What began as a routine public appearance for Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif soon spiralled into an online spectacle after an inauguration he
attended turned out to be ''illegitimate.'' The minister recently presided over the opening of what appeared to be a Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot Cantonment. Images and videos from the event showed a polished ceremony, ribbon-cutting, bouquets, applause and cameras capturing Khawaja Asif smiling as he formally “opened” the restaurant. But the moment quickly unraveled once the visuals gained traction online. Shortly after the clips began circulating, Pizza Hut Pakistan released an official clarification stating that the Sialkot outlet had no approval to operate under its brand. The company made it clear that the restaurant was neither authorised nor affiliated with Pizza Hut or its parent company. The revelation instantly turned the incident into viral meme material, especially on X, where users mocked the situation and questioned how such an oversight occurred at such a high-profile level. One user wrote, "Only in Pakistan can a Defence Minister proudly inaugurate fake Pizza Hut. Khawaja Asif cut the ribbon,smiled for cameras,& walked away—only for the brand to later declare the outlet unauthorised. No one can parody this level of incompetence."
Another quipped, "One ribbon cut, one statement issued. That has to be some kind of record." A third added, "man defence minister of a country inaugurating a pizza hut outlet like it's some national achievement?? And to top it off it was a fake outlet too."
Addressing the controversy, Pizza Hut Pakistan issued a firm 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 further clarified, “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."
Pizza Hut Pakistan also confirmed that it had “formally filed a complaint with the relevant authorities to stop the misuse of our trademark and ensure immediate action."
To avoid further confusion, the brand highlighted that it currently runs 16 verified outlets across the country — 14 in Lahore and two in Islamabad — and urged customers to confirm locations via its official website.
Reassuring customers, the company concluded by stating that “your trust matters deeply to us," encouraging the public to visit only authorised outlets for the “authentic Pizza Hut experience."
