Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Asif, was filmed cutting the ribbon to mark the opening of the new restaurant at a military base near Sialkot.

However, Pizza Hut Pakistan subsequently issued a statement declaring that the restaurant was an “unauthorised outlet falsely using the Pizza Hut name and branding”.

The outlet “is not associated with Pizza Hut Pakistan, or Yum! Brands” and “does not follow Pizza Hut International recipes, quality protocols, food safety and operational standards”, it said.

It added: “We have formally filed a complaint with the relevant authorities to stop the misuse of our trademark and ensure immediate action.”

There are 16 “official” Pizza Hut outlets in Pakistan — 14 in Lahore and two in Islamabad.