ISLAMABAD, July 29: The Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (SAAG) has asked the developed countries, including the European Union, to stop pressuring the poor nations to accept the draft package agreement under the WTO regime.

The SAAG, a network of civil society organizations, in a statement issued here on Thursday said the framework accommodated all the demands of the developed countries while it did not cover the concerns of the developing countries which they had been expressing since the inception of the World Trade Organization.

"If this practice of pressuring the poor countries, including Pakistan, goes on the outcome will be in favour of the rich and the poor will not get any benefit out of the negotiations. It will further increase poverty in the developing countries.

"Furthermore, the unfair trade practices by the rich countries in the imbalance World Trade Organization agreements will provide the rich countries with an opportunity to capture the resources of the poor countries," it said.