Islamabad, Sept. 3 (Gwadar Pro) - Pakistan believes ‘Iron Brother’ China gave more than 100 percent to Islamabad as Pakistan fought locust amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Top Pakistani leaders told this writer that China had always helped Pakistan as a big brother in good or bad times.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said China exceeds expectations whenever needed.

“Even at times when we are relaxed and not facing crisis, China remains just a call away. We are like brothers who can never be separated. Especially at the time when they were fighting Covid-19, their support was even more significant. They have always given more than 100 percent,” he said.

Qureshi maintained that his recent meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi was a regular interaction between trusted friends.

“I thanked him for everything China is doing for us. We (Pakistan and China) will go on forever as partners and brothers. As the locust is coming under control, China’s help stands tall,” he acknowledged.

On Wednesday, Pakistan’s National Locust Control Centre (NLCC) announces it had surveyed around 185,973 hectares area and carried out locust control operation in two districts of Balochistan and Sindh provinces.

A statement issued by the Ministry of National food Security and Research said no locust was found in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtukhwa and Punjab.

However, the presence of locust was observed in one district of Balochistan and another in Sindh. The anti-locust operation was carried out on 240 hectares in district Lasbella and 130 hectares of Tharparker.

During the past six months, locust control operations have been carried out on 1,124,273 hectares of land across Pakistan.

Recently, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), a state-owned Chinese company, provided $ 100,000 to Ministry of National food Security and Research in order to strengthen its efforts against desert locust.

The cheque of $ 100,000 was handed over to the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam in a ceremony which was also attended by Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jing and Dr Gu Wenliang, Agriculture Counselor/Second Secretary from the Chinese Embassy.

Syed Fakhar Imam later highlighted the existence of expanding friendly relations between the two friendly countries.

Agriculture is the major avenue wherein the two countries may cooperate to expand their economic relations, he remarked.

Fakhar Imam also thanked China for the provision of 12 drones for locust control activities by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China.

China has been assisting Pakistan to control desert locust in Pakistan as an emergency project.

China provided 300,000 liters of pesticides and 50 sprayer equipment that had worth around $ 4.94 million.

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China also provided medical equipment to Pakistan to continue activities related to desert locust under the ongoing corona virus pandemic.

In addition, Department of Plant Protection received equipment including 200 protective suit, 4550 face masks, 200 goggles and 50 pairs of long shoes.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar told this journalist that China had worked shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan against the locust attack.

“Their support has been the difference. They helped us with money, equipment, medicine and expertise. China truly takes Pakistan as its younger brother,” he mentioned.

CM Buzdar said Pakistan had always tried to stand with China despite limited resources. “We can proudly say China’s has played a key role to defeat the locust in Pakistan,” he added.

China’s determined support came when Pakistan’s farmers were struggling to combat the worst locust plague in nearly three decades as insect swarms decimated entire harvests in the country’s agricultural heartlands and sent food prices soaring.

Heavy rains and cyclones sparked unprecedented breeding and the explosive growth of locust populations on the Arabian peninsula early last year, according to the United Nations.

The insects fanned out and wreaked havoc on farms from East Africa to India before making their way into Pakistan from the desert on the country’s southwestern border with Iran.

The crisis was so severe that the government declared a nationwide emergency and urgently appealed for help from the international community.

Local surveys of the damage are continuing, but the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture says nearly half of all crops have been destroyed near Karachi.

Some farmers were forced to opt for more desperate solutions while waiting for their fields to be sprayed and attempted to scare off the swarms by shouting and banging pots. Chinese experts also conducted surveyed and Beijing offered loads of help.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah appreciated China’s help to fight the locust attack. “China stood with us like a tag team partner. Their role has been outstanding. China never disappoints Pakistan,” he told this author.

As Murad Ali Shah put it, “They (China) not only call us iron brother but also prove it repeatedly. They fought locust with us like it was their own issue. China has been with us in good or bad times.”