‘Dumb boomer’: Pakistanis troll Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for inaugurating fake Pizza Hut outlet

Pictures and videos of Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif cutting the inaugural ribbon at the fake Pizza Hut outlet is viral. (Left) Pizza Hut stated that they have filed complaints with relevant authorities to halt the alleged trademark misuse. (Image credit: X)

Pakistani social media users reacted with disbelief and ridicule after their Defence Minister Khawaja Asif attended the inauguration of what was later revealed to be an unauthorised Pizza Hut‑branded outlet in Sialkot Cantonment.

Photos and videos from the event showed Asif cutting a ribbon at the outlet amid floral decorations and applause, smiling for cameras alongside local organisers. Soon after the images began circulating online, Pizza Hut Pakistan issued a formal clarification distancing itself from the outlet.

Responding to the incident, one Pakistani X user called Asif a "dumb boomer". "How does the defence minister have all this time?" asked another user, while a third commented: "From fake AI photos to fake and fraud branches grand openings."

The incident also caused many users to question how a senior cabinet minister could attend the inauguration of a franchise without verifying its authenticity. “Khawaja Asif, the so‑called defence minister, ends up inaugurating a fake Pizza Hut franchise,” one user wrote, adding that the episode reflected poorly on governance standards.

Khawaja Asif, the so-called Defence Minister, ends up inaugurating a fake Pizza Hut franchise in Sialkot.

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Pizza Hut issued a statement calling the franchise a fraud. These are the dumb boomers imposed on us. pic.twitter.com/Q77qLX3ekE — MD Umair Khan (@MDUmairKh) January 20, 2026

Pizza Hut files complaint

Meanwhile, the company released a statement stating that the outlet was not associated with Pizza Hut Pakistan or Yum! Brands, and did not follow the company’s international quality, safety or operational standards. "Pizza Hut Pakistan informs our valued customers that an unauthorised outlet falsely using the Pizza Hut name and branding has recently opened in Sialkot Cantonment,” it stated, adding that it had filed complaints with relevant authorities to halt the alleged trademark misuse.

Reactions in India

The incident also caused waves among Indian social media users who, apart from having a good laugh, framed the incident as emblematic of deeper institutional issues. In a widely shared post, a user commented that in a country grappling with daily security challenges, the episode provided “unintentional comic relief,” while another described it as “peak Pakistan,” criticising what they saw as a lack of basic due diligence.

“As an Indian watching this unfold, I genuinely thought it was satire. Turns out, it was governance,” one post read. Another user remarked that the company itself had to step in to clarify that the outlet was not real, calling the incident a “case study in zero verification.”

From across the border, commenters juxtaposed the defence minister’s portfolio with the nature of the blunder. “Imagine being in charge of national defence but not checking whether the restaurant you are inaugurating is real,” one Indian user wrote.

Neither Khawaja Asif nor Pakistan’s defence ministry has publicly responded to the controversy so far. The outlet at the centre of the matter has also not issued a statement.