ISLAMABAD: The federal government has formally lifted the ban on the export of donkey hides to China, paving the way for the final inspection of Hengeng Trading Enterprise, a Chinese pharmaceutical company set to operate Pakistan’s first donkey slaughterhouse in the Gwadar North Free Zone.
Officials confirmed that the General Administration of Customs of China has already conducted an online inspection of the company’s facilities to review its compliance with international safety and quality standards. The upcoming in-person inspection will determine the final operational approval.
A Balochistan government official told Gwadar Pro that the Ministry of Commerce has amended the country’s Export Policy Order to authorise donkey hide exports under strict regulatory conditions. “The export of donkey hides shall be allowed only to firms manufacturing in designated and registered donkey slaughterhouses located within the Gwadar Free Zone North,” the official said.
In July 2024, Pakistan and China finalised protocols for the export of donkey hides and meat, a development aimed at boosting trade diversification and attracting foreign investment. The Pakistan Animal Quarantine Department has also certified Hengeng Trading Enterprise to operate within the prescribed health and safety framework.
Constructed at a cost of $50 million, the high-tech facility represents a new phase of agricultural and livestock cooperation between the two countries. It is equipped with advanced processing systems to ensure disease-free meat and internationally compliant preservation methods through a modern cold chain network.
An official from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs said that donkeys raised at farmhouses in different parts of Punjab will be transported to Gwadar for slaughtering and processing. “The meat and skins will be processed under international standards before being exported to China,” he added.
The project is also being viewed as a pilot for the introduction of advanced slaughter and processing technologies in Pakistan, potentially opening avenues for similar export-oriented facilities in the future.
According to the latest government data, Pakistan’s donkey population has increased to 5.9 million during the fiscal year 2023–24, an indicator of potential growth in the country’s livestock and byproduct export sectors.
