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ISLAMABAD, Sep 26 (APP):The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security & Research on Friday was informed that about 2.5 million acres of agricultural land were damaged due to recent torrential rains and flash floods across the country.
The committee met here with Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan in the chair and reviewed different matters relating to national food security and development of agriculture sector of the country, said a press release.
The meeting was informed that about 2.5 million acres of agricultural land across all provinces had been damaged due to recent floods, adding that 7 per cent of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s agricultural land was severely affected.
It was informed that different standing crops covering over 3.5 million acres of land were damaged by flash floods, the worst-hit crops include rice, sugarcane, and maize in the Punjab. The Chairman Committee said that this was a national disaster, adding that affected areas must be declared disaster-hit, and immediate assistance should be provided through the Benazir Income Support Program.
The Chairman Rice Exporters Association voiced concerns over the steep decline in Basmati rice exports, once Pakistan’s most lucrative export commodity. “Pakistan achieved a historic high in rice exports, but we are now
witnessing a drastic fall, even lower than India, due to interrupted shipments to EU countries,” he remarked.
The committee resolved to gather views from all key exporter and importer associations before finalizing the NAFSA Ordinance. Chairman Senator Masroor Ahsan directed all stakeholders to submit their formal recommendations before
the next session.
The meeting also expressed concerns over the non-compliance of its earlier directions regarding the appointment of the Director General of Plant Protection (DPP). The Chairman Committee said that the appointment has been nullified by the court, yet no notification has been issued. He said this was apparently a direct violation of judicial orders.
Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research revealed that two separate inquiries had been conducted against officers involved rice consignment irregularities, while another spanned 2005 to 2025, targeting 49 officers (including retirees).
The meeting was attended by Senators Poonjo Bheel, Rahat Jamali , Danesh Kumar, Aimal Wali Khan, Sardar Al Haj Muhammad Umer Gorgaij and Senator Abdul Karim. Senator Salim Mandviwalla and Senator Rana Mehmood ul Hassan also participated as special invitees.