RAHIM YAR KHAN: The Travel Agents Association (TAA), Rahim Yar Khan, protested against the closure of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) District Sales Office (DSO) in the city on Monday.

They gathered in the Town Hall and recorded their protest.

TAA district president Sohaib Tahir Cheema and General Secretary Mahar Abdul Hameed said the PIA DSO was not only providing best services to the locals but the people of neighbouring areas of district Rajanpur and of Ghotki in Sindh.

They said that thousands of people of this region were overseas and beneficiaries of this office for reservation of their seats, purchase of tickets, cancellation and refunds.

“We have learnt the DSO is going to be close from Sept 15, 2025.”

A PIA official at the DSO told this correspondent that there were 13 members staff in the office.

He said within three to four months PIA will be privatised. “It will be up to the new administration to retain the office or otherwise.”

A PIA spokesperson at the Karachi head office Abdullah Hafeez Khan told Dawn RYK had been an ‘offline’ station since last few years because of changing operational dynamics.

“In order to curtail costs, PIA is moving towards smart offices in order to regroup its functions and ensure cost discipline, which is yielding results for the national flag carrier in terms of sustained profitability.”

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025