KHAIRPUR, July 23 Gas supply to parts of Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze and Nawabshah districts was suspended after the main pipeline was blown up in Kandyari union council of Faiz Ganj taluka on Thursday morning.

The pipeline also supplies gas to Sanghar, Hyderabad and Karachi. Sources told Dawn that an explosive device placed under the pipeline near Kaiser village was blown up early in the morning.

A 40 to 50 feet portion of the pipe was damaged. The blast also caused a large crater.

The explosion triggered panic in Kaiser Khan, Kandyari and Dhani Bux villages and people came out of their homes.

According to the Sui Southern Gas Company, bomb disposal official from Sukkur checked the shrapnel and said that it was a locally-made bomb.

Work to repair the pipeline is in progress to restore gas supply to the affected areas.