Pakistan International Airlines is being criticized for its tone-deaf marketing

PIA has been the subject of widespread criticism and an investigation as a result of a Paris advertisement that has been compared to 9/11.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the national flag carrier, has faced criticism for an advertisement that featured an aircraft en route to the Eiffel Tower.

The advertisement, which was designed to advertise the airline’s resumption of flights to Paris, included the caption, “Paris, we’re coming today.”

Critics likened the promotional image to the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, which prompted outrage on social media. Several users on X expressed their dismay, with one remarking, “Is this an advertisement or a threat?” Other individuals advocated for the airline’s marketing staff to be subjected to disciplinary action.

The advertisement has received over 21 million views on X since its publication last week and has been met with swift condemnation. According to Geo News, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has purportedly directed an investigation into the matter, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has also expressed his dissatisfaction with the airline’s decision.

The 9/11 assaults, which involved hijacked aircraft colliding with the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC, resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 individuals. The incident continues to be a delicate subject on a global scale, particularly in light of the fact that Pakistan has been associated with the event as a result of the arrests of prominent figures, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the alleged mastermind of the attacks, and Osama bin Laden, the chief of the al-Qaeda network.

Omar Quraishi, a Pakistani journalist, expressed his disbelief regarding the advertisement on X, writing, “Did the airline management fail to verify this?”

“Are they unaware of the 9/11 tragedy, which involved the use of aircraft to attack buildings?” Did they not anticipate that this would be interpreted in a similar manner?

PIA has not yet released an official statement regarding the controversy. However, this is not the first instance in which the airline has been subjected to criticism for its actions. In 1979, PIA released an advertisement that depicted the shadow of an aircraft over the twin towers, as noted by social media users. The 2017 incident in which staff sacrificed a goat to ward off bad luck following an aviation disaster and the 2019 directive that instructed flight attendants to reduce weight or face grounding are other controversies.

The most recent incident has once again prompted inquiries regarding the sensitivity and governance of PIA’s promotional campaigns and has brought attention to its management practices.