In a surprising yet oddly impressive statistic, the latest Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) report has revealed that Punjab holds the crown for having the largest donkey population in the country. The province is home to a staggering 2.403 million donkeys, leaving all other provinces far behind in this unconventional race.
Trailing in second place is Sindh, with a respectable 1.081 million donkeys, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa takes the third spot with 782,000. The competition gets thinner as we move west Balochistan reports 630,000 donkeys.
And then, there’s Islamabad, the federal capital, proudly standing at the bottom of the list with a whopping 4,000 donkeys which, given its small size, might be more than enough for official duties.
Despite rapid modernization and the expansion of road infrastructure, donkeys remain a vital part of life in rural Pakistan. They are not just animals but hardworking partners, carrying goods, assisting in farming, and providing transportation where motor vehicles simply can’t go.
Experts believe that the consistent population of donkeys indicates their irreplaceable role in areas where affordability, terrain, and tradition still outweigh mechanized transport.
The report humorously reminds us that while the world might be racing towards electric vehicles, in some parts of Pakistan, the humble donkey is still running the show and running it well.
