Canva has clarified that it has not yet entered into a formal partnership with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) regarding a proposed nationwide design competition aimed at showcasing Pakistani creative talent.
Ahmad Iqbal, Canva’s General Manager for the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan (MENAP) region, told Business Recorder that while the competition has been under development for several months, no agreement has been signed with PIA.
He said the initiative is intended to provide designers of all backgrounds including professionals and students with an opportunity to present their work on a national platform with global visibility.
According to Iqbal, PIA was mentioned as a suitable example because of its legacy and the new phase the airline is entering. However, he clarified that Canva had only held preliminary discussions with PIA’s creative agency and had not engaged directly with the airline’s management.
“No partnership or agreement is currently in place as yet,” Iqbal said, adding that Canva remains open to collaborating with the right partner to amplify Pakistan’s creative talent.
The clarification follows Iqbal’s earlier proposal to organise and fund a nationwide competition to redesign PIA’s brand identity, including its logo, aircraft livery, brand guidelines, and relaunch marketing campaign.
The proposal sparked debate on social media, with some users raising concerns about the practicality of elaborate aircraft liveries, while others welcomed the idea of incorporating Pakistan’s cultural heritage into the airline’s branding.
As part of the proposal, Iqbal shared concept images of PIA aircraft featuring colourful Ajrak-inspired designs, stating that the artwork had been created by a non-designer using Canva and Affinity software to demonstrate the creative potential of the competition.
He also highlighted Pakistan’s rich design heritage, noting that traditional Ajrak patterns date back approximately 4,000 to 5,000 years, and said the initiative could help develop a distinctive Pakistani design identity for international audiences.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan also confirmed that no formal discussions or agreement have taken place between the airline and Canva regarding the proposed competition.
