Two paramilitary soldiers martyred in Turbat blast

QUETTA: Two paramilitary soldiers were martyred by a roadside bomb on Wednesday as they guarded members of the Qatari royal family on a bird hunting expedition, officials said.

A convoy containing members of the Qatari royals was travelling outside the province’s city of Turbat when it was hit by a blast, two officials said.

“The visitors remained safe in the attack,” said senior local administration official Abdul Hameed.

“Two paramilitary soldiers of the Frontier Corps were martyred in the explosion,” he told AFP, adding that four more members were wounded.

A second local administration official also confirmed the details of the attack on condition of anonymity and said the royals had been provided with “extra security” after the blast.

It was also unclear whether the Qataris were specifically targeted. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, a fire erupted near Akhtarabad on the Western Bypass on the outskirts of Quetta after an 18-inch diameter gas pipeline exploded.

According to an SSGC spokesperson, the pipeline was severely damaged due to sabotage by unknown miscreants. As a result, gas supplies to upper Balochistan and Quetta city were suspended.

The initial report from the Bomb Disposal Squad indicated that the damage to the 18-inch diameter gas pipeline near Akhtarabad, close to Quetta’s Western Bypass, was caused by sabotage.

“SSGC’s technical teams, who had rushed to Akhtarabad to address the situation, extinguished the fire caused by the blast by turning off the main valve,” the spokesperson said.

He further said that repair work will begin on Thursday morning after receiving the necessary security clearance from law enforcement agencies. It is expected to take around 12 hours to repair the 8-foot section of the damaged pipeline.

The SSGC’s teams on the ground are determined to complete the repair work as quickly as possible to restore gas supply to the affected areas in the shortest time.

As a result of the incident, gas supply has been suspended in upper Balochistan areas, including Pishin, Kuchlak, Ziarat, Bostan, Yaroo, Karbala, and Haran Zai, as well as in Quetta city areas, including Airport Road, Nawa Killi, Jinnah Town, A-One City, and Hazaarganji.