Pak PM orders probe after national airline's Paris flight ad backfires

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Pakistan International Airlines has once again found itself at the centre of controversy after a social media post intended to celebrate the resumption of its European flights backfired spectacularly. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation into the matter following widespread backlash over the ill-conceived advertisement, as per a report by Geo TV.

The contentious post on Pakistan International Airlines's official X account featured an image of an aircraft seemingly heading towards the Eiffel Tower, accompanied by the caption, "Paris, we are coming today."

The attempt at celebration quickly turned into a PR disaster, as many online users drew disturbing parallels between the image and the 9/11 terror attacks. Nearly 3,000 lives were lost during the 2001 attacks when hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers in the World Trade Centre in New York City.

Pakistans Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, while addressing the upper house of parliament, quoted Prime Minister Sharif, calling the post an act of "stupidity" and confirmed that authorities had been directed to investigate who approved the advertisement, Geo TV reported.