SUKKUR, Nov 1: The 16-inch diameter pipeline supplying Sui gas to the Guddu thermal power station from the Mari gasfield, burst on Tuesday night. Reports reaching here said that supply of gas to Guddu was suspended after the pipeline passing through the Guddu Barrage burst between spans 20 and 21.

The PRO, Sukkur, Mr Niaz Siddiqui, DIG Larkana Akbar Ali Bhangwar and Rangers personnel rushed to the place and heavy contingents of police and Rangers cordoned off the area. Vehicular traffic was stopped at both the ends of the barrage.

A bomb disposal squad was summoned from Sukkur, but police sources said the pipeline had burst due to high pressure. They said that the old pipeline had become weak and could not sustain high gas pressure. They ruled out any possibility of sabotage.