The counterterrorism department (CTD), Multan, on Saturday, foiled an attempt to blow the main natural gas pipeline in Bahawalpur while arresting two suspected insurgents. Police spokeswoman Nabila Ghazanfar said that the two men, who were not identified, belonged to the separatist group, Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), and had confessed to successfully carrying out similar attacks on gas pipelines in Rahim Yar Khan. She further added that the counterterrorism police had found two kilogrammes of explosives, a timing device, detonators, and connecting cords on the men late on Friday. Neither BLA nor the suspects have yet responded on the incident. The province of Balochistan, especially its south-western region, has long suffered from a low-level insurgency at the hands of rebel groups.
Published in Daily Times, February 24th 2019.
