QUETTA, April 18: - Gas supply to vast areas of Mastung and Kalat districts was suspended after a gas pipeline was blown up near Mastung, 55km off here, on Tuesday.

A member of a security agency was seriously injured when he stepped on a landmine in the Pir Koh area near Sui in Dera Bugti district. Tribesmen fired rockets at a Frontier Constabulary checkpost in Kohlu town.

According to sources, a powerful explosive device had been planted under the pipeline supplying gas to the two districts of Balochistan, two kilometres away from Mastung Cadet Collage. The device went off with a big bang around 11am.

“A big part of the 10-inch diameter pipeline was blown up in the powerful blast,” official sources confirmed over telephone from Mastung.

They said that after the blast, the pipeline caught fire that was controlled after stopping supply from main pipeline.

Engineers and other staff were sent to the site, who started repairing the pipeline.

Meanwhile, a Frontier Corps soldier, Mohammad Israel, was seriously injured when he stepped on a landmine in the Pahtar Nullah area near Pir Koh gas field. He was taken to a hospital in Sui for treatment.

Tribesmen fired two rockets from Jandran mountains at a FC checkpost in Kohlu town. No casualty was reported.

Rockets were also fired at a telecommunication microwave station near Nushki town on Monday night, official sources said. The rockets hit a solar energy unit at the station and destroyed it.

Shootouts between security forces and armed tribesmen were reported from the Karmo Wadh area of Kohlu district and Sangsila and Chashma areas of Dera Bugti district. However, no casualty or other damage was reported.

Reuter adds: “Around 100,000 people living in the two districts are now without gas,” he added, a police official said.