ISLAMABAD: After widespread backlash, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered an inquiry into a controversial post by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on its official X handle, celebrating the resumption of Europe flights after a four-year break, Geo News reported.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar criticised the post while quoting the country’s chief executive during his address to the upper house of the parliament, as per Geo News.
In a post on X, PIA shared an image of a plane heading towards the Eiffel Tower with the French flag appearing in the background. “Paris, we are coming today,” read the caption.
The social media post was criticised online due to its resemblance to the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, Geo News reported.
Addressing the parliament, Dar said, “The Prime Minister has directed [authorities] to investigate who conceived this ad. It is a stupidity,” Geo News quoted.
In addition to this, the deputy prime minister expressed concern over the caption of the post, as per Geo News.
The post from January 10 amassed over 21.2 million views.
PIA’s first flight to Paris PK 749 landed safely at CDG Airport Paris, after a gap of more than four years, ARY News reported.
The passengers, officials of PIA and Aviation and crew members were warmly received at the airport by Charge d’Affairs Huzefa Khanum along with Pakistdiaspora, as per ARY News.
Minister for Defence and Aviation, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, PIA acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Khurram Mushtaq and Secretary Aviation were present at Islamabad airport to see off the passengers in a simple ceremony.
After Pakistan started looking into a scandal involving the validity of pilots’ licenses following an aircraft accident that claimed 97 lives, the European Aviation Safety Agency revoked PIA’s permit to fly in the area, as per ARY News.