0
SUKKUR, March 1: Gas supply to some parts of Punjab was disrupted after a portion of the Sui-Northern Gas (SNGPL) pipeline blew up in an explosion near Dildar Shah village in the Ubaro taluka of Ghotki district at about 2am on Saturday night.
The cause of the explosion was not known, with officials declining to comment.
The sound of the explosion was heard by people miles away and some crops were also damaged near the village. Efforts were being made to control the situation.
Senior officials of the SNGPL asked the Qadirpur gasfield to shut down the gas supply and, consequently, the supply from 13 wells was stopped.
Officials said 400 cubic feet of gas per day was supplied by the Qadirpur gasfield through the pipeline in which the explosion took place.
CONDEMNATION: Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Chaudhry Naurez Shakoor Khan has strongly condemned the gas pipeline blast near the Ghotki district on Friday night.—APP
He termed it a conspiracy aimed at destabilizing the national economy and disrupting the democratic process in the country.
In a statement issued here Saturday, the petroleum minister said that the Government would deal with with an iron hand those involved in such anti-state activities.
Chaudhry Naurez Shakoor directed the authorities concerned to keep strict vigil on such elements and take extraordinary measures for the safety of gas installations and pipelines which were lifeline of the national economy.
