PM Approves New Halal Meat Export Policy

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a new halal meat export policy and directed the relevant authorities to finalize a comprehensive three-year strategy within two weeks to enhance Pakistan’s presence in the global market. Presiding over a high-level review meeting in Islamabad, the prime minister said Pakistan has strong potential to become a major player in the international halal meat industry. He emphasized that close coordination between federal ministries and provincial governments would be crucial to achieving this goal, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. The prime minister tasked a specialised committee with presenting practical proposals to improve meat production capacity, cold storage infrastructure and logistics to support exports. He emphasised that Pakistan must meet international standards to compete effectively in Muslim-majority countries as well as other global markets. He directed relevant departments to ensure international certification of local slaughterhouses and facilitate bilateral registration with importing countries. A key focus of the new policy is ensuring that meat exports come from disease-free zones and are processed under strict hygiene conditions, the prime minister said. During the briefing, officials informed the meeting that Pakistan’s total halal meat production stands at around 6 million metric tonnes. After meeting domestic demand, the country has a sizeable surplus that can be exported if supported by international standard packaging and competitive pricing. The prime minister noted that reducing production costs and adopting globally recognised business practices would be critical to improving regional competitiveness. The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanvir Hussain, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar, and other senior officials. Officials also briefed the prime minister on progress regarding meat exports to Malaysia. A meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Meat Exports to Malaysia was held in November, co-chaired by Haroon Akhtar and Jam Kamal Khan. During that session, the committee proposed a target of $200 million in meat exports to Malaysia. The commerce minister said a joint business model with private exporters is being developed to streamline shipments and increase export volumes.