PTI govt making ‘all-out efforts’ to counter locust attack

National Food Security and Research Minister Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday said the government was making all-out efforts in order to fight off the locust attack.

Presiding over the National Locust Control Centre (NLCC) meeting, he appreciated the assistance provided by different countries to control the swarms.

It was held to apprise the diplomatic community about the measures being taken by the government in order to eradicate the locust infestation in the country.

The minister said China would provide 50 drones in order to further strengthen the ongoing anti-locust operation across the affected areas of the country. Besides the provision of drones, he said Beijing had provided over 3,000 litres of pesticides.

Imam said the National Disaster Management Authority was making coordinated efforts to control the swarm and managing to meet the needs of the anti-locust operation.

General Saeed Akhtar, the NLCC deputy coordinator, briefed the participants about locusts’ situation in the country.

Federal Secretary for Ministry of National Food Security and Research Umar Hamid sought help and cooperation of the international community for strengthening the government’s anti-locust efforts and operation to control it. He said that sharing of timely information among locusts infested countries was very important for evolving proper mechanism to control it.

On the occasion, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr Christian Turner said the UK has provided £1 million to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to tackle swarms of locusts in Pakistan.

“The UK will also provide 83 micron sprayers,” he said, adding that 20 micron sprayers out of the 83 were already handed over to Pakistan as part of UK aid package.

Mina Dowlatchahi, the FAO representative in Pakistan appreciated efforts of the Ministry of NFS&R and the NLCC for anti-locusts operation.

Dean of Diplomatic Corp, Atadjin Movlamov, ambassadors and high commissioners from Kenya, Sudan, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, China, Japan and the US also attended the meeting.