The federal government has launched a fresh crackdown on the smuggling and illegal export of poultry and edible goods following a petition in the Peshawar High Court that raised concern over unchecked cross-border movement of birds, meat, and other food items.
The News reported that the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control has directed all four provincial chief secretaries, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and senior paramilitary commanders to strengthen anti-smuggling operations and border surveillance immediately. The instructions were issued by the ministry’s Frontier Corps wing after the court took notice of the matter.
The communication cited the writ petition Peshawar High Court vs Federation of Pakistan and others, which challenged the smuggling and export of poultry, day-old chicks, and other edible commodities to neighbouring countries. It stressed that such activity “must be stopped immediately” through coordinated field enforcement.
The ministry said 57 joint check-posts have already been set up along key border routes in coordination with provincial and paramilitary forces as part of a broader federal strategy to prevent outflows of essential goods.
Officials said the step aims to address shortages and control price fluctuations in domestic markets. They added that the push follows reports of rising illegal exports of poultry through informal crossings in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which have disrupted domestic supplies and market stability.
