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A controversial ad promoting Pakistan International Airlines flights to Paris has sparked a major online backlash, prompting the airline to apologise. 

The state-owned airline shared an image of a plane directed towards the Eiffel Tower with the text, “Paris, we’re coming today” to X on January 10. 

The ad was intended to celebrate the airline’s return to flying to Europe after a safety ban was lifted. 

Many users online expressed concern, saying it bore a resemblance to the 2001 terrorist attacks committed by al-Qaeda on the Twin Towers in New York that killed almost 3000. 

“Is this a threat???” commented one user. 

“This campaign is rated 9/11,″ wrote another. 

Others showed scepticism about Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) marketing team not drawing the comparison themselves, thinking it was obvious. 

One person commented: “You guys can’t be that oblivious. Nobody in your marketing team noticed this? Come on.” 

Despite the criticism, PIA has not taken down the post, which now has more than 21.4 million views and thousands of comments. 

However, the airline issued an apology on Friday. 

PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan said, “Unfortunately, this was blown out of proportion, with connotations and perceptions that were not intended. 

“It may have triggered some negative emotions, for which we sincerely apologise.” 

According to Pakistani news and entertainment website Geo.tv, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar ordered an inquiry into the advertisement on Tuesday, saying it “shows stupidity”. 

In June 2020, PIA was forbidden from flying to Europe and the United States after one of its Airbus A-320 jets crashed in a residential area in Karachi, killing 97, reported Reuters. 

Only two people survived the tragic incident. 

In November, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced a lift on the ban, permitting PIA to fly to Europe – though it is still not allowed to fly to the US.