Pakistan declares national emergency to battle locusts

Pakistan, which is facing its worst locust attack in deces, has declared national emergency to tackle insects destroying crops on a large scale in Punjab province, country's main region for agricultural production. decision was taken at a meeting convened by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday. meeting, attended by federal ministers and senior officials of four provinces, also approved a National Action Plan (NAP) that requires a sum of Rs 7.3 billion to overcome crisis.

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Minister for National Food Security Khusro Bakhtiar informed National Assembly about gravity of situation and steps so far taken by federal and provincial governments to deal with crisis, Dawn newspaper reported. During meeting at Prime Minister's Office, which was also attended by viser to Prime Minister on Finance Hafeez Shaikh among ors, a detailed briefing on overall situation was given to prime minister.

meeting was informed that besides involving officials concerned at provincial and district levels, different tasks have been given to National Disaster Manment Authority (NDMA), provincial disaster manment authorities and federal and provincial departments to deal with threat.

Prime Minister Khan ordered formation of a high-level committee to be heed by Bakhtiar to take decisions at federal level for elimination of insects. prime minister directed authorities concerned to make immediate measures on basis of dam of ripened crops. "Protection of farms and farmers is highest priority of government. refore, federal government should take all necessary steps to save national crops and provide required resources to quarters concerned," Khan was quoted as saying in report.

Bakhtiar informed house that it was for first time that after attacking Sindh and Punjab, swarms of locust h entered Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "A sum of Rs 7.3 bn is required to avoid furr destruction," he said. "Declaration of national emergency was eminent to handle situation; besides, Parliament must have a role in monitoring situation," he ded.

Bakhtiar claimed that government h mand to save cotton and winter crops to a large extent, ding that climate change was one of reasons for delay in exit of locusts. He said situation was worse than one Pakistan faced in 1993. swarms of locust are currently on Pakistan-India border along Cholistan, minister said, ding that insects h entered Cholistan and Nara from Sindh and Balochistan.

Locusts used to move to Iran after sometime, but perhaps this time due to low temperatures y are still in Pakistan, he said. Nawab Yousuf Talpur of Pakistan Peoples Party said that in 1993 when locusts h attacked country, situation h been handled in four days with limited resources, report said.

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