QUETTA, March 20: Gas supply to several localities in Sariab area was disrupted after a gas pipeline was blown up on the Quetta-Mastung road late on Monday night. Police said the explosive was planted under the pipeline near Sheikh Zayed Hospital, some 20km from here.

“One and a half feet long piece of a 4-inch diameter pipeline exploded rocking the whole area,” an official of the Sui Southern Gas Company said, adding that gas supply had been discontinued to some localities of Sariab.

Soon after the blast, SSGC staff and started repairing the damaged pipeline. Gas supply is likely to be restored on Tuesday morning, sources said.

Meanwhile, nine rockets were fired on checkposts of Frontier Corps in Pir Koh area. However, no casualty was reported. However, District Nazim of Dera Bugti Mir Kazim Bugti claimed that two FC personnel were killed in Sir-lop area of Dera Bugti district on Monday night.

In a statement received here on Monday night, he said that security forces suffered human losses in a heavy gun-battle between armed men and security forces in Tegha area.

He claimed that jets dropped several bombs in the area. However, no loss of life was reported.

The district nazim demanded that operation should be stopped in Dera Bugti and other areas. He held some non-political forces responsible for the situation and said that these forces were obstructing the work of elected district governments of the area.

He demanded that the government should stop the operation and take steps for rehabilitation of the people who had left the area due to fighting.

He said that the affected people should also be given compensation and issues should be resolved through political negotiations.