Pakistani social media handles now accessible in India? What we know so far
Government sources blamed a "system glitch" that "unblocked" the social media handles "for a bit". These handles have been blocked again.
The Centre had banned streaming of 16 Pakistani media YouTube channels 'for spreading communally sensitive content and misinformation against India" in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 that had killed 26 people.
These included Dawn news, GeoTV, Samaa TV, ARY News, Razi Naama, GNN and Irshad Bhatti. See full list here
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Is it right to play sports with Pak post-Pahalgam attack, asks Aaditya Thackeray; slams govt over security
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Friday questioned the appropriateness of India playing cricket and hockey matches against Pakistan in the upcoming Asia Cup tournaments, amid the hostilities between the two countries in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack . Talking to reporters on the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex here, he said several questions concerning national security were still unanswered. "Is it right to play matches with Pakistan when the country is sponsoring terror against us? Should the Indian team play Asia Cup cricket and hockey tournaments against Pakistan? We want a clear answer from the BJP and the Union government," Thackeray said. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. The BJP-led government appears to be testing the waters with the Asia Cup hockey scheduled to start in the last week of August. India is the host country and matches will be played in Bihar. It is setting the stage for a potential cricket match in the UAE during the Asia Cup, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA said. Read more: Pakistan's hockey team to be allowed to compete at Asia Cup in India: Report Live Events "If the BCCI allows the Indian cricket team to play against Pakistan, will the BJP label it as anti-national as it does with others?" he asked. The Asia Cup T20 is expected to be held in September, while the Asia Cup Hockey tournament is scheduled to begin on August 27 in Bihar. Thackeray also expressed dissatisfaction over the Centre's response to the Pahalgam terror attack and the handling of national security. "Firstly, the police released a sketch of the accused only to be termed as fake by the NIA later. After Operation Sindoor, government delegations were sent to several countries as if nothing had happened. Is this how national security is protected?" the former Maharashtra minister said. "There are still several unanswered questions. We will not accept silence as a response," he said. Thackeray further raised concerns about the country's diplomatic outreach. "Despite India's repeated objections, Pakistan continues to receive financial assistance from institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. It has now even assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council. What has the External Affairs Ministry achieved with its outreach?" he questioned. Turning to cricketing ties, Thackeray took a veiled dig at International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah, stating, "Even if the BCCI decides to oppose playing against Pakistan, will the ICC under the leadership of Jay Shah actually listen?"
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
23 minutes ago
- First Post
‘Was always an attempt from our end': Top Pak journo on how Trump came into India-Pakistan ceasefire scene
Najam Sethi, a senior Pakistani journalist deemed close to the establishment, recently admitted on air that it was Islamabad that approached the Trump administration several times during the four-day military conflict with India read more A top Pakistani journalist has punctured the Pakistani narrative of 'victory' over India in the recent military standoff, revealing how Islamabad repeatedly pressed the Donald Trump administration of the US to get the ceasefire done with New Delhi. Najam Sethi, a senior Pakistani journalist deemed close to the establishment, recently admitted on air that it was Islamabad that approached the Trump administration several times during the four-day military conflict with India in May. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also hailed Pakistan's lobbying efforts in Washington DC and credited them for persuading Trump to help broker the ceasefire. Pakistan was dying for a ceasefire and had been lobbying to approach Trump for the same. India kept rejecting. Story of Pakistan's 'victory' by Najam Sethi. - @pakistan_untold — Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) July 4, 2025 'We have been thanking Trump (for ceasefire). We thanked him back then too for this initiative (ceasefire). India didn't do the same … Trump kept on saying that he brokered a ceasefire. But Modi rejected this claim and said that it was the DGMOs who got it done,' Sethi said. 'It was always an attempt from our end to keep a relationship going with Trump. And we have been successful. We tried from all ends … a lot of lobbying companies were operating. It was a concerted effort,' the senior journalist said. The admission by Sethi has once again revealed Islamabad's duplicity, as it projected a defiant stance during the military hostilities while secretly lobbying for US mediation. India has consistently asserted that its military actions were a response to Pakistan's aggression, and it was Pakistan that ultimately sought a ceasefire. Prime Minister Narendra Modi explicitly denied any third-party mediation during a recent phone call with Trump, emphasising that the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) from both sides had agreed to a ceasefire on May 10. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India's strikes on Pakistan's air bases and its assertive naval manoeuvres reportedly marked a significant turning point in the four-day conflict, pressuring Islamabad to agree to a ceasefire. Previously, Najam Sethi acknowledged that India had effectively neutralised Pakistan's air defence systems, leaving its airspace exposed during Operation Sindoor. During a Pakistani TV news discussion, Sethi noted that the Indian Air Force's strategic drone-led attacks crippled Pakistan's defences.
