Pakistan moves toward major meat export breakthrough with Malaysia

ISLAMABAD: A high-level meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Meat Exports to Malaysia was held Thursday, co-chaired by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan and Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan.

The session brought together key stakeholders from the public and private sectors to review challenges, recommendations, and the future roadmap for enhancing Pakistan’s meat exports to Malaysia.

During the meeting, the committee proposed an ambitious target of USD 200 million worth of meat exports to Malaysia. Minister Jam Kamal Khan highlighted that a collaborative business model is being developed with private exporters to streamline and boost meat shipments.

He emphasized the need to upgrade Pakistan’s grazing areas, establish FMD vaccine laboratories, and introduce targeted incentives for exporters—calling these measures “essential and time-critical” for tapping into the Malaysian market.

SAPM Haroon Akhtar Khan reaffirmed that a comprehensive export strategy is being crafted on the Prime Minister’s directives. He stated that Pakistan is fully prepared and globally compliant for the export of boneless meat, while work continues on a viable framework for bone-in meat exports.

“Our draft export plan has been prepared after extensive consultations with all stakeholders,” Haroon Akhtar noted, adding that incentives will be crucial for expanding buffalo meat exports.

He also underscored the importance of improving processing systems, cold-chain infrastructure, and export-ready mechanisms to enhance Pakistan’s competitiveness in international markets.

Jam Kamal Khan concluded that the newly developed business model will soon be presented to the Prime Minister. “This initiative will significantly boost Pakistan’s export portfolio and open new opportunities in high-demand halal markets,” he said.

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