A gleaming, two-storey restaurant bearing the name of a popular American pizza brand became the centre of controversy in Pakistan after Defence Minister Khwaja Asif inaugurated it in the cantonment area, walking the red carpet and cutting the ribbon. The moment photographs of the event surfaced on social media, they triggered a massive uproar.
Soon after the images went viral, Pizza Hut authorities themselves reacted with surprise. In a statement, the company clarified that the outlet inaugurated by the Defence Minister was not authentic and that it had no association whatsoever with the restaurant.
Also Read | Justin Bieber likes Selena Gomez kissing photo from 2016, sparks nostalgia-fuelled buzz
Fake outlet triggers backlash
It has been learnt that Khwaja Asif is a resident of Sialkot and that the restaurant had opened in his own area. The outlet’s logo had been created as an exact replica of the original Pizza Hut brand. After receiving an invitation, Asif arrived at the venue with a full security convoy and inaugurated the restaurant by cutting the red ribbon in the presence of several VIP guests.
Due to the presence of the country’s Defence Minister, the inauguration received wide publicity, and photographs of the event quickly spread across social media platforms.
Pizza Hut distances itself, legal action planned
It was only after the images gained traction that Pizza Hut Pakistan took note of the incident. The company issued a statement stating that the Sialkot outlet was fake and accused unidentified individuals of opening a restaurant by impersonating the brand’s name and misleading customers. Pizza Hut also said it is preparing to initiate legal action against those responsible for the fake outlet.
Also Read | ChatGPT ‘tells’ users how they treat it in viral AI image trend
As it emerged that Pakistan’s Defence Minister had inaugurated a counterfeit restaurant, criticism intensified. Social media platforms were flooded with sarcasm and memes, with the incident drawing widespread ridicule online.
