The locust peril.

Byline: Shehryar Mazari - Karachi

IN the early months of 2019, because of the ineptitude of the Plant Protection Department of the federal government, a small number of locusts, migrating from Iran, were allowed to breed in Balochistan during spring. By the end of May, the newly born much-multiplied second generation of locusts migrated to the Thar desert where they paused to breed and lay their eggs during the summer months.

In the latter months of 2019 huge swarms of third generation locusts swarmed in Sindh and parts of south Punjab, causing enormous crop devastation. The locusts then settled down in vastly spread out areas to breed and lay eggs during the autumn months.

Now these newly-born fourth generation young locust hoppers are emerging all over the place in their countless billions. Some of them have already matured into large swarms putting all nearby crops at risk.

Farmers, now fear, an attack of billions of locusts within the next few months. If not controlled, they will breed later this summer and the fifth generation will emerge a...