Unknown men blew up 18-inch natural gas supply line with explosive material in Toll Plaza area of Nasirabad district, some 302 kilometres east of Quetta on Tuesday while watchman of the main gas supply regulator sustained serious burn injuries.
Levies sources told newsmen that unidentified men attached explosive device with main natural gas supply pipeline of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) lining from Shikarpur to Quetta, supply natural gas to about eight districts of Balochistan. They detonated it with remote control on Tuesday which caused disruption of natural gas supply to the province including the metropolis Quetta.
High flames rose from the affected portion of the gas supply pipeline soon after the blast, in which watchman of the SSGC regulator Buddhal Khan suffered serious burn injuries who had been shifted to Dera Murad Jamali hospital where he was told in critical condition.
The fire erupted from explosion also damaged nearby Turkish relief camp set up for flood victims of eastern Balochistan. The explosion also partially affected nearby two pylons of electricity supply line while fire engulfed dried grass stored in nearby agricultural fields.
Law enforcement agencies and Levies Force personnel immediately reached the place and put a cordon around the site. SSGC has been supplying natural gas to nine districts of Balochistan including Jaffarabad, Nasirabad, Bolan, Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Pishin, Ziarat and Gwadar.