‘Pride flag’ waved at PIA office in Amsterdam?

ISLAMABAD: On July 19, an image circulated on social media that depicted a pride flag flying above what appeared to be an office of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), suggesting PIA’s support for the LGBTQ community.

Social media user, Zarak Yousafzai uploaded the image on his X (Twitter) account which spread like a jungle fire, and people across the country criticized the national carrier.

However, it was clarified that the PIA office shown in the picture is in Amsterdam and has been closed since 2018. The Amsterdam municipal government raised the pride flag in celebration of Amsterdam Pride, an annual event from July 22 to August 4.

PIA spokesperson Abdullah Khan confirmed these details, emphasizing that the flag did not reflect PIA’s official stance, and provided additional evidence including photos and videos from the location to support this clarification.

The pride flag seen in the image was raised by the Amsterdam municipal government, not by PIA, in line with the city’s reputation as queer-friendly and the upcoming host of the World Pride festival in 2026, a PIA spokesperson said.

The fact check confirmed that the claim about PIA supporting the LGBTQ community by displaying a pride flag above its office was false. The spokesperson clarified that the office in Amsterdam had long been closed and was rented out to another entity undergoing renovation, which would remove PIA’s name and logo.