QUETTA: Power supply crisis worsened in several parts of Balochistan after suspected militants blew up two more pylons of a high-voltage transmission line near Notal area of the Nasirabad district on Sunday.

It was the second incident of bombing of the pylons of the 220kv Quetta-Sibi-Guddu transmission line over the past 48 hours in Nasirabad district, which has badly affected power supply to different districts in the province.

Read: 17 Balochistan districts plunge into darkness as 2 power pylons blown up

Earlier on Friday, the militants bombed a transmission line in Chatter area of Nasirabad district.

Such incidents have caused massive loadshedding in around 20 districts of Balochistan.

A senior official of the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) said the province was facing acute shortage of electricity from the national grid because of the destruction of transmission lines in eastern Balochistan. But, he added, Qesco was supplying electricity to Quetta and other affected areas through alternative arrangements. He said interior areas of the province were facing loadsheddingof up to 18 hours while Quetta was experiencing around 8 hours’ of daily loadshedding.

Our Correspondent adds from Dera Murad Jamali: Militants blew up two pylons in Notal area of Nasirabad district with a remote control, suspending supply to Quetta and other areas from Uch power plant.

“Both pylons were destroyed in the powerful blast that rocked the entire area,” Levies officials told Dawn, adding that a search operation had been launched to arrest the culprits involved in the attack.

Meanwhile, security forces foiled an attempt to bomb a pylon by defusing around 30kg of explosives planted around it.

Published in Dawn February 16th , 2015

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