MULTAN: Pakistan Tanners Association North Zone has demanded the government prevent smuggling of animals from Pakistan to rescue the local tanning industries.
The former chairman and well known businessman of tanners Sheikh Usman said that rampant smuggling of animals from the country has put the local tannery industry at the risk of closure.
He said that some people take on the opportunity to smuggle the raw materials, mostly to the neighboring countries Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. He told that leather industry is playing major role in the development of the national economy and its export also a huge source of income for the government of Pakistan.
“If the situation remains the same, all the tanneries in the country might be forced to close in a few years” he said. He told that leather industry is playing major role in the development of the country and its export also a huge source of income for the government of Pakistan. Tannery Industry is playing its role in the elimination of unemployment by providing them job opportunities in the country and tannery industry is contributing in the progress of the national economy with this prevailing situation.
Major consumption of slaughtered animal is attained for meat in Pakistan but for the animal skin it is important to bind everyone that they sell their animal skin at the slaughter house in order to reach the raw material necessity for the export.
He shown his serious concerns over the smuggling of animals in the neighboring country and termed the animal smuggling a bigger loss to the national economy.
Due to animal smuggling from the country tannery industry is facing crisis in terms of raw material for the export of finished goods he expressed. The smuggling of raw hides and skins are also taking jobs from people of Pakistan, denying the badly needed government revenues and premium returns to livestock keepers.