NCOC calls for inter-provincial coordination to combat locust attack.

ISLAMABAD -- The National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) on Friday underlined the need for creating a dedicated forum to effectively combat the imminent threat of locust through strong inter-provincial coordination.

'There is a dire need to set up a forum like the NCOC, where all the key stakeholders can share information and resources to fight the locusts across the country in an effective manner,' Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said while chairing an NCOC meeting here.

Federal Minister for Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam informed the NCOC that a meeting of all the key stakeholders was recently held at his ministry to evolve a comprehensive strategy against the locust issue.

All the resources were being mobilized to save agriculture from the locust swarms. He also highlighted the technical assistance, provided by China to Pakistan in that regard.

Umar called for massive mobilization of all the available resources and underscored the importance of adopting the 'TSE' (Tracking, Spraying and Elimination) policy against the locusts. The provincial agriculture ministers, who...