The federal government has moved to restrict the export of donkey hides, permitting it only from designated slaughterhouses in the Gwadar Free Zone (GFZ), according to a news report.Â
The policy aims to regulate the industry amid growing concerns over illegal slaughtering practices and the sale of donkey meat as beef in local markets.
The move is backed by the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950, which gives the government the authority to impose export restrictions. Under the Export Policy Order (EPO) 2022, certain goods, including donkey hides, are either banned or restricted to meet specific conditions.
The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) first raised alarms in 2015 over the surge in donkey hide exports and associated unethical practices. As a result, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) imposed a ban on the export of donkey hides, directing the MNFSR to take action with provincial government support.
Now, the MNFSR has proposed lifting the ban but only for exports originating from approved donkey slaughterhouses in Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and the Gwadar Free Zone (GFZ).Â
The MNFSR clarified that export protocols with China for both donkey hides and meat are already in place. These protocols ensure strict supervision, with donkeys sourced from approved breeding farms. All operations are to be tightly regulated.
The revised proposal now suggests incorporating specific provisions in the Export Policy Order (EPO), 2022, allowing donkey hide exports only from registered slaughterhouses within the Gwadar Free Zone.
