ISLAMABAD – The federal government has lifted the ban on the export of donkey hides.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce, the export of donkey hides has now been conditionally allowed.

The ban, which was imposed in 2015, has officially been withdrawn. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had imposed the restriction on September 3, 2015.

As per documents from the Bureau of Statistics released in June this year, the number of donkeys in Pakistan has further increased.

According to the Agriculture Census Report, Punjab has the highest number of donkeys among all provinces, followed by Sindh, then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Balochistan has the lowest. Islamabad recorded 4,000 donkeys.

Figures show:

Punjab: 2.403 million donkeys

Sindh: 1.081 million donkeys

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 782,000 donkeys

Balochistan: 630,000 donkeys

The report highlighted that Punjab has 1.773 million more donkeys than Balochistan, 1.621 million more than Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 1.322 million more than Sindh.

According to the 2024 Agriculture Census, Pakistan’s total donkey population has reached 4.9 million.

International media reports suggest that in China, gelatin made from donkey hides is considered beneficial for health and youth development. Donkey skins are boiled to extract gelatin, which is then converted into powder, capsules, liquid, or used as a food additive.

One report estimated that at least 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered globally each year for this purpose, with welfare groups warning that demand is rising rapidly.