QUETTA: A rupture in a high-pressure gas transmission pipeline near Mach in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province disrupted supplies to several districts on Saturday, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said, adding that repair teams had been dispatched to carry out emergency work.
The 18-inch pipeline ruptured at around 5 a.m., cutting off gas to Pishin, Kuchlak, Ziarat, Mastung, Kalat, Mangochar, Kod Koocha, Bustan, Harmazai and nearby areas.
SSGC said limited, low-pressure supply was being maintained through another 12-inch line to parts of Quetta’s outskirts, including Nawan Killi, Hanna, Saray Ghurghai, Pashtoonabad and sections of the Eastern Bypass.
“We dispatched our technical teams to the site immediately, and full repair work is being undertaken on an urgent basis,” company spokesperson Salman Siddiqui said in a statement. “We apologize to consumers for the inconvenience and are taking emergency measures to ensure gas availability in urban areas during cooking hours.”
It is not clear what caused the rupture in the gas pipeline but militant attacks on gas infrastructure are not unusual in Balochistan, where insurgent groups have repeatedly targeted transmission lines in winter months to pressure the state.
