The title of this article may appear strange to many readers but this is a fact that donkey population is playing a significant role in Pakistan’s economy. The population of donkey in Pakistan is third largest in the world. Last year, it stood at 5 million.
Donkey is known as a national asset in Pakistan. Pakistan earns millions of dollars from exporting donkeys to China. Donkey skin and fur has high value in the foreign market. Donkeys are highly valued in China because they use donkeys to manufacture traditional Chinese medicines, therefore, donkeys are considered medicinal properties in China.
It is globally well-known fact that foreign cash reserves are dried up in Pakistan and external debt is mounting and it has debt trap now. Recently, UAE asked Pakistan to pay back its $1 billion loan. Pakistan started begging to UAE to condone this loan as they cannot pay it. Therefore, to increase its foreign cash reserves, Pakistan started exporting donkeys to China.
According to one report published in ‘The Guardian’ in 2019, China’s demand for donkeys poses a serious threat to the global population of donkeys. It is feared that donkey’s population may be wiped out in the next five years, because China slaughters them to make its traditional medicine.
To increase exports, the Live Stock Department of Pakistan has planned that it will develop donkey’s farms, a unique idea in Pakistan. It may not be wrong to state that donkeys are playing significant role in Pakistanis economy and its future economy will depend on donkeys.
Now in Pakistan, donkeys are being used as a means of local transport which we call as Tanga (horse cart), and it was used for transportation in the Indian subcontinent during the 70s. These days, as fuel (diesel and petrol) prices touch the sky, Pakistani cannot afford to operate automobile-based transportation. Therefore, there are reports that donkey carts (Tanga) are being used as a means of livelihood by farmers and workers in both rural and suburban areas and now even in cities.
Alas! what Mr. Imran Khan has done to Pakistan; a donkey economy income, a bankrupt economy, debt trap and pushed millions of population to hunger and to live a miserable life. There is big difference in playing cricket and politics and leading the country to economic development. A big mistake Pakistani people made by inducting him to the post of Prime Minister.
On humanitarian ground, now India has agreed to supply vaccine free of cost to Pakistan.
