Pakistan imposes export duty on hides and skins

Pakistan's economic coordination committee (ECC) has imposed a 20% duty on the export of hides and skins. Economic advisor Dr Ashfaq Hassan Khan said the measure was designed to discourage the export of raw skins and encourage and protect value addition in the leather sector which would increase competitivity on the international market. The ECC also withdrew quarantine charges of Rs100 (US$1.7) per head on the import of live animals to reduce the price of meat in the market.