Overview
- Videos show Khawaja Asif cutting a ribbon at a Sialkot Cantonment outlet carrying Pizza Hut branding during a formal ceremony.
- In an official notice, Pizza Hut Pakistan said the site is unauthorised, not connected to Pizza Hut Pakistan or Yum! Brands, and does not meet the chain’s recipes, quality or safety standards.
- The company advised customers to verify locations and noted it currently runs 16 authorised stores in Pakistan—14 in Lahore and two in Islamabad—with no listing in Sialkot.
- Pizza Hut Pakistan said it has lodged a complaint with relevant authorities to stop misuse of its trademark and to prompt immediate action.
- The incident prompted widespread online ridicule of the minister, while unverified claims described authentic-looking systems at the site and local reports mentioned possibly forged franchise documents.