Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif landed in controversy after inaugurating what appeared to be a Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot Cantonment. Hours later, the US-based brand clarified the store was unauthorised, triggering memes and widespread social media mockery
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif inaugurates a fake Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot. Pic/Screengrab from X
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently found himself inaugurating not a defence facility or a development project, but a US-based multinational pizza outlet in Sialkot’s cantonment area. With cameras flashing and floral bouquets being presented, the event initially appeared like a routine official function.
However, what seemed like a regular day on the minister’s calendar soon turned into a subject of public ridicule. Within hours of the inauguration, social media users began mocking the spectacle, questioning why the country’s defence minister was presiding over the launch of a fast-food outlet inside a military cantonment.
Images and videos from the event quickly went viral, triggering sharp reactions and memes, and fuelling criticism over priorities at a time when Pakistan faces serious economic and security challenges.
The incident has since sparked a broader debate on social media about symbolism, optics and the role of senior government officials at public events, turning what was meant to be a routine inauguration into an episode of widespread mockery.
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Just a few hours after Khawaja Asif cut the ribbon at the Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot, social media users went into investigative mode. While the outlet prominently displayed Pizza Hut’s iconic red-roof branding, familiar fonts and taglines, netizens soon noticed something odd.
Users quickly discovered that the recently inaugurated Pizza Hut outlet in Sialkot’s cantonment area was not listed on the official website of the US-based pizza chain. Within hours, social media was flooded with posts mocking the Defence Minister for inaugurating what was being described as a “fake Pizza Hut store”.
Incident unfolds after Pizza Hut issues clarification
Pizza Hut Pakistan soon issued a public statement on social media, clarifying that the outlet inaugurated by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was unauthorised.
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“Pizza Hut Pakistan would like to inform our valued customers that an unauthorised outlet falsely using the Pizza Hut name and branding has opened in Sialkot Cantonment,” the company said.
Clarifying further, the company added, “This outlet is not affiliated with Pizza Hut Pakistan or Yum! Brands and does not follow Pizza Hut International recipes, quality protocols, or food safety standards. We have formally reported this matter to the relevant authorities for immediate action.”
Social media reaction
Video (facepalm): pic.twitter.com/RYuPY0OyLr
— MD Umair Khan (@MDUmairKh) January 21, 2026
The clarification itself went viral, giving social media users fresh ammunition. Memes and jokes flooded X, Facebook and Instagram, with quips ranging from “national security now includes pizza security” to “defence minister defending fake franchises". Some users remarked that it was perhaps the first time an international brand had issued a counter-response within hours of an inauguration.
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