LAHORE - The Travel Agents Association of Pakistan went on shutterdown strike on Tuesday and staged a protest demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club. In a joint press conference their office-bearers warned the airlines to withdraw their decision of reducing commission from 9 to 5 per cent otherwise they would close down their business that would cause a loss of Rs 5 billions annually to the government. The press conference was addressed by Ashfaq Ahmad Mirza, SM Saleem and Dr Muhammad Sharif Khan Bloch. They were of the view that the decision of cutting down the commission of travel agents was conspiracy against the PIA, they also blamed that some big fishes in the travel industry were yet being paid 15 to 20 per cent in Karachi. The speakers said that they paid about Rs 5 billion as tax, which would be reduced to Rs 2.5 billion in case of reduction in the commission. They said that in the name of fuel surcharges the airlines were already causing loss of Rs 1.5 billion and after the decision they would have to reduce their staff due to which, thousands of families would suffer. They informed that the PIA could control its losses by minimising its overhead expenses and by increasing its efficiency, adding that they paid tax to the government on daily basis whereas other circles of the society paid the same annually or monthly.