Measures in place to take on locust attack

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday emphasized the need for a coordinated national response of the federal and provincial governments and organizations to cope with the expected locust attack.

He said this during his visit to the National Locust Control Center (NLCC) here.

The prime minister was informed that the National Action Plan for Locust Control Phase-I had been completed. The premier approved Phase-II of the plan.

It was decided that the affected farmers would also be compensated through this package.

Federal ministers Syed Fakhar Imam, Asad Umar, Senator Shibli Faraz, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Finance Advisor Dr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, SAPM for Information & Broadcasting Lt. Gen. (R) Asim Saleem Bajwa, SAPM Dr. Shahbaz Gill, Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Nadeem Afzal and senior officers attended the briefing.

The chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and chief secretary Balochistan participated in the meeting through a video link.

Engineer-in-Chief Pakistan Army/National Coordinator NLCC Lt Gen Moazzam Ijaz gave a detailed briefing to the prime minister on the locust control measures in the affected areas countrywide.

Imran was also briefed about the coordinated efforts being made for monitoring, survey & control, inter-organizational coordination, resource allocation & mobilization and awareness campaign for locust control at national, provincial and district levels.