NEW DELHI: The Commerce Ministry has described Pakistan's attitude towards trade with India as against the ``letter and spirit'' of the agreement on the South Asian Free Trade (SAFTA).

All member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) are required to reduce tariffs on all items except those in the sensitive list. But Pakistan has agreed to the liberalised trade policy with the rider that imports from India would continue to be according to its Import Policy Order, which allows only 1,075 items. ``This partial accession to the SAFTA agreement by Pakistan which is targeted entirely against India and not towards other SAFTA countries is against the letter and spirit of the agreement,'' Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Success of the SAFTA would depend on its implementation in letter and spirit by all including India and Pakistan.

India has given all the SAFTA concessions to all countries including Pakistan. Pakistan was also expected to implement the SAFTA in full without any India-specific restraint, Mr. Ramesh told Milind Deora (Congress).

At the second meeting of the SAFTA Ministerial Council, India had expressed concern on Pakistan's India-specific ``derogation'' of the SAFTA.

Pakistan indicated its commitment to the SAFTA and hoped to resolve the issue amicably but the meeting could not find a solution to the issue, said the Minister.

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