QUETTA, Feb 7: Saboteurs blew up a microwave repeater station tower in Barkhan district, some 300km northeast of here, on Monday, disrupting telecommunication contact of the area with rest of the country.

"It was a microwave repeater station tower that was destroyed through blasting explosive material," a senior officer of levies told Dawn by telephone. The station was situated at a mountain, some 25km from Barkhan township.

Sources said the saboteurs had planted explosive material around the target and blew it up at about 10am. The microwave repeater station tower was completely destroyed.

Telephonic link of the Barkhan district and adjoing areas has been completely cut off with the rest of the country. "Several thousand telephones have been affected in the area due to blowing up of the microwave repeater station tower," officials of the telecommunication department said.

A spokesman of the Baloch Liberation Army has accepted the responsibility of the blast. "We have blown up the microwave repeater station," a man claiming to be Azad Khan said while calling through cellphone from an unknown place.

Meanwhile, a powerful explosion was heard in Quetta city around 2.15pm, causing panic in Killi Sabzal area. An explosive device was planted in the premises of a private school that exploded with a big bang.

No casualty was reported as the school was closed in connection with winter vacations. The windowpanes of the school and nearby buildings were, however, smashed.