Suspected militants blew up three gas pipelines in Pakistan’s Punjab province affecting gas supply to country’s most populous province.

Islamabad, Feb 10/Nationalturk – At a time when Pakistan government is involved in talks with terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), suspected militants blew up three gas pipelines in Pakistan’s Punjab province affecting gas supply to country’s most populous province.

“Three gas pipelines were blown up in the Yousafabad area of Rahimyar Khan in Punjab province of Pakistan last evening,” a police official said.

He said according to initial reports, remote-controlled devices were used in the explosions which destroyed three out of the four pipelines in the province within 30 minutes.

Gas pipeline explosions caused fire

He said the gas pipeline explosions caused fire that engulfed the populated area. “A woman was killed and many cattle injured in the blaze,” rescue sources said.

Pakistan newspaper, The News, quoted Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) MD Arif Hamid Khan as saying that three bombed pipelines were of 24, 18 and 16 inches diameter which supplied natural gas to Rahimyar Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Lahore and Faisalabad.

He said the attack has reduced gas supply to the system by 700 million cubic metres and it is currently receiving 400 million cubic metres gas only.

Most of Punjab province without gas now

Most of the Punjab province is now without gas because of the explosion.

The SNGPL official said it would take them about 24 to 36 hours to complete the repair work.

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.

Media reports said outlawed Baloch Republican Army (BRA) claimed responsibility for the explosions.

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Asia News/ NationalTurk Pakistan News