The federal government has amended the Export Policy Order to allow the export of donkey hides, ending a ban that had been in place since 2015.
Government amends policy and replaces the 2015 ECC ban with a targeted permission
According to a Ministry of Commerce notification, the ban on exporting donkey hides has been omitted from the Export Policy Order.
The Economic Coordination Council had imposed the ban in 2015 after reports of donkey meat being sold as beef and mutton in several cities.
In addition, the new decision reverses that blanket restriction. However, it introduces tight conditions meant to control sourcing and traceability.
Additionally, the move is framed as a policy change rather than a broad market opening.
Exports limited to approved firms operating only inside the Gwadar Free Zone
The notification says exports will be allowed only for firms and companies that manufacture in designated, approved, or registered donkey slaughterhouses located in the Gwadar Free Zone.
This means no other part of the country is eligible under the rule.
Therefore, authorities say the narrow scope allows better monitoring, clearer audits, and easier enforcement at a single export gateway.
Last July, officials told a Senate committee that protocols for exporting donkey skins and meat to China had been finalised, along with protocols for onions, potatoes, and chillies.
Similarly, the revised order aligns with that direction while keeping operations inside a controlled zone.
Welfare concerns and livelihood issues underline the need for strong oversight
Animal welfare groups and development experts have warned about the global trade in donkey skins.
A national workshop in August reported that there are about 55.5 million donkeys worldwide and an estimated six million are killed each year.
The session highlighted the role of working equines in supporting poor and marginalised communities and flagged the emerging risk of a donkey skin trade in Pakistan.
With exports now permitted under tight limits, stakeholders say strict inspections, supply chain documentation, and rapid action against illegal slaughter will be essential.
Public health officers also stress the continued need to prevent any sale of donkey meat as beef or mutton.
