QUETTA, Feb 9: Suspected militants blew up two main gas pipelines in the Tali Matt and Tangwani areas of Dera Bugti district on Saturday, disrupting supply to a Sui purification plant besides parts of Quetta.

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) had to stop supply to the industrial units, CNG stations and a private power plant in order to continue supplying gas to the provincial capital and other areas including four districts.

According to official sources, militants planted an explosive device under a 21-inch diameter pipeline in Tali Mat area, located between Sui and Dera Bugti. The pipeline supplies gas from Pir Koh gas field to the purification plant.

Soon after the blast, engineers and other staff of the company reached the place and started the repairing work.

In another incident, an 18-inch diameter main pipeline supplying gas to Quetta and other areas of the province from Sui was also blown up by militants in the Tangwani area of Dera Bugti district.

“Around five feet long piece of the pipeline was blown up in the blast that was carrying 110 MMCFD gas from Sui to Quetta,” SSGC officials confirmed.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Baloch Republican Army, identifying himself as Sherbaz Baloch, claimed the responsibility for both the bombings.