Pakistan International Airlines came under intense scrutiny after it shared an advert that appeared to show one of its planes flying into the iconic Eiffel Tower
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been slammed online over a controversial new advert that has been accused of evoking the 9/11 terrorist attack.
The country’s national airline came under fire after it shared an advert on social media depicting one of its plane’s flying toward the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Many online believed the image showed the plane actually moving toward a head-on collision with the Paris landmark.
The advert says “Paris, we’re coming today” before stating in small text that flights between the country’s capital Islamabad and Paris would resume from that day. Since being shared on January 10, the X/Twitter post has attracted 21million views and an estimated 33,000 likes.
Many online shared their horror at the advert, suggesting it evoked the 9/11 Islamist terror attack in New York in 2001 where nearly 3,000 people were killed and between 6,000 to more than 25,000 were injured.
One verified X/Twitter user said “Is this a threat?” While another verified account said: “Who’s the graphic designer?”
While a third user posted: “They (the French) already lost Notre Dame, now you’re taking the Eiffel Tower away?” An a fourth said: “Who thought this ad was a good idea.”
Other commenters pointed out a previous advert by Pakistan International Airlines in 1979 that showed the shadow of a plane looming over the Twin Towers in New York. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances that led to the creation and publication of the advert.
The advert has shifted the spotlight back on Pakistan which has been accused of harbouring Islamist terrorists. Osama bin Laden, one of the key sponsors of terrorists, was himself killed in a 2011 raid in Pakistan.
The country’s finance minister Ishaq Dar branded the advert as “stupidity” before telling the Pakistani parliament this week: “The Prime Minister has directed [authorities] to investigate qwho conceived this ad.”
Omar Quraishi, a senior political advisor in Pakistan said in a January 10 X/Twitter post: “I mean who is PIA’s creative agency? Who designed this?
“Who or which agency manages its social media accounts? Did the airline management not vet this? Did the idiot who designed this graphic not see a PIA plane heading for the Eiffel Tower? One of Europe’s iconic landmarks?
“Did they not know about the 9/11 tragedy – which used planes to attack buildings? Did they not think that this would be perceived in similar fashion?
“Do they not know that PIA is an airline owned by a country often accused of supporting terrorism? Truly speechless And it’s still there!”
As of Thursday afternoon, the advert remains on the airline’s social media page.
PIA was previously banned by the EU regulator for more than four years after it found about one third of its pilots had cheated in their exams and failed to follow safety guidelines. It is still banned by the UK and US.
