PESHAWAR, Jan 8: Travel Agent Association of Pakistan (TAAP) on Saturday have appealed to president and prime minister to take notice of the Federally Investigative Agency (FIA) officials who, they alleged, were teasing them for pecuniary benefits.

Convenor of the TAAP, Shamsher Ali during a press conference lamented that for the last few months, the FIA officials were misusing their power and targeting the travel agents. Not only travel agents but the air passengers were also facing several problems. He regretted that without any search warrant the FIA personal raided the agencies in different timing.

He alleged that the FIA officials using immoral and abusive language against the agencies personal in the presence of passengers. The main motives behind such untimely raids of the FIA was not fulfilling their illegal demands of money. He said that such illegal raids and arrest of travel agents badly affected their business.

Mr Ali told newsmen that there were two types of travel agents, one approved by IATA and the other non-IATA agents. He said that IATA was the association of aeroplanes companies all over world, its main office situated in Geneva (Switzerland) and sub-offices situated in Canada and Singapore.

All Pakistani IATA recommended travel agents were attached with Singapore office. While non-IATA travel agents took their licenses from the Government of Pakistan and they were purchasing air tickets from IATA travel agents.

The convenor deplored that the FIA targeted only the IATA travel agents in the country particularly in NWFP. The IATA recommended travel agent has to provide a bank guarantee of Rs 2.5 million to the international office to start business. He said that the travel agency business related with passengers' passports and national identity cards. He called it against the rule of law and termed it violation of human rights.