Gas supply disrupted in Balochistan after pipeline blast in Bolan

QUETTA: Gas supply to several towns and cities in Balochistan was disrupted on Thursday after unidentified individuals blew up a main gas pipeline in the Bolan area, damaging the 18-inch-diameter line and forcing the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to suspend supplies to a number of areas.

According to the gas utility, the explosion took place near Gorkat in Bolan, where unidentified individuals allegedly planted explosives underneath the pipeline and detonated them using a remote-controlled device.

The blast badly damaged the 18-inch gas pipeline, causing flames and thick clouds of smoke to rise from the affected section.

The damaged pipeline is located in the Bolan riverbed area near the KMP-246 Valve Assembly, around 700 to 800 metres from the main Quetta-Sibi Road, according to SSGC.

Following the explosion, gas supplies were suspended to Kolpur, Mach, Mastung, Kalat, Pishin and Ziarat, as well as several areas of Quetta.

SSGC said consumers in the affected areas could experience low gas pressure or a complete suspension of supply until the damaged pipeline is repaired.

The gas utility clarified that gas supply to Quetta had not been completely halted, as the provincial capital is also being supplied through a separate 12-inch-diameter pipeline.

An SSGC spokesperson said the company’s teams were prepared to travel to the affected site and begin repair work. However, personnel would only be dispatched after receiving the required security clearance because of the security situation in the area.

The company said its management was continuously monitoring the situation and that repair work would begin as soon as security clearance was granted.

SSGC added that efforts would be made to restore gas supplies to the affected areas as quickly as possible after the damaged section of the pipeline was repaired.

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The latest incident comes amid a series of attacks on gas infrastructure in Balochistan in recent months.

In May, gas supplies to a large area of the province were disrupted after unidentified armed men blew up a gas pipeline in Dera Bugti. Gas supplies to Sohbatpur district in Nasirabad division were also suspended that month following another attack on a pipeline.

A similar incident was reported in March when unidentified armed men targeted and blew up a main gas pipeline in the Western Bypass area of Quetta.

Repeated attacks on gas infrastructure have disrupted supplies to large parts of Balochistan and created additional challenges for the gas utility in maintaining uninterrupted services, particularly in areas where security concerns delay access to damaged installations.

Authorities have yet to identify those responsible for the latest attack, and no group has been named by officials in connection with the blast.