Combined crises of locusts, Covid-19 major challenge: Imran

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the simultaneous crises of locust swarms and the coronavirus pandemic are a “huge challenge” for Pakistan as he principally approved the second phase of the “National Action Plan for Locust Control”.

In a detailed briefing to him during his visit to the National Locust Control Centre (NLCC) here on Friday, the Prime Minister said the government would undertake every possible effort to control locusts as it involves the nation’s food security.

Among a raft of steps, the plan entails compensating affected farmers whose livelihoods have been ravaged by the worst attack of the pest in over two decades.

Federal ministers Syed Fakhar Imam, Asad Umar, Shibli Faraz, Khusro Bakhtiar, finance adviser Hafeez Sheikh, Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, PM’s aides Lt-Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa and Shahbaz Gill, NDMA Chairman Lt-Gen Muhammad Afzal and senior officers attended the briefing.

The chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the chief secretary of Balochistan participated via video link.

Khan said the locust attack, combined with Covid-19 was a huge challenge for Pakistan and emphasised a coordinated national response of federal and provincial governments and organisations to cope with the expected locust swarm to protect crops.

The meeting was told that the first phase of the National Action Plan for Locust Control had been completed. Engineer-in-Chief Pakistan Army and NLCC National Coordinator Lt-Gen Moazzam Ijaz gave a detailed briefing on locust control measures in affected areas of the country. The Prime Minister was also briefed about the coordinated efforts being made for monitoring, survey and control, inter-organisational coordination, resource allocation and mobilisation and awareness campaign for locust control at the national, provincial and district levels.

The meeting was informed that due to the trans-boundary nature of locust swarm movement, close liaison with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and affected countries in the region was being maintained to take timely pre-emptive measures.

The Prime Minister appreciated the governments of China, Japan and UK for providing technical and other assistance for locust control. It was informed that a locust swarm movement is expected from Horn of Africa via Iran and another from India, for which necessary measures were in place.

The Prime Minister appreciated timely and coordinated response of federal and provincial governments, including Pakistan Army for effectively controlling locust attack and use of indigenously developed equipment.