MULTAN, Feb 27: The two gas pipelines damaged on Sunday night reportedly after a blast in Shahwali area of Rajanpur district could not be repaired till late on Monday night. The repair work on the affected pipelines of 30 and 16 inches diameters could only be started on Monday morning as the SNGPL engineers and technicians had to reach the far-off troubled spot by road from their various camps.

One of the SNGPL engineers told Dawn from Shahwali that their first priority was to restore gas supply through the main pipeline of 30 inches diameter. A total of 20 feet part of both the pipelines was damaged in the blast. “We are hoping to accomplish the task at midnight between Monday and Tuesday,” he asserted. Talking about the nature of the blast, he said it was nothing but a sabotage bid.

The pipelines meant to supply natural gas to Punjab and NWFP from the Sui gas fields in Balochistan have been a constant target of alleged saboteurs especially in Rajanpur district. In the year 2003, the pipelines were blown up several times in that area resulting in time and again suspension of the gas supply, especially to the industrial units in the Punjab and NWFP.

The Sunday night blast had initially caused suspension of gas to a number of thermal power stations and fertilizer manufacturing units while the officials at the SNGPL’s distribution wing said that supply to some other industries had to be suspended on the recommendation of the Load Management Committee in order to keep its supply smooth for the domestic consumers.

It may be added here that Rangers had to be deployed to protect the gas pipelines and related installations when the same were being frequently targeted in Rajanpur district. Sources said that the SNGPL had been paying a handsome amount to the Rangers for the ‘safety’ of the pipelines.

Meanwhile, the part of railway track damaged in the Sunday night blast was rehabilitated on Monday morning. It may be mentioned here that the gas pipelines were allegedly attacked near the railway track. Railways chief traffic controller Tariq Qureshi told Dawn that first train had rolled out at about 9am after the repair of the damaged track.