KARACHI: CNG stations in Sindh and Balochistan have been shut for 36 hours beginning at 8pm on Wednesday after suspected militants blew up a main pipeline near Jafarabad in Balochistan in the small hours of the day.

The incident may also hit industrial and domestic consumers due to a significant low pressure. SSGC deputy managing director Zuhair Siddiqui said he hoped the damaged portion of the pipeline would be repaired within the next 24 hours and the supply resumed.

The incident disrupted the fortnightly gas load management schedule of the SSGC that was decided after negotiations with the CNG dealers and other stakeholders.

As a result long lines of vehicles were seen at gas stations across the city, causing gridlock at many choking points.

The damaged 18-inch diameter pipeline was supplying 114 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of natural gas to the Sui Southern Gas Company.

An SSGC spokesperson said a serious incident of insurgency occurred at 1.30am on Tuesday-Wednesday night near Khudadad Jakhrani village in Jafarabad district.

As a result, the 18-inch diameter high pressure gas pipeline was blown up. The incident was caused by an explosive device, creating an eight to 10 feet deep hole and ruptured nearly 50-foot-long pipeline in a tract of wet muddy land.

The pipeline was carrying 114MMCFD from the Sui gasfield to the SSGC’s pipeline system at Shikarpur for its onward transmission to entire Balochistan.

The affected section of the pipeline was isolated immediately after the incident. At the same time, the company’s emergency response team rushed to the site from Shikarpur to inspect the situation, which is awaiting permission by the security agencies engaged in clearing the area. Another team was also mobilised from Karachi early in the morning, carrying heavy repair equipment and necessary material.

“SSGC is trying its best to manage the smooth and uninterrupted gas supply to the customers of Balochistan, who are combating highly chilly weather nowadays,” said the spokesperson.

To manage the gas load lost due to the pipeline rupture, the SSGC has announced a ‘shutdown’ for all CNG stations in its franchise area of Sindh and Balochistan for 36 hours.

Accordingly all CNG stations were closed from 8pm on Wednesday and will reopen at 8am on Friday.

Due to this shortfall, the SSGC management has requested its domestic, commercial and industrial customers to curtail the use of gas by 20 per cent immediately, otherwise all customers could suffer low gas pressures.

The incident and SSGC’s decision to shut down CNG stations for 36 hours sparked panic among motorists and long lines of vehicles were seen at gas stations much before the scheduled closure time.

Abdus Sami Khan, chairman of the CNG dealers association, said since Karachi was getting gas from the fields in Sindh, closing CNG stations for 36 hours in the entire province was not justified. He said gas to the rest of the province could be supplied as none of the installations, other than the damaged pipeline, were affected.