Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched an investigation into a controversial advertisement promoting the Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) flights to Paris. The ad, which depicted a PIA plane heading towards the iconic Eiffel Tower with the tagline “We’re coming”, sparked widespread ridicule, invoking the 9/11 attacks on New York’s Twin Towers in 2001.
The directive was revealed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a Senate session addressing PIA’s privatisation. Senator Sherry Rehman criticised the advertisement for misrepresenting the national carrier’s intentions, calling for accountability from those involved.
Is this a threat???
— Dr. Parik Patel, BA, CFA, ACCA Esq. (@ParikPatelCFA) January 10, 2025
Dar agreed, stating: “The cabinet, and the prime minister too, have ordered an inquiry into who conceived this ad, this was stupidity, to show the Eiffel Tower.” The advert, still visible on PIA’s X account, has drawn significant ridicule on social media. Adding to the controversy, some users resurfaced a 1979 advertisement showing the airline’s plane casting a shadow over the Twin Towers.
You can’t be serious this time! This was back in 70s. Fire your designer! pic.twitter.com/ar2XkIDuHR
— Muhammad Uzair Balagamwala (@muzairb) January 10, 2025
The carrier, which is struggling financially, operates only 19 of its 34 aircraft, with 11 undergoing repairs. Dar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to privatising the airline, aiming to involve Pakistan’s corporate sector. He also highlighted efforts to lift bans on PIA flights to Britain and the US, imposed after allegations of fake pilot licences under a previous administration.
A team is expected to visit Britain this month, with hopes of resuming flights by March or April, the Express Tribune reported. Dar lamented the financial and reputational damage caused by past statements, estimating annual losses of $312 million (Rs87 billion).