The social media accounts of a number of Pakistani actors and cricketers have been banned as soon as once more after they have been made accessible in India briefly on Wednesday.
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These accounts have been restored resulting from “technical causes”, based on sources. “In case you can see some accounts on X, YouTube, and Meta, they are going to be inaccessible in a number of hours. Some technical glitch led to the unblocking. Rectified now,” claimed the supply.
On Wednesday, the Instagram accounts of Pakistani actors Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor have been made seen.
The YouTube channels of cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, which have been accessible yesterday, at the moment are blocked. Upon accessing, the message says ”This content material is at present unavailable on this nation due to an order from the federal government associated to nationwide safety or public order.”
The accounts of different Pakistani actors, akin to Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Hania Aamir, remained inaccessible from India even yesterday. Upon trying to find their accounts, customers get a message: “Account not obtainable in India. It is because we complied with a authorized request to limit this content material.”
Earlier in Might, the federal government directed all Over-the-High, or OTT, platforms, media streaming providers, and digital intermediaries to discontinue net sequence, movies, songs, podcasts, and different media content material originating from Pakistan.
The advisory, dated Might 8, 2025, issued beneath Half II of the Info Expertise (Middleman Pointers and Digital Media Ethics Code) Guidelines, 2021, reminded publishers and intermediaries of their obligation to make sure that content material hosted or streamed doesn’t threaten India’s sovereignty, integrity, nationwide safety, or public order.
“OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries working in India are suggested to discontinue the web-series, movies, songs, podcasts and different streaming media content material, whether or not made obtainable on a subscription-based mannequin or in any other case, having their origins in Pakistan with fast impact,” the advisory mentioned.
On Wednesday, after a number of Pakistani accounts have been made seen, the All Indian Cine Employees Affiliation (AICWA) made an pressing attraction to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding a whole ban on the “social media presence and media channels of all Pakistani nationals, artists, influencers, and leisure entities in India.”
Commenting on the visibility of a number of Pakistani accounts in India, the AICWA in its launch posted on X mentioned, ” It’s deeply regarding and completely unacceptable that social media accounts of Pakistani artists like Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, and several other Pakistan-based channels are as soon as once more seen in India. This isn’t merely a digital look — it’s a direct insult to the sacrifice of our martyred troopers and an emotional assault on each Indian who misplaced a liked one in terror assaults perpetrated by Pakistan.”
Referring to terror assaults, together with 26/11, Pulwama, Uri, and Pahalgam, the cine physique held Pakistan accountable for continued cross-border terrorism and referred to as it a “terrorist nation”.The AICWA additionally famous that “as an alternative of displaying regret, a number of Pakistani artists have shamelessly spoken in opposition to India.”
The affiliation demanded a right away nationwide digital blackout of all Pakistani social media accounts and media channels, a ban on all future collaborations or promotions involving Pakistani residents in Indian media, OTT platforms, and promoting. It additionally demanded a everlasting cultural disconnect from Pakistan, as a mark of respect to the Indian Armed Forces and the households of martyrs.
On April 22, as many as 25 vacationers — 24 Indians and one Nepali citizen — and a neighborhood man have been killed within the terror assault at Baisaran in Pahalgam. It was the deadliest strike within the Valley because the 2019 Pulwama assault.
Restrictions had been enforced within the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, significantly after India’s Operation Sindoor, a army operation focusing on terror institutions in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
