Shah said that the locust swarm attacks on standing crops in various parts of the province has caused a loss to the framers in general and provincial economy in particular. "The growers are quite upset and their loss has also hurt him a lot," he said.
The chief minister said the plant protection department of the federal government has a few aircraft, and most of them were grounded, therefore they could not provide necessary assistance to the provincial government.
He directed the minister agriculture to talk to UAE government and request them to provide aircraft to the Sindh government for conducting aerial spray in the desert area where locust swarm have settled for breeding. "We have to kill them before their breeding, otherwise they cause irreparable loss next year," he said.
The chief minister said that the provincial government would pay the rent of the aircraft and provide them necessary material for spray. The chief minister, talking to newly appointed Chinese Consul General in Karachi, requested him to talk to his government and provide Sindh government with support of latest aircraft for spray in the desert area.
The consul general assured the chief minister that he would talk to his government and would respond to him within next three days. Shah also thanked the Chinese government for established a coal-fired power plant at Thar and also said that a Chinese company was working in Thar for coal mining.
"China is our most trusted friend and the foundation of this friendship was laid by founder of PPP Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto," he said. The chief minister presented his memento, an ajrak and a Sindhi cap to the new consul general and welcomed him in Sindh.