Fake Pizza Hut store opening in Pakistan raises questions on trademark enforcement
03 March 2026
A fake Pizza Hut branch was inaugurated in January in the city of Sialkot in Punjab, with no less than the Defence Minister Khawaja Asif gracing the event and cutting the ribbon to open the store officially.
The new outlet had all the trimmings of the Pizza Hut brand, including its red roof logo, while the event had all the trappings of a typical store opening, including media coverage. Photos and videos of the inauguration soon went viral.
Word of the deception reached Pizza Hut Pakistan. Hours after the inauguration, the local franchise holder immediately issued a statement which read: “This outlet is not associated with Pizza Hut Pakistan, or Yum! Brands. It does not follow Pizza Hut International recipes, quality protocols, food safety and operational standards. We have formally filed a complaint with the relevant authorities to stop the misuse of our trademark and ensure immediate action.”
Sarmad Hasan Manto | managing partner @ Audiri Vox, Karachi
According to Sarmad Hasan Manto, managing partner at Audiri Vox in Karachi, this incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of trademark enforcement mechanisms in Pakistan. “The infringer allegedly replicated the trademark and trade dress without obtaining franchise rights. The adoption of a well-known brand clearly shows bad faith and the infringer’s motive to capitalize on the goodwill and fame of Pizza Hut,” he said.
Although IP laws in Pakistan are stringent and provide recourse to the rights holder, Manto revealed that implementation is tedious and time-consuming. “This episode reinforces the need for constant market surveillance by the brand owners, spread of IP awareness among the masses, the need for stronger coordination between brand owners and enforcement bodies and better enforcement of IP rights by the courts and administrative authorities, to ensure that registered rights are meaningfully protected in practice,” he said.
- Espie Angelica A. de Leon
