KARACHI: Customs Court Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi has directed investigation officer to complete investigation and file challan against seven suspects who were arrested for attempting to smuggle donkey hides worth Rs 118.4 million to China.
During the hearing, the investigation officer sought further time to submit challan, therefore, the court allowed his plead and directed him to submit challan on the next date of hearing.
Earlier, the investigation officer produced a Chinese Citizen Tu-zhong Xiao son of Tu Shao, Syed Ehtisham Zaidi son of Syed Shamim Ahmed Zaidi, Muhammad Faisal Bhutto son of Muhammad Ibrahim, Muhammad Jumman son of Ameer Ali, Zeeshan Jan son of Patrus, Daniyal Rahman son of Muhammad Shakeel, and Afshan wife of Ehtisham before the court. He told the court that local police recovered 4,736 hides from Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Block-12, Karachi, and handed over the suspects to the Customs Department for investigation.
He added that it was revealed that the hides were brought illegally from Lahore to Karachi be smuggled to China. “There were about eight hides in one sack and one hide is sold for approximately Rs, 25,000,” the investigation officer said.
He had mentioned that China is using donkey hides to produce medicine named Ejiao, which is useful in blood-related disease. The Ejiao is obtained from donkey’s Gilatin and owing to this reasons, China has become major importer of donkey hides. “A large numbers of donkey hides are being export to China and often illegal methods are adopted to make more profits. Due to such smuggling, Pakistan is facing shortfall in foreign exchange whereas its meat is also served to people in Islamic country.”
He said that Tu Zhong Xiao is the master mind and main culprit in this case, he makes all the dealing and also responsible for investment and sending consignment outside the country.
