Expressing extreme dismay over the failure of the federal and provincial governments to control locust swarm, Farmers Bureau of Pakistan (FBP) has demanded the resignation of Federal Minister for Food Security and Provincial Agriculture Ministers especially of Punjab province.

Farmers Bureau of Pakistan (FBP) has claimed that these departments badly failed to comprehend the whole situation; though warnings were being given by different local and foreign agencies including hue and cry was being made by the growers about the attack.

FBP President Dr Zafar Hayyat while talking to Business Recorder here on Wednesday said that the agriculture sector had always been badly ignored and mismanaged by the government. The Locust which entered into Pakistan almost a year ago had grown in its number and posing a big threat to the different crops under cultivation. The issue had been raised with the persons concerned but it seemed that the leadership, the federal Agriculture minister and Provincial agriculture ministers didn't have the capacity and vision to address the issues in depth.

"The government had recently realized the seriousness of the situation but we believe they lost the precious time in which, with little resources, the locust attack could have been controlled. Looking at the situation now, and the extent to which locust has spread seems will take of a lot of resources to control its growth and total elimination. We, therefore, demand the resignation of current Federal Minister and Provincial minister's, especially of Punjab who badly failed to comprehend the whole situation, and demand the government to appoint proper knowledgeable leadership who understands the issue of agriculture in-depth," Dr Zafar Hayyat demanded.

Another important issue which requires immediate attention is the cotton crop, he said and added that the cotton crop had a very important role in agriculture as well as the value-added industrial sector. Again the government failed to realize the serious situation into which cotton crop is and did not include it in its Agriculture Emergency programme.