Addressing a news conference here on Wednesday, the minister said the growth in livestock sector would also lead to its complete deregulation.

“We are focusing more on value-addition of the livestock than on its export,” the minister said, adding that livestock plays an important role in poverty alleviation and lifting of socio-economic status of people living in rural areas of the country.

Replying to questions, the minister said Pakistan has exported 4.01 thousand tonnes of mutton and 3.82 thousand tonnes of beef to Middle Eastern countries last year.

Pakistan has 10 per cent meat demand while its production is around 6 per cent, which creates a gap of nearly 4 per cent. That is the reason the government is not lifting the ban on meat export, he added.

However, the minister made it clear that once the demand-supply gap is bridged, the export would be allowed.

To a question regarding bird flue, he said minor cases of bird flue have been detected recently. The government is planning to launch a programme worth Rs1.2 billion in July for complete elimination of this menace.

Bosan said the government had allocated Rs250 million budget for the promotion of livestock out of which Rs235 million have been utilized.