified… they will be arrested in the next few days.. a case has been registered against the outlaws under Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO),” he added.

District Police Officer Sohail Zafar Chattha said the gas pipelines in the area were safe after following the arrests.

The DPO thanked the officials of intelligence agencies for assisting the police. “Their role has always been exemplary in cooperating with the law enforcing agencies for national security,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2014.