Khawaja Asif faces ridicule after inaugurating fake Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot

This report highlights a major embarrassment for Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, who inaugurated an unauthorised Pizza Hut outlet in his constituency of Sialkot. Following the event, Pizza Hut Pakistan issued a formal statement clarifying that 'this outlet is not associated with Pizza Hut Pakistan or the Yum brands' and confirmed it has filed a complaint with authorities regarding the trademark misuse. The incident has triggered a massive 'meme-fest' and widespread ridicule on social media, as users pointed out the outlet was missing from the official store list. The programme questions the lack of due diligence by the minister's office, noting that such a high-profile oversight reflects poorly on the administration. Journalists discuss how the failure to verify the authenticity of a commercial establishment has led to a significant public relations fiasco for the senior federal minister and the Pakistani government.