Former Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and former Chairman of the Pakistan Shipping Agents Association, Tariq Haleem, has termed the approval of a new export policy for halal meat as an important step toward the promotion of the export sector, stating that it is likely to increase Pakistan’s share in the global market significantly.

Referring to the government’s approval of the new policy, he said that a comprehensive three-year strategy should be finalized on an emergency basis to enable the export of halal meat from Pakistan. However, he stressed that for meat exports, it is essential to comply with international health and hygiene standards, and that meat should be exported only from disease-free areas and maintained under the highest sanitary conditions.

Tariq Haleem said that practical proposals to improve production capacity, expand cold storage facilities, and make overall logistics more efficient should be implemented so that Pakistan can meet global standards and compete effectively with most Muslim countries in the international market, thereby creating opportunities for Pakistan in the global halal economy.

He further emphasized that all possible support should be provided for the international certification of local slaughterhouses, and that the bilateral registration process with importing countries should be simplified. He said that Pakistan’s total halal meat production currently stands at 6 million metric tons. After meeting domestic requirements, the government has a substantial surplus that can be exported through internationally compliant packaging and competitive pricing.

He added that to remain competitive in the region, reducing production costs and adopting globally recognized business models would be extremely important. He said government improvements in infrastructure and the supply chain would help remove the obstacles exporters face.