PML-N warns of famine due to locust attack in south Punjab.

Byline: Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD -- The PakisAtan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has expressed fear that the country might face a famine-like situation if the federal government does not take immediate action to eliminate swarms of locusts destroying crops on a massive and unprecedented scale in the country, particularly in south Punjab.

In a video message, PML-N Punjab secretary general Sardar Awais Leghari said the south Punjab region was witnessing a full-scale locust attack at the moment and the government was not taking the required action.

Mr Leghari declared that the locust attack in areas of south Punjab was more dangerous and serious than the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

He said the federal government, which had once declared to create a new province in south Punjab, completely ignored the region.

'We raised the issue some eight months ago in media and even in parliament, but the government did nothing,' he alleged.

On the other hand, when contacted, federal Secretary of the National Food SecuArity (NFS) Omar Hamid Khan, though admitted that the locust attack this year was more powerful than in several past years and the danger was still not over, claimed that the situation was not as bad as being described by opposition parties, perhaps to make it a 'political issue'.

Mr Leghari accused the federal government of having failed to arrange even a small aircraft for spray over the last eight months.

He said that even if they succeeded in eliminating 80 per cent of the locusts, the remaining 20...