MULTAN, Jan 21: A heavy gunbattle between warring Bugti and Mazari tribes on the Punjab-Baloshitan border in Rajanpur district resulted in damage to two main gas pipelines on Tuesday night.

The exchange of fire between both the rival tribes had been intensifying for the last few days. On Tuesday evening, tribesman of both the clans were exchanging fire in the Dauli bordering area of the province when a rocket hit two elevated gas supply lines of 24 and 30 inches diameters.

The pipelines blew away with a bag and the flames of a huge fire lit up the area in kilometres.

An SNGPL official told Dawn that there was a gas pressure of 1,000 pounds to 1,100 pounds per square inch (PSI) at the time of the blast.

AS the troubled area of Sui-Kashmor section of gas supply had come under the tribal belt of Rajanpur district, the area political agent along with a contingent of border military police rushed to the nearest village, Mazari Goth, where the pipeline was hit.

In the meanwhile, the SNGPL suspended the gas supply at source in Sui to avoid further loss. When contacted by telephone in Mazari Goth at 11.40pm, one Riaz Mazari told Dawnthat Dauli area was 14km away to the Suleman Range. He said that intensity of the fire had been lessened but it had yet to be extinguished completely.

There was no respite in the gunbattle between Bugti and Mazari tribesmen even when contacted at 12.10 am on Wednesday.

Law enforcers were reportedly reluctant to go ahead and defuse the tension.

The Bugti-Mazari clashes started last year when some of the Mundarani sub-clan people of Bugti tribe kidnapped a ‘Mohajir’ businessman from Kashmor area of Sindh. The Mazari chiefs reportedly picked up some Bugti tribesmen in order to secure the release of the businessman.

This intervention in the Bugti’s affair annoyed them and later on clashes between the two tribes became an order of the day.

However, chiefs of both the tribes — Nawab Akbar Bugti and Mir Balakh Sher Mazari — have so far show indifference to resolve the dispute which has claimed the lives of at least 12 people.

Sardar Sher Baz Mazari, the brother of Mazari chief, is also the brother-in-law of Nawab Bugti.