India knocks SAARC doors against Pak

NEW DELHI: India has approached the SAARC Secretariat against Pakistan's decision to trade only a limited number of products with the country under the South Asian Free Trade Area and sought an "urgent" meeting of SAFTA Ministerial Council to resolve the issue.

Commerce Minister Kamal Nath has already written to SAARC Secretary General Chenkyab Dorji, saying Islamabad's reluctance on conducting trade with New Delhi on all items except those in the sensitive list went "against the letter and spirit of SAFTA agreement".

"India is deeply disappointed about Pakistan's decision. Pakistan has not lived up to our expectations," Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters here.

Although, SAFTA came into operation on January 1 this year, the Tariff Liberalisation Programme started only on July 1. All member countries conduct trade with each other on all items, except those in negative list of items on which duties are not reduced.

Pakistan, however, has decided to trade with India on the basis of a small list of 773 items under a positive list and has refused to grant Most Favoured Nation status.