QUETTA, Jan 23: Militants blew up a pipeline in Dera Murad Jamali town, Jaffarabad district, on Friday, partially affecting gas supply to Quetta, Sibi, Mach, Dera Murad Jamali and other towns in Balochistan.

Although officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company said the areas were being supplied gas through alternative means, gas pressure remained very low in and around Quetta, leaving people vulnerable to near-freezing temperatures. A police official told Dawn the blast had destroyed a five-foot section of the 18-inch diameter pipeline. The subsequent fire was brought under control after stopping gas supply from Shikarpur.

According to the general manager of SSGC, Quetta, Mushtaq Saddique, said gas supply to domestic and commercial consumers was uninterrupted in Quetta and other areas but the supply to an independent power producer and industrial units around the Quetta Industrial Estate was suspended.

“The gas supply will be restored by Saturday afternoon,” an official said.

Sources said that a heavy contingent of police and other law-enforcement agencies had been deployed to provide security to the SSGC staff carrying out the repairs.

Meanwhile, Sarbaz Baloch, a spokesman for the banned Balochistan Republican Army, claimed that his organisation had carried out the pipeline blast.