DERA GHAZI KHAN: After the suspension of flight operations from Dera Ghazi Khan airport since 2019 and subsequent shifting of the air travel business of Dera and Rajanpur districts to Multan airport, the PIA ticketing office of DG Khan will be closed down after 46 years of its establishment.

The closure of the office may cause difficulties for local airtravellerswho are employed in Gulf states, locals say. The PIA ticketing office was established in DG Khan in 1976.

Retired ticketing officer Sufi Sardar Ahmed Khan told Dawn both Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts would provide Rs1 billion business per year to the PIA office. Later, the closure of the DG Khan airport decreased the business. He said 70 per cent of thetravellersat Multan airport were from Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur.

The Ministry of the Overseas Pakistanis has established a protector office in Dera Ghazi Khan in recognition of the presence of a large number of locals in foreign states, says Kamran Diyal, an official of the protector office.

Dera Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Jalaluddin Roomi says they are ready to run the Dera airport on the pattern of Sialkot airport.

The airport was established by the PPP government in 1995 as local businesses and overseas Pakistanis from the areas provided a good business to the airport.The airport used to receive flights from Islamabad, Quetta, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Karachi and Dubai.

The localtravellersdemanded the revival of the airport besides the arrangement of a night landing facility, enhancement of air strip for the landing of Airbus and commencing of cargo service.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2021