Inaction against locust attack criminal negligence: Bilawal Bhutto

Islamabad: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that Federal government failed to take adequate and required steps to check the imminent attack of locust swarms in Sindh and other provinces as clouds of locusts have landed in different parts and are destroying the standing agriculture crops and fruits.

In a statement issued here, the PPP Chairman said that he had repeatedly warned the central government about the threat of locust attack posed to economy but it didn’t move and finally country’s agriculture has come under severe locust onslaught, which may cause dangerous blow to the national economy already reeling under the coronavirus ravages.

Bilawal Bhutto said that failure of PTI-led federal government to protect the growers and their crops from the locust attacks despite having chances to take advance efforts was an unpardonable criminal negligence and Prime Minister Imran Khan and his entire cabinet has to be held responsible for worsening the situation.

PPP Chairman said that time and again he and his Party leaders were raising the issue and stressing for implementation of National Action Plan agreed between the Federal and provincial governments to ward off the locust threats.

He said that required number of planes were not hired to control the swarms heading towards the meadows from borders as it was the duty of Plant Protection Department of Federal government to arrange measures to destroy locusts at the entry points. “Now, the reports about the attacks of locusts in Khairpur, Sukkur, Sanghar, Nawabshah, and several other parts of Sindh as well as in other provinces were pouring in. Standing crops and matured fruits are being destroyed by locusts while the poor growers are looking at the ravages helplessly,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appreciated Sindh government for taking steps on its own including hiring planes for aerial spary against the locusts though it was the responsibility of Federal government to conduct sprays and provide required chemicals to the provinces for sprays on the grounds.