Pakistan, May 13 -- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities to ensure timely provision of fertilizer to farmers at all costs and ordered continuous monitoring of fertilizer supplies to safeguard the country's food security.

The prime minister chaired an important meeting on food security and fertilizer reserves here, a Prime Minister's Office news release said.

The prime minister said meeting the agricultural sector's requirements was the government's top priority to ensure food security in the country.

He directed the relevant ministries and institutions to formulate plans for alternative fertilizer supplies from Central Asian states in view of possible disruptions in supply chains from Gulf countries.

The p...