GWADAR: The port city of Gwadar and its surrounding areas plunged into complete darkness in the early hours of Tuesday morning as suspected militants blew up a pylon of 132-kV supplying electricity to the area from the Makran grid station.

Official sources said that the militants had planted an explosive device with the power pylon of 132-kV between the Nilet and Karwat areas of Gwadar district and detonated it with a remote control at around 3am.

“The 132-kV pylon was completely destroyed in the blast that rocked the area,” the sources said.

However, engineers and other staff of the Quetta Electric Supply Company reached the blast site and started work for replacing the destroyed power pylon after security clearance. A heavy contingent of Frontier Corps personnel was deployed in the area after the incident.

The power supply was restored to Gwadar and its surrounding areas in the evening after replacement of the power pylon.

“The area remained without power supply for over 20 hours,” Abdu Ghaffar, a resident of Gwadar town, said.

Later, security forces launched a search operation in the area. It was the second subversive act in Gwadar during the past one week. A few days ago, a bridge was blown up on the Coastal Highway near Gwadar.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2017