PIA rebranding is now the talk of Pakistan’s design world after Canva’s regional head made a bold public pitch to fund a nationwide competition that would let ordinary Pakistanis redesign the national airline from the ground up. The proposal, announced on July 20, 2026, comes just weeks after PIA formally moved to private ownership, making the timing both exciting and a little surprising.
What Canva Actually Proposed
Canva, the Australian cloud-based design platform used by millions worldwide, did not sign any contract with PIA. Let’s be clear about that. Canva’s General Manager for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, Ahmed Iqbal, announced the initiative in a LinkedIn post while appealing for help in reaching PIA’s leadership. In other words, this is a pitch looking for a meeting, not a deal already done.
The proposed competition would cover the redesign of PIA’s logo, brand identity, aircraft livery, and relaunch marketing campaign. Canva says it is prepared to fund the competition with attractive cash prizes, encouraging talented Pakistanis to showcase their creativity while helping revive one of the country’s most iconic brands.
Attaching two images of PIA aircraft heavily painted in rich colours of Ajrak, which he said was designed by a non-designer using Canva and Affinity, he said “imagine what a whole country could do”. The sample visuals quickly spread across social media and sparked a lively debate about what a new PIA should actually look like.
As of now, Pakistan International Airlines has not issued an official response to Canva’s proposal.
Why Now? The PIA Privatisation Backdrop
The timing of this PIA rebranding push is directly tied to a major shift in the airline’s ownership. Pakistan’s PIA entered private ownership in a $645 million deal, with the transition taking place after PIA Equity Ltd, a special-purpose vehicle of the Arif Habib Consortium, completed the takeover following local and international regulatory approvals.
PIA officially transitioned to new management under PIA Equity Ltd on June 29, 2026, with a Rs125 billion equity injection committed to modernise the airline. The new owners have also pledged fleet expansion and service improvements, making a visual refresh a natural next conversation to have.
Recalling PIA’s historic role as a regional aviation pioneer, Iqbal said the airline was beginning a new chapter in 2026 and that involving the public in its transformation could help revive Pakistan’s design heritage and national pride.
The SaaS Design Angle Nobody Is Talking About
Beyond the feel-good headlines, this story carries a deeper meaning for Pakistan’s tech landscape. Canva pitching a government-adjacent institution like PIA is a clear signal that global SaaS design platforms are now confident enough to go after big institutional clients in this region, work that traditionally went to expensive international branding agencies.
Canva’s stated goal is to become the default creative and design application across MENAP, and the most beloved brand in the region. Winning a high-profile airline rebrand, even as the organiser of a public competition rather than a hired agency, would be a strong proof point for that ambition.
For Pakistani businesses and government bodies watching this space, it raises a fair question: if a tool like Canva can power an airline’s full visual identity process, what does that mean for local design agencies and the way organisations buy creative services? The answer is not simple, but the conversation has clearly started.
Pakistan’s growing IT export sector and the country’s younger, digitally fluent workforce make this kind of SaaS-first approach increasingly viable. You can read more about Pakistan’s push to grow its digital economy in our piece on Pakistan’s IT export tax extension through 2029.
Real Design Challenges With Crowdsourced Liveries
The proposal generated genuine enthusiasm online, but also some sharp practical questions. Aviation professionals were quick to point out that airline livery is not just a visual exercise.
Airline livery is also an engineering problem. There are safety standards and while an awesome designer can collaborate with an airline engineer to make it happen, crowdsourcing will not get you a finished design on its own.
Dark paint adds unnecessary weight, absorbs much more heat from the sun, increases cooling requirements and thermal stress on the aircraft, and makes cracks, leaks, and other maintenance issues harder to spot. That is why airlines usually keep most of the fuselage white and limit darker colours to the tail or small sections of the aircraft.
There is also a broader timing question. Fixing the branding before fixing operations would be like putting the cart before the horse. An airline rebranding is a massive undertaking and needs to be earned. Experts suggest planning for it six to twelve months in the future.
What the New PIA Brand Could Look Like
To demonstrate the concept, Ahmed Iqbal shared sample aircraft designs featuring Ajrak-inspired artwork, explaining that a non-designer created the mockups using Canva’s professional design tools, suggesting that experienced designers across Pakistan could produce even more innovative ideas.
The company believes the initiative could help rebuild public confidence in PIA by creating a brand identity that reflects Pakistan’s culture, heritage, and modern aspirations. Commenters on social media were split, with some calling for a clean, modern look and others wanting to bring back the sleek simplicity of PIA’s 1960s livery, which many older Pakistanis still remember fondly.
The debate itself is healthy. A real PIA rebranding, if it happens, will need to balance national pride, commercial practicality, engineering constraints, and the expectations of a new generation of Pakistani travellers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Canva officially won a contract to rebrand PIA?
No. Canva has made a public proposal through its MENAP General Manager, Ahmed Iqbal, offering to organise and fund a nationwide design competition. PIA has not officially accepted or responded to the offer as of July 22, 2026.
What does the Canva proposal include?
Under the proposal, participants would be invited to create a complete visual identity for PIA, including a redesigned logo, aircraft livery, brand guidelines, and a modern marketing campaign. Canva says it will cover the cost and offer cash prizes to winning entries.
Who now owns PIA?
PIA Equity Ltd has taken full ownership of the airline through a transaction valued at approximately Rs180 billion. The consortium includes Arif Habib Group, Fatima Fertiliser Company, Fauji Fertiliser Company, Lake City Holdings, The City School and AKD Group Holdings.
Can a crowdsourced design actually be used on a real aircraft?
Not directly. Winning competition designs would serve as creative concepts, not finished technical specifications. Any actual livery applied to PIA aircraft would still need to go through formal engineering review and meet ICAO aviation safety standards before it could be painted on a plane.
