ISLAMABAD: After widespread backlash, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an inquiry into a controversial post by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on its official X handle, celebrating the resumption of Europe flights after a four-year hiatus.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the remarks while quoting the country’s chief executive during his address to the upper house of the parliament.

In the X post, the national flag carrier shared an image of a plane heading towards the Eiffel Tower with the French flag appearing in the background. “Paris, we are coming today,” read the caption.

The social media post earned wholesale criticism online due to its resemblance to the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States. Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.

Addressing the parliament, Dar said: “The prime minister has directed [authorities] to investigate who conceived this ad. It is a stupidity.”

In addition to this, the deputy prime minister expressed concern over the caption of the post.

Taking to X, a netizen Omar Quraishi raised questions about the PIA’s creative agency.

Another asked: “Who at PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) thought this was a great creative to announce the resumption of their flights to Paris?”