After a wave of backlash, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry into a controversial post by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on its official X account, celebrating the resumption of flights to Europe after a four-year break.
After strong reaction the post was removed from social media platefarm and replaced on website .
The statement came from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who cited the prime minister’s comments during his address in the Senate.
The post featured an image of a plane heading towards the Eiffel Tower with the French flag in the background, accompanied by the caption, “Paris, we are coming today.”
The ad sparked widespread criticism online due to its disturbing resemblance to the 9/11 attacks in the United States, which resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths when hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field on September 11, 2001.
Addressing the parliament, Dar remarked, “The prime minister has ordered an inquiry into who created this ad. It was a mistake.”
Netizens Reaction
Dar also expressed concern over the post’s caption. On social media, netizens such as Omar Quraishi questioned the PIA’s creative agency, while others criticized the choice, asking, “Who at PIA thought this was a good way to announce the return of flights to Paris?”
