Pakistan Officially Threatens 9/11 Moment in Paris on X, Internet Ablaze With Panic

New Delhi: A recent post by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announcing the resumption of flights to France went viral on social media, sparking panic among netizens over the absurd advertisement.

The X post, featuring an image of a plane heading toward the iconic Eiffel Tower with the caption "Paris, we’re coming today," went viral. In addition, another visible text read, "Resuming flights between Islamabad and Paris from January 10, 2025."

However, the netizens were quick enough to compare the ad with a 1979 PIA advertisement that showed one of its planes casting a shadow over the Twin Towers in New York City, which were later destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that claimed thousands of lives.

'Is This a Threat?': Netizens React

After the post was shared, the post went viral and has 23K likes, 2.9K comments and 9.4K retweets.

A netizen commented, "Is this a threat???"

“You can't be serious this time! This was back in the 1970s. Fire your designer!” another user wrote and shared this post.

"Tourists should avoid visiting Eiffel tower. Better avoid Paris now. Thats a genuine warning. @EmmanuelMacron," a third post.

Why Was PIA Baned in Paris?

The PIA resumed its operations in Europe with the maiden flight to Paris on Friday, ending a more than four-year ban by the European Union's aviation agency over safety standards concerns.

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) authorisation to operate in Europe was suspended in June 2020 due to concerns regarding the Pakistani authorities' and Civil Aviation Authority's ability to meet international aviation standards, following a plane crash in Karachi after a failed landing attempt.

The first flight after the suspension was lifted departed from Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) at 12:10 pm, aboard a Boeing 777 (AP-BGK) aircraft. The flight carried 330 passengers and 14 crew members.

The inaugural flight, PK-749, was seen off by Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif, PIA CEO Air Vice Marshal Amir Hayat, and other senior officials.

To mark the relaunch, PIA has adorned the aircraft with a model of the Eiffel Tower on its tail and the slogan “I Love Paris” on its nose. The Boeing 777 has been modified to comply with European Union aviation standards.

What Happened on 9/11?

On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists from Al Qaeda hijacked four commercial planes in the United States.

Two of the planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, causing both buildings to collapse. A third plane was crashed into the Pentagon, located just outside Washington, DC. The fourth plane went down in rural Pennsylvania after the passengers and crew fought back against the hijackers, preventing it from reaching what was believed to be its intended target, the White House.

In the 102-minute nightmare, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives, and over 6,000 were injured, marking the deadliest attack ever on the United States.

(With PTI inputs)