Turkey helps fight locust onslaught in Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan

Turkey has offered its expertise to Pakistan in its fight against a massive locust onslaught, which has destroyed large swathes of crops across the country.

Ankara handed over a purpose built Piper Brave spray aircraft along with four crew members to Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

The aircraft was airlifted to Pakistan from Turkey's southern province of Adana, said a PAF statement.

The aircraft would be assembled before its departure for the pest infected areas in the country, especially southern Sindh and northeastern Punjab provinces.

"Turkey and Pakistan are all weather friends and this gesture would help improve a comprehensive pest control system to overcome the locust plague," the statement added.

This is the second locust attack on Pakistan in less than three months.

The fresh onslaught came at a time when the South Asian nuclear state is struggling to contain the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic, which has infected 22,550 people and caused 525 deaths so far.

Last week, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani discussed ways of coordination to control the locusts, which have attacked the two neighboring countries.