India and Pakistan have joined hands on fighting against the locusts, despite of the straining relations.
India and Pakistan have joined hands on fighting against the locusts, despite of the straining relations that both the country shared over Kashmir the two countries have now teamed up against locusts invasion under a forum administered by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Pakistan and India are in the pitfall of the worst locust attack in nearly three decades and it is also feared that crops worth billions of rupees would be lost. This has induced fears about food security in both countries.
FAO spokesperson Aisha Farooqui, said the ministerial meeting of the commission held in March had decided to reactivate communication between the member states on the locust situation and a Technical and Operational Coordination (TOC) team was formed to exchange information; enhance coordination at the border areas; and increase synchronization to fight desert locust outbreak in the region.
Pakistan had been wholeheartedly participating in SWAC meetings on weekly basis. The cooperation is a bliss as exchanging information in the bordering areas of Pakistan and India takes place. “We believe that the respective Technical Teams have been coordinating appropriately through FAO,” she further said.
It is quite rare how the two rival states have joint hands against locusts attacks since recently India illegally annexed Occupied Kashmir last August inducing more tensions between the two countries.
In Pakistan alone, it is the Pakistan Army battling against locust. While recently, India expelled two Pakistani high commission officials on the allegations of spying. Indian troops are creating havoc and clamor at the Line of Control this year as usual.
“The two officials of the Pakistan High Commission in India were abducted by the Indian authorities on false and unsubstantiated charges. … in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as well as norms of diplomatic conduct,” Ms Farooqui said.
Pakistan, at the moment, does not want to escalate the situation and has acted with moderation. But moreover, the two countries do no want to start a fight but instead fight against the swarms of desert locusts that have spoiled the peace and harmony of the two countries but also have great potential to challenge the economy of both the countries.