"who conceived this ad. It is a stupidity.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation after the release of the controversial PIA Paris advertisement.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) poster sparked outrage over its design, with many saying it evoked memories of the September 11 attacks.
The controversial ad depicted a plane headed toward the Eiffel Tower with the tagline:
“Paris, we’re coming today.”
The campaign quickly drew backlash on social media, with PR expert Omar R Quraishi calling the campaign “completely tone deaf”.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the advert as an act of “stupidity.”
Dar confirmed in a parliamentary session that the prime minister had started an investigation into the matter.
He said: “The prime minister has directed authorities to investigate who conceived this ad. It is a stupidity.”
Despite the growing controversy, PIA has remained silent on the matter.
The scandal also brought to light another past advertisement by PIA.
The advert, released in 1979, showed a plane’s shadow cast over the Twin Towers.
This has intensified criticism of the airline’s marketing decisions.
However, the controversy also inspired humorous responses.
A user said: “Cool to see you have had the same designer since 1979.”
Another remarked: “Gotta love the English tagline to punctuate: ‘Great people to fly with’.”
One wrote: “PIA. Simpsons of the airlines.”
Amid the controversy, it was ironically revealed that PIA is ranked as one of Pakistan’s happiest workplaces in 2025.
The list, released on January 14, ranked organisations based on employee engagement and satisfaction.
The revelation only added fuel to the humorous commentary surrounding the airline.
Pakistani comedian and actor Ali Gul Pir turned the incident into a satirical skit, posing as an overjoyed PIA graphics department employee.
In the video, he mocked the ad’s creators, joking about employees’ happiness due to low attendance and smuggling illegal substances.
He poked fun at the airline’s history of viral blunders.
Referring to the Paris ad, he quipped:
“There is heavy work going on here.”
“I made this ad which is now going viral. And my father made the World Trade Centre poster. The whole family is viral.”
The latest blunder has drawn sharp criticism of PIA’s management and its marketing strategies.
As the investigation unfolds, the public waits to see what steps will be taken to address the PIA Paris advertisement mishap.