CM Murad asks federal govt for help with impending locust swarms

KARACHI: The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah has sought the federal government’s assistance against the looming threat of a locust attack.

The chief minister has raised the issue in a letter to the Prime Minister Imran Khan about a massive locust attack expected around May 15th. He said that the federal government must show seriousness in tackling the locust threat.

Earlier, on 6 March, Shah had asked for prime minister’s attention towards fumigation campaign against the advancing locust. However, he said despite assurances no cooperation has been extended to the province so far.

Murad Ali Shah warned that the crops in the province could come under huge damage if the spray campaign was not initiated in the province instantly and said he urgently required six aircraft and pesticides for aerial spray in the affected areas.

Referring the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization forecast, the Sindh CM said that the locust attack in 2020 would be much harsher as compared to the last year 2019.

According to Murad Ali Shah, over 990,000 acres of desert land were invaded by  locusts last year, while crops on over 160,000 acres of land were destroyed. 

Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had blamed the federal government for not discharging its constitutional obligations with regard to the locust swarms.

He said that after COVID-19 the looming locust attack had emerged as the second biggest emergency in the country related to food security.