ISLAMABAD - Apart from Multan, the hometown of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is out to fleece passengers travelling to other destinations in southern Punjab, most notably Rahim Yar Khan. Rahim Yar Khan has only one direct flight a week as compared to Multan having daily flights and PIA is also charging almost double fares for the same destination from the passengers of southern Punjab for flight via Lahore. Already lacking many facilities in the region, southern Punjab is facing almost double charges for same destination as the charges of a direct flight from Islamabad to Rahim Yar Khan (Return ticket) is Rs. 14,090, whereas the passengers for the same destination through indirect flights from Islamabad to Rahim Yar Khan via Lahore are charged around Rs. 25,000. Due to a shortage of flights, passengers have to avail indirect flights and pay almost double charges. It is pertinent to note here that the fare of Islamabad to Multan (return ticket) is Rs 11,150 through a direct flight everyday. Neglected in nearly every amenity, southern Punjab is also facing heavy fares of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as compared to other distant places. Wasnt it enough to wait for hours for Rahim Yar Khan flight that double charges are also a penalty for the people of southern Punjab region, said Mehtab Ahmad, a resident of southern Punjab area, while talking to TheNation. He said that sometimes he had to bear almost double charges to reach his hometown thanks to PIAs discrimination against the southern Punjab region. Another person desiring not to be named termed it as sheer unfairness with the people of the remote Punjab area and asked for increasing the number of flights for this area as well as reducing the fares. I am a businessman and I have to visit Islamabad for business matters twice a week. Sometimes luck favours me to get a direct flight but otherwise I have to face almost double charges for indirect flights, he added. This is unique example of its nature, he said, as internationally passengers are not charged this way. PIA is fleecing passengers on this route of the southern Punjab region, he said, and this is only one example of discrimination. Another person having the same concerns said that there should be minimum three flights a week for the southern Punjab area. Almost double fare for same destination is also not understandable, he added. He also mentioned that it was not the case that the passengers are not in large number to travel through PIA. When contacted, General Manager Public Affairs PIA Sultan Hassan said that the concerned authorities had approved these fares. He further explained that keeping in view passenger traffic, load collective decisions are made in this regard. Load factor is important for flights of any area, he said adding that ATRs (small planes) are used for remote areas and small airports and they carry low capacity of passengers. Among the existing aircrafts of PIA, he said, many of are old. Routes are approved after a complete market study, he added.