In a major relief to a cash-starved Pakistan, China has offered to import dogs and donkeys from the country, reported ARY News. The development was confirmed by the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce to Pakistan’s Commerce Ministry on Monday (October 3).
ARY News reported that the Committee members met in Islamabad, during which Chairman Zeeshan Khanzada was briefed about imports and exports. A member of the Committee, Dinesh Kumar, informed that China has expressed interest in the country’s dogs and donkeys.
On hearing this, Senator Abdul Qadir recollected that the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan had held discussions, on multiple occasions, about importing meat from the country.
In 2017, it was reported that China was faced with a shortage of donkeys. But in the subsequent year, Pakistan broke ranks to emerge as the country with the 3rd largest donkey population.
Opindia had earlier reported how China and Pakistan were working on a project to breed donkeys together. The Communist country needs donkeys to prepare an exotic medicine named E’jiao.
In the 2nd century BC, a royal concubine apparently used E’jiao to prevent her miscarriage and her son became the emperor of China. E’jiao is made by boiling donkey skin.
China reportedly had the world’s largest donkey herd until about 3 decades ago. However, the growing demand for E’jiao saw most donkeys in China being skinned and boiled, and it now faces an acute donkey shortage.
Donkeys are used widely for transportation in Pakistan. They are part of the local culture, with donkey cart races being a popular sport.