Bhubaneswar, Jan 21: It was a scene befitting a high-profile launch — floral decorations, a red carpet, and cameras flashing — as Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confidently cut the ribbon at what was believed to be a new Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot’s cantonment area.

The event, however, took an embarrassing turn when ‘Pizza Hut Pakistan’ declared that the outlet was “unauthorised and fraudulent.”

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The controversy erupted after photos and videos of the ceremony went viral on social media. While the outlet displayed Pizza Hut’s iconic red roof logo and branding, online users quickly noticed that the Sialkot branch was missing from the company’s official store list.

Pizza Hut Pakistan wasted no time in issuing a statement: “Pizza Hut Pakistan informs our valued customers that an unauthorised outlet falsely using the Pizza Hut name and branding has recently opened in Sialkot Cantonment,” the company said.

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“This outlet is not associated with Pizza Hut Pakistan, or Yum! Brands. It does not follow Pizza Hut International recipes, quality protocols, food safety and operational standards,” the statement added.

The US-based chain confirmed that it had filed a formal complaint with authorities to stop the misuse of its trademark and ensure immediate action.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif inaugurates a fake Pizza Hut in Sialkot. pic.twitter.com/Us2GAKVDs3

— TRIDENT (@TridentxIN) January 21, 2026

Social Media Reactions

The incident quickly became fodder for ridicule online, with users mocking the lack of verification before a senior minister attended the event.

One user quipped, “One ribbon cut, one statement issued. That has to be some kind of record.” Another joked, “When even Pizza Hut says, ‘Not our slice of the pie.’”

A third wrote, “Only in Pakistan can a Defence Minister proudly inaugurate a fake Pizza Hut. Khawaja Asif cut the ribbon, smiled for cameras, and walked away — only for the brand to later declare the outlet unauthorised. No one can parody this level of incompetence.”

In Urdu, one user lamented, “Kuch asli baki reh geya hy ya nahi is soobay main? Ajeeb vahiyat log nafiz hain hum per (Is there any real thing left anymore in Pakistan? We have been bestowed with weird and useless folks?).”