Islamabad, July 29, 2025: Two China-based firms have submitted requests for official permits to export donkey meat from Pakistan, including the processing of both meat and bones. These proposals, which involve operating slaughterhouses and securing export authorization, are currently being examined by authorities.
If these applications are granted, the firms will gain exclusive rights to handle and export donkey-related products solely via the Gwadar port in Balochistan. To prevent domestic circulation, no other site will be permitted for the preparation or dispatch of the meat.
This development surfaced just a day after the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) uncovered an unlawful slaughterhouse in Tarnol on July 27. During the operation, 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat were seized and over 50 live donkeys were recovered.
A foreign national was taken into custody and legal action has been initiated through an FIR.
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Early findings suggest the meat was likely meant for foreign markets. Officials are continuing investigations to identify any other channels of distribution.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the country’s donkey count has increased by 109,000 over the past year, reaching a total of 6.047 million—possibly contributing to the growing interest in donkey meat exports from Pakistan.
