From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a tweet on Sunday lamented lack of actions on the part of the Federal Ministry for Food Security to tackle the menace of locust attacks on crops. “Fed Ministry for food security is again missing in actions as Locusts attack crops across Pakistan. Last year despite our pleas provinces were left at the mercy of locusts,” he wrote on his official twitter handle, sharing a British daily’s news story about risks locust swarms posed to the country’s food security.
“If the federal govt fails to act this is another disaster in the making,” he cautioned.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan drew his attention to the federal government’s assurance to improve coordination between the Centre and provincial authorities and had instructed for provision of aircraft and pesticides for aerial spray in the affected areas. He said: “A massive locust attack is expected in Sindh next month. Farmlands in Sindh would once again come under attack of locust swarms from Iran by May 15, 2020, which could prove more harmful for the crops in the province as compared to the locust attack of last year.”
Ministry for National Food Security on Sunday categorically rejected the statement given prior by Sindh government in relation to locust swarms, media reported. The spokesperson said that locust swarms have taken over, attacked and destroyed crops in various parts of the country. It said that the federal government along with the ministry for food security is cognizant of their duties and obligations and is playing their part to the best of their abilities.
