QUETTA, June 20: The terminal building of Sui Airport was blown up on Saturday night by some unknown people, using rockets and high-intensity explosives, officials said.

"The Sui airport building has collapsed," provincial home secretary Abdul Rauf Khan told Dawn, adding that the assailants fired several dozen rockets in the area before blowing up the building with explosive materiel.

No loss of life or injuries were reported as nobody was inside the building at the time of the attack, sources said. "The runway and control tower of the airport are safe," the sources said, adding that the airport had been closed for all incoming and outgoing flights.

According to the sources, the assailants started firing rockets at around 10pm on Saturday and the firing continued till 11.30pm. Around 56 rockets landed and exploded at various places on the outskirts of the Sui township, including the airport.

The Frontier Corps personnel posted in the area returned fire. The exchange of rocket and gunfire continued for around two hours. Soon after, a huge explosion occurred at the airport that completely destroyed the terminal building comprising the passenger lounge, the VIP lounge and the CAA office.

Initial investigation revealed that the assailants had planted high-intensity explosives around the walls of the terminal building. "The building has been turned into a huge pile of debris," the sources said.

So far, nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack, home secretary Rauf Khan said. "I cannot say who is involved in the attack. It is too early to apportion blame," he said.

Airport security officials in Sui said the protection of the airport was not their responsibility. "We only work when flights come to Sui," one official said when contacted on telephone.

Authorities in the town said the airport was under the use of Pakistan Petroleum Limited, the owners of Sui gas wells. It is not a busy airport and is used only for three to four PIA arriving and departing flights a week.