Suspected nationalist militants Friday night blew up a main gas pipeline in the insurgency-hit Baluchistan province of Pakistan, suspending gas supply to thousands of domestic and commercial users and setting on fire the adjacent bazaar, said officials. Militants tore apart the 30-inch of diameter state-owned pipeline in the gas-rich Sui district, about 300 kilometers from Quetta, the provincial capital, local police official, Muhammad Jamshoro, told KUNA. He said the explosion triggered fire that engulfed the adjacent main bazaar of Sui district. He added that there were no casualties but the fire smoke fainted about 20 children and 8 others in the bazaar. He said further that fire brigades were trying to extinguish the blaze.
A Sui Northern Gas company official said that the gas supply has been suspended to thousands of users in the eastern Punjab province and in some parts of Southern Sindh province. The official said that the repair work would begin only after the fire is put off. Police did not blame any militant group behind the latest terrorist activity but suspected local Baluch nationalists behind it.