ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said that the government will use all available resources to control locusts and stressed for a comprehensive strategy to tackle this challenge.
He was speaking in the National Assembly (NA) in response to various Senate recommendations on the federal budget as the points related to agriculture sector were raised by Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) lawmaker Naveed Qamar.
The minister said that Pakistan Armed Forces are also assisting in countering this challenge related to national food security and a plan is in place to control it. He said that the region is facing such a threatening situation after 40 years and Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan may face critical situation. However, the minister said that all available resources would be used to control it.
He said that a huge amount has been allocated for construction of small and big dams which would help to enhance agriculture production. “Pakistan was a water affluent country in past but it is now facing threats of water scarcity,” he said, adding that efforts would be made to overcome the shortage of water particularly in Balochistan and Sindh.
About another Senate recommendation demanding subsidy on fertilizers, Qureshi said that a mechanism is under consideration for distribution of subsidy amount. The process of subsidy on fertilizers will be made transparent like Ehsaas Programme, he added.
