Pakistan Allows Donkey Hide Exports After 9 Years
Pakistan Lifts Ban on Donkey Hide Exports After Nine Years
ISLAMABAD – The federal government has officially lifted a nine-year-old ban on the export of donkey hides, a restriction that was first imposed in 2015 amid concerns that donkey meat was being sold in local markets as beef and mutton.
According to the revised export policy, only companies operating within designated donkey slaughterhouses in the Gwadar Free Zone will be allowed to export hides. A notification confirmed that the clause prohibiting such exports has now been removed from the country’s Export Policy Order.
The move follows earlier developments in 2023, when the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce was told that Pakistan had finalised protocols with China for the export of donkey hides and meat, along with other agricultural products, including onions, potatoes, and chillies.
However, the decision comes amid ongoing concerns from animal welfare groups. At a workshop held in August, experts revealed that of the 55.5 million donkeys worldwide, nearly six million are slaughtered every year—raising alarms about the global donkey skin trade. The session stressed that donkeys, mules, and horses play a crucial role in supporting the livelihoods of poor and marginalised communities, and warned of the risks posed by unchecked demand for donkey skins.
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