Mobile Pest Surveillance Squad launched in Punjab

Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani officially inaugurated the Mobile Pest Surveillance Squad, which aims to protect crops from pests and diseases and increase agricultural production

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Apr, 2026) Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani officially inaugurated the mobile Pest Surveillance Squad, which aims to protect crops from pests and diseases and increase agricultural production.

The ceremony was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Osama Khan Leghari, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Director Generals Agriculture and other concerned officials.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Agriculture Minister said that Punjab’s agriculture is being developed on truly modern lines, while the Chief Minister has provided ample resources to bring innovation in the Agriculture Department. He said that pest surveillance squads have been established under the Pest Warning Department at a cost of Rs 47 crore.

The minister said that these squads will go to the field and provide guidance to farmers regarding timely identification, diagnosis and effective control of pests attacking crops. In the first phase, these squads have been activated in Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Faisalabad and Sahiwal.

According to Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, 65 vehicles have been provided to the squads at the tehsil level, which also have modern kits so that immediate diagnosis of pests and diseases can be made possible.

Secretary Agriculture Iftikhar Ali Sahu said that 105 plant protection assistants have been recruited under the program and the activities of the squads will also be monitored on a daily basis.