Centre, Sindh lock horns over locust threat.

Byline: Amin Ahmed

ISLAMABAD -- Amid allegations and counter-allegations over ways to curb the surging Covid-19 pandemic, the federal and Sindh governments have locked horns on the issue of desert locust which, if not controlled, will endanger food security in the country.

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari recently issued a statement saying that while the country is under the threat of the locust attack, National Food Security Minister Syed Fakhr Imam was 'at large'.

On Sunday, the food security ministry came up with a rejoinder, saying his ministry was working with the department of plant protection beyond its mandate. He explained that after the 18th Amendment the federal government can deal with the locust issue from an international perspective and maintaining contacts with locust monitoring organisations.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari argued that despite numerous requests last year, the provinces were left at the mercy of desert locust. 'If the federal government fails once again, the country will face another disaster in the wake of desert locust attack,' he warned.

Federation says after 18th Amendment it can deal with the problem only from international perspective

Responding to the Sindh government's allegations that the federal government was 'doing nothing' for locust threat in the province, the food security ministry said that the federal government was fully aware of its responsibility and actively pursuing the threat.

Mr Imam said instead of engaging in in blame game, all stakeholders, including Sindh, should work out a coordinated response to combat this threat. 'We are confident that the nation will collectively respond in the best possible manner to the challenge at hand,' while the government is in the process of revisiting the 'National Action Plan for Locust' to make it more effective and resourceful.

The ministry said that the threat of locust was not restricted to Sindh, but other provinces were also affected by it. The present locust swarm spotted in Sindh is from Koh-i-Suleman range and not from...