KARACHI, 30 January 2005 — Two bombs and two rockets slammed into the main city in troubled southwestern Pakistan overnight while unknown saboteurs blew up a natural gas pipeline in the eastern region of the country, officials said yesterday.
No casualties were reported in the incidents in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, or in the blasting of the pipeline in Punjab province.
The incidents in Quetta were believed linked to tribal violence in the rugged province that has left eight people dead and many wounded this month.
Two rockets landed near the cantonment area, home to armed forces personnel and their families, and low-intensity bombs went off outside a railway colony, Quetta police chief Rafi Pervaiz Bhatti said.
In eastern Pakistan a line supplying gas to Lahore, the second largest city, was severed by an explosion late Friday.
Quick repair work was carried out and the normal transmission of gas was restored after 12 hours to Lahore, Naeem Khan, a spokesman for the area’s gas distribution company said.
Armed Men Storm Geo, Jang Offices
Unknown armed men attacked the offices of Jang group and Geo satellite TV late on Friday and manhandled the security personnel. The attackers later fled from the scene after damaging the property.
According to details, around 35 armed men riding on motorbikes reached the offices of daily Jang, Awam, The News and Geo TV at 2 a.m. and stormed the building.
The attackers set on fire the main reception at ground floor and ransacked the Jang newspaper and Geo TV offices on the first floor. The staff was threatened with dire consequences as armed men resorted to firing.
It is believed that the attack is the aftermath of an interview of Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres which appeared in The News and also aired on Geo TV on Friday
Police Grill Taleban Commanders
Alleged Taleban members captured this week in southwestern Pakistan were being interrogated to learn the whereabouts of their fugitive leader Mulla Omar, a security official said yesterday.
Police acting on a tip raided several homes in three neighborhoods of Quetta late Thursday and captured as many as 23 Afghan nationals.
