MULTAN, Jan 18: Gas supply to Punjab and Frontier province escaped a potential suspension threat when a 'bomb blast' near Uch Sharif in Bahawalpur district could cause only a 'minor dent' to the supply pipelines on Sunday.

According to reports reaching here, a blast took place beneath the gas supply pipelines in Kot Hameedullah area near the Abbasia Link Canal in the jurisdiction of Uch Sharif police station.

The blast which was heard in the area could create a little dent in one of the pipes crossing over the Abbasia canal, Ahmedpur East ASP Asim told Dawn. He said the police had registered a case under section 4 of the Explosives Act on the report of Tahir Ahmed, an official of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, against some unidentified saboteurs.

He said the police sleuths could not find anything helpful to ascertain the nature of the device. He said the explosive experts of the civil defence department who also visited the site of the blast were of the opinion that it was a low intensity device.

It is learnt that some 50 feet long part of the gas supply pipes is exposed to cross the canal and the SNGPL has posted some eight guards to protect it round the clock in the wake of last year attacks on the gas pipelines in Rojhan and Sadiqabad areas that caused suspension of the gas supply to Punjab and the Frontier provinces for several days.

A police source said that the guards were said to be some locals employed on contract basis by the gas company and there existed rivalries among the people to have the jobs. He said the Kot Hameedullah incident might be the outcome of this jealousy to expose the 'negligence' of the guards.

ASP Asim said that except for the outcome of the blast, the attempt was successful by any account as far as its execution was concerned. He said the police would look into all aspects.