A landmine blast wounded four security personal in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province on Wednesday hours after two explosions ruptured a pipeline supplying gas to a power plant, local officials told Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA). The security personnel were on their way to inspect a water pipeline damaged by suspected tribal rebels in Sui district, some 260 kilometres southeast of provincial capital Quetta, when their jeep hit the landmine, the officials said. All four wounded are stated to be in stable condition. The landmine blast followed an attack on a gas pipeline in Dera Murad Jamali early Wednesday that disrupted supply to nearby Uch power plant, east of Quetta. Twin explosions damaged two sections of the pipeline, forcing the plant to halt its production. The plant supplies electricity to the state-owned Water and Power Developed Authority (WAPDA) for onward distribution. Officials said repair work was underway and supply was expected to be restored during the next 24 hours. There have been sporadic rocket attacks in the restive province, blamed on the so-called nationalist elements, which have demand greater provincial autonomy and increased royalties on the gas that meets around 22 per cent of the nationwide demand. The attacks had caused considerable damage to power utilities including huge pipes that carry gas to various parts of the country. Baloch nationalists accuse the federal government of exploiting the region's natural resources without sharing the benefits with local people. --SP 19 14 Local Time 16 14 GMT
