'Safta barriers discourage Pak exporters'

Pakistan will defend its decision of not fully implementing provisions of the agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (Safta) with India at the Saarc Commerce Ministers meet in Nepal next week on the grounds that New Delhi's tariff barriers adversely affected the country's exports.

The Indian non-tariff barriers and domestic regulations adversely affected Pakistan, and the country would strongly defend its stance on trade with India under a positive list in the meetings, the Daily Times quoted Pakistani officials as saying today.