PIA under fire
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, during a Senate session, referred to the design of Pakistan International Airlines’ PIA under fire controversial advertisement as “stupidity” and said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered an inquiry into the approval process for the ad.
This criticism followed earlier condemnation from Senator Sherry Rehman, who also disapproved of the ad. The controversy has added to the challenges faced by PIA, especially following the recent lifting of the European Union’s ban on the airline, which had been imposed due to safety concerns.
What’s so controversial about the tourism advertisement?
The ad, published on January 10, 2025, announcing PIA’s resumption of direct flights to Paris, became viral but for the wrong reasons. The photograph featured a PIA flight heading toward Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background, accompanied by the text: “Paris, we’re coming today.”
The design evoked memories of the 11 September terrorist attacks, drawing comparisons to a 1979 PIA ad showing an aircraft’s shadow over the New York City Twin Towers, a visual that many found inappropriate.
PIA later posted on X to further promote the flights, emphasizing a “seamless travel experience” and “unbeatable fares.” However, the airline’s marketing campaign quickly turned into a public relations debacle, leading to widespread criticism on social media and calls for accountability regarding the ad’s approval.
PIA apologized
Pakistan’s national airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), responded on Thursday to the backlash surrounding its controversial advertisement, clarifying that the illustration showing a plane heading toward the Eiffel Tower was never intended to evoke memories of the September 11 attacks.
How is Pakistan connected with the 9/11 terrorist attack?
PIA clarified that the illustration was never intended to evoke memories of the September 11 attacks.
Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, was located in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011, nearly a decade after the US invasion of Afghanistan. Despite suspicions about his presence in Pakistan, the government denied knowing his whereabouts. On May 2, 2011, under the Obama administration, U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6 carried out a covert operation, killing bin Laden in his compound without prior Pakistani approval. The operation strained US-Pakistan relations, with Pakistan condemning the raid, while the US hailed it as a major victory in the “War on Terror”.
(This is a developing story)