Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confidently inaugurated what appeared to be a new Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot’s cantonment area. The ribbon-cutting ceremony proceeded without a hitch until the global fast-food brand stepped in to say the outlet had no legal connection to it.
The embarrassment unfolded after images and videos of the event spread rapidly on social media. Users soon noticed that while the outlet carried Pizza Hut’s signature red-roof branding, the Sialkot location did not appear on Pizza Hut Pakistan’s official list of stores, raising doubts about its authenticity.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif inaugurates a fake Pizza Hut in Sialkot. pic.twitter.com/Us2GAKVDs3
— TRIDENT (@TridentxIN) January 21, 2026
Brand Distances Itself
Soon after the controversy erupted, Pizza Hut Pakistan issued a formal statement clarifying that the outlet was operating illegally.
“An unauthorised outlet falsely using the Pizza Hut name and branding has recently opened in Sialkot Cantonment,” the company said, adding that the restaurant had no affiliation with Pizza Hut Pakistan or its parent company, Yum! Brands.
The statement further stressed that the outlet did not adhere to Pizza Hut International’s recipes, quality controls, food safety norms or operational standards. The US-based chain also confirmed that it had lodged a complaint with the concerned authorities to prevent misuse of its trademark and to seek swift action.
Online Backlash
What was meant to be a high-profile inauguration quickly became fodder for online ridicule. Social media users mocked the apparent lack of due diligence before a senior minister attended the event.
“One ribbon cut, one clarification issued, must be a new record,” a user quipped. Another joked, “When even Pizza Hut says, ‘That’s not our slice.’”
“Only in Pakistan can a defence minister inaugurate a fake Pizza Hut,” one user wrote, calling the episode impossible to parody. Another comment in Urdu summed up the public mood, questioning whether anything genuine was left anymore and lamenting the state of leadership.
