Pir Koh gas plant pipeline blown up: Rockets fired on FC checkposts
By Saleem Shahid
QUETTA, April 17: Tribesmen blew up a pipeline of the Pir Koh gas plant, causing suspension of gas supply for some time on Monday.
According to official sources, the tribesmen tied explosives around the main pipeline head and ignited it by firing rockets.
They said: “The head caught fire after an explosion and gas supply to pipelines linked with it was disrupted.”
They said that engineers of the Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC) repaired the pipeline and supply was restored.
ROCKETS FIRED: At least 19 rockets were fired on Frontier Corps checkposts in Sangsilla, Chashma and Goltrakri in the Dera Bugti area on Monday.
Sources said that nobody was hurt in the attacks.
EXCHANGE OF FIRE: A heavy exchange of fire between security forces and armed men was reported from Dera Bugti and adjoining areas on Monday, claiming some lives.
Chief of the Jamhoori Watan Party Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti said that security forces had fired scores of rockets and mortar shells in different areas of Dera Bugti town and its outskirts, resulting in a large number of casualties.
“At least four ambulances were seen taking the injured to Sui from Dera Bugti on Monday morning,” he told reporters on the phone.
He said that injured security personnel included some officers who were taken to other places for treatment by three helicopters from Sui.
He said that security forces continued firing rockets in and around Dera Bugti throughout the day.
Nawab Bugti said that firing between security forces and militants was also reported from Sangsilla and the Loti gas field area and 11 security personnel were injured.
He claimed that security forces suffered a large number of casualties in the fresh fighting in the area in which rockets and mortars were used by both sides.
However, official sources did not confirm Nawab Bugti’s claims of heavy casualties, but said that exchanges of fire had taken place in some areas.
