Islamabad [Pakistan], July 29 (HBTV): In a major crackdown on illegal trade, authorities in Islamabad seized 1,000 kg of donkey meat from a farmhouse in the Tarnol area, as reported by Dawn. Over 50 live donkeys were also recovered during the raid, and a foreign national was taken into custody on the spot.
According to a spokesperson for the Islamabad district administration, an FIR has been registered against the foreign national following the recovery. Authorities suspect that the meat was being prepared for supply to foreign restaurants and individuals.
‘We are investigating where the donkey meat was being delivered. Local accomplices involved in the supply chain are also being traced. The case is being pursued from multiple angles,’ the spokesperson said.
Sources within the Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) said that preliminary findings suggest the meat was intended for foreigners. The packaging found at the site was sophisticated, indicating the meat may have been prepared for export or high-end distribution. They added that the presence of over 50 live donkeys ruled out the possibility that the meat came from naturally deceased animals.
The business was reportedly operated by a foreign national who had been residing in the area for an extended period. Officials confirmed that the farmhouse was not registered for such activity.
The case has been registered under Sections 11 (Selling food against the law), 12 (Substandard or misbranded food), 13 (Unsafe food), and 14 (Unhygienic or unsanitary place for food) of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021.
As per the FIR, a total of 1,000 kilograms of donkey meat was recovered from the scene.
According to Dawn, Pakistan exports donkey hides and meat to China. The country ranks among the top three globally in donkey population, following Ethiopia and Sudan.
In recent months, local media reports have noted a sharp rise in donkey prices, with animals now selling for up to Pakistani Rupees 300,000. Dawn cited Pakistan’s proximity and diplomatic ties with China as a factor driving this demand.
In April this year, Pakistan's Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, met with a Chinese delegation interested in establishing donkey farms in Pakistan. While the minister welcomed the proposal, he emphasised that any agreement must protect Pakistan’s local donkey population.
Although Pakistan does not have specific laws regulating donkey trade, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1890 prohibits cruelty, overwork, or unnecessary pain to animals. However, the colonial-era law prescribes only minimal penalties, with fines ranging from Pakistani Rupees 50 to 100 and imprisonment of one to two months depending on the offence.
Despite these limitations, Pakistani officials last year promoted Islamabad’s potential in the global donkey industry at an international conference held in Liaocheng, China, where they underscored the country’s ambitions in animal husbandry and trade.
(ANI)