Ahead of Shehbaz Sharif’s ‘China visit,’ Pakistan clears donkey meat exports after Chinese firm’s warning

Pakistan has approved the export of donkey meat to China. This comes after a Chinese company warned it might shut operations, prompting intervention from the Prime Minister’s office.

The matter is related to the Hangeng Trade Company, which operates from Gwadar – a port city central to China-backed projects.

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The approvals for export were delayed for months and raised questions over bureaucratic difficulties affecting foreign-backed projects in Pakistan, PTI reported.

Decision from the Pakistani side comes amid ongoing buzz about Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China later this month for an investment forum.

In Gwadar, Hangeng Trade Company is running a slaughterhouse and exports donkey meat and hides to China. These are utilised in producing traditional medicine usually marketed as a blood tonic and for skin-related issues.

Notably, Pakistan exports nearly 216,000 donkeys on an annual basis for meat and hides, with China being the prime source.

As per Pakistan government estimates, the sector can genrate up to $300 million each year.

Hangeng Trade Company issues warning

The decision fro the Pakistani government came after the Chinese company on May 1 issued a public statement and said that it was being forced to halt operations in Gwadar due to “non-market factors” and operational barriers.

Further, the company stated that it would be “compelled to shut down the factory” and informed employees of planned closures.

Moreover, it warned other businesses to assess policy execution gaps and institutional uncertainty before investing, PTI reported.

Several of its shipments remained stalled even after meeting all export standards, the company said and added that it was in touch with the Pakistani authorities for three months without resolution.

The dispute is related to pending approvals from Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and the Animal Quarantine Department, which regulates export of livestock.

Tauqir Shah, an adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, later intervened and escalated the matter to the Prime Minister’s Office. Thereafter, Shehbaz Sharif’s office stepped in and called for a rapid approval process.

Pakistan’s cabinet then cleared the export of donkey meat, while required permissions were granted by the Animal Quarantine Department.