ISLAMABAD: The government put a temporary ban on export of donkey hides on Thursday, fearing extinction of the animal or possible consumption of its meat.

A meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, was informed by the food ministry that donkey hides earned Rs18,000-20,000 per piece on their export, mainly to China, leading to its mass killing through poisoning.

The meeting was informed that India and Pakistan had the highest donkey population, but it was being exterminated very quickly in Pakistan. This could be gauged from the fact that export proceeds of donkey hides tripled in one year to over Rs135 million till June 30, 2015 from Rs44m a year ago.

Informed sources said the finance minister also took notice of media reports from Lahore and some other parts of the country, suggesting alleged sale of donkey meat.

He feared that some unscrupulous elements might have supplied donkey meat to meat markets, even though its human consumption was forbidden in Islam.

It was also informed that donkey bones were also being used in China for anti-wrinkle creams that may also be making its way into Pakistani market. The finance minister desired that this should also be discouraged.

After detailed discussions, the ECC decided to clamp ban on export of donkey hides till such time that regulatory mechanism was put in place by the provinces for proper disposal of carcasses of the animals.

The meeting also approved allocation of foreign exchange by the ministry of finance for import of another chunk of 50,000 tonnes of urea against the already approved quantities of 250,000 tonnes for the upcoming Rabi season.

The ECC also approved a proposal of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to provide sovereign guarantee and allowed the gas companies (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company) to raise necessary finances of Rs101 billion for north-south gas pipeline, from Karachi to Lahore to transport about 325 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of imported gas.

This project would ensure supplies of gas to the 3,600MW Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG)-based power plants planned to be set up in the country by 2017. Pakistan and Russia have agreed to develop the project on government to government basis.

The meeting also approved a request of the water and power ministry to continue with 74MW electricity from Iran for coastal areas of Balochistan. It also asked the ministries concerned to arrange through rice export the repayment of about $100 million Pakistan owed to Iran on account of electricity purchases. The meeting was told that Tehran had agreed to import rice from Islamabad against electricity supply.

The meeting also asked the National Transmission and Dispatch Company limited (NTDCL) to approach National Electric Power Regulatory Authority for approval of extension of existing tariff from Jan 1 to Dec 31 to enable the barter trade.

Wapda entered an agreement with Tavanir in 2002 for procuring 32MW which was later enhanced to 74MW.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015

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