Bilawal wants Centre to declare agricultural emergency

Says much damaged caused to crops by recent rains and locust attacks

HYDERABAD:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday observed that the backbone of country’s economy – the agriculture sector – had had been devastated by the torrential rains in Sindh.

Speaking to his party's supporters in Mirpurkhas on the fifth day of his stay in Mirpurkhas division, where he visited the rain-hit areas and addressed the affected people, he reiterated his demand for declaring agricultural emergency.

"The federal government should not only itself help the affected people and farmers, but should also mobilise the global community for their help and rehabilitation," he said.

"We want to draw the attention of rulers in Islamabad towards the affected people in Sindh," he added.

Bilawal recalled that during the presidency of his father and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the UN chief was invited to the country after the 2010 and 2011 floods and rains, which had helped mobilise the international support.

Commenting on President Arif Alvi's visit to Mirpurkhas and Sanghar districts, Bilawal said he hoped the president would not only stop at distributing relief goods but would also ask the Centre to contribute its part in the rehabilitation of the people.

He again demanded issuance of the Pakistan cards to the people in the rain-hit districts.

"If agriculture is considered the backbone of the economy, that bone has been broken," he said.

“The rainfall and the locust attacks have caused immense financial losses to the farmers. The poor farmers cannot sustain so many losses," he added.

"The Sindh government is trying to introduce schemes for providing subsidised fertiliser, pesticides and good quality seeds to the farmers."

Bilawal noted the provincial government had started a survey to assess the damage caused to crops, livestock as well as the houses, adding that hundreds of thousands of people had been hit hard by the recent monsoon rains.