QUETTA: Gas supply to several areas in Sindh was disrupted after a main pipeline was blown up in Mullguzar area on Sunday evening.

An official of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said the repair work would begin after security clearance.The banned Baloch Republican Army claimed responsibility for the attack.

The pipeline caught fire after the explosion that was put out by stopping the supply from the main Sui plant.

Police said a large portion of the 18-inch diameter pipeline supplying gas to Sindh had been destroyed.

BRA spokesman Sarbaz Baloch said this was the fourth time the group had blown up the pipeline in the area.

He also claimed that another pipeline supplying gas to the Pir Koh plant had been blown up.

Our Reporter in Karachi adds: SSGC Deputy Managing Director Zohair Siddiqui said the situation was being assessed after the pipeline supplying about 90MMcfd of gas for people in Quetta and adjoining areas braving freezing cold was blown up in Pat Feeder area.

He said the incident had caused a shortfall of about 50MMcfd in the system.

The pipeline supplies gas to Shikarpur from where it is pumped to Quetta.

A similar blast in the area a few days ago had forced abrupt closure of CNG stations for two days. The SSGC official said the matter would be reviewed on Monday.