January 27, 2003	Monday	Ziqa’ad 23,1423

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MULTAN, Jan 26: The Sui-Guddu transmission line was again blown up in Mazari Goth on Sunday night causing another suspension of gas supply to the industry and CNG stations in Punjab and the NWFP only hours after being restored.

Jan Muhammad, a member of the Mazari patrol party, told Dawn that they had spotted some vehicles headed towards and returning from the gas pipeline at about 10pm. Within half an hour a loud explosion was heard followed by a huge fire which lit the sky and could be seen from miles away.

SNGPL authorities in Lahore said the saboteurs had exposed the pipeline after removing the earth and placed explosives on the 24” and 30” dia pipelines about 7km from Dauli, the site of the Jan 21 blast.

At 1.30am, gas pressure in the SNGPL system had dropped from 1000-PCI to 80-PCI, which meant low pressure for domestic consumers.

Contrary to the interior ministry’s Saturday claim of the entire Sui-Guddu gas pipeline being patrolled by paramilitary force day and night, no law-enforcement personnel were reportedly present at the site of the blast.

“The paramilitary forces left Mazari Goth on Saturday after repairs to the pipeline at Dauli,” Jan Muhammad said.

A close aide of Nawab Akbar Bugti, who did not want to be identified, said the Mazari-Bugti conflict was no issue. “It is the Bugtis versus government,” he said.