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
'One border, three adversaries': China used Pak as live lab to test weapons, says deputy COAS on Operation Sindoor; outlines key lessons from India-Pakistan escalation
NEW DELHI: Operation Sindoor , launched by India in the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, was used by China as a pretext to turn Pakistan into a testing ground for it s weapons, deputy chief of army staff (Capability Development and Sustenance), Lieutenant General Rahul R Singh said on Friday. He added that India essentially faced three adversaries -- including Turkey, which provided drones and trained staff to Islamabad -- along a single border. Speaking at the 'New Age Military Technologies' event organised by FICCI, Lt Gen Singh said the operation highlighted the critical need for enhanced air defence and rapid technological advancement in military operations. He revealed that Pakistan received live battlefield inputs from China during the conflict. 'When the DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan had the live updates of our important vectors, from China,' Singh said, adding, 'China can test its weapons against other weapons, so it's like a live lab available to them. Turkey also played an important role… they gave Bayraktar and numerous other drones.' Lt Gen Singh said Pakistan led the confrontation while China provided 'all possible support' and even real-time intelligence inputs. 'When DGMO-level talks were on, Pakistan had the live updates of our important vectors, from China,' he revealed. Also read: Big revelation on Op Sindoor: 'China fed Pak live data on India assets, Turkey sent trained staff' The deputy COAS flagged Pakistan's increasing reliance on Chinese military supplies, saying, 'In the last five years, 81% of the military hardware with Pakistan is Chinese.' He warned that the next potential conflict could see population centres being directly targeted. 'This time, our population centres were not quite addressed, but next time, we need to be prepared for that.' Emphasising the importance of building a robust air defence system, Lt Gen Singh said, 'Air Defence and how it panned out during the entire operation was important… We need a robust air defence system.' The senior officer also spoke about the strategic objectives behind Operation Sindoor, which was launched after the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 civilian lives. The assault was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy. Singh said the Indian Armed Forces responded with a calibrated yet decisive approach. Key lessons from Operation Sindoor, according to Lt Gen Rahul R Singh: No more tolerance for terror strikes: 'There is no scope of absorbing the pain the way we did a few years ago.' Precision targeting through intelligence: 'The planning and selection of targets was based on a lot of data that was collected using technology and human intelligence.' Careful operational restraint: 'A total of 21 targets were identified, out of which nine targets we thought would be prudent to engage... It was only the final day or the final hour that the decision was taken that these nine targets would be engaged.' Tri-services approach: 'A considered decision was taken that it will be a tri-services approach to send the right message that we indeed are an integrated force.' Escalation control: 'An important consideration was that we should always be at the top of the escalation ladder.' Strategic war termination: 'War is easy to initiate, but it's very difficult to control. So I would say that was a very masterly stroke that was played to stop the war at an appropriate time.' Firm deterrence: 'There would be punitive action if required... That is one important message that stands out loud and clear.' Referring to the post-operation ceasefire with Pakistan, Singh said, 'Punch was ready, Pakistan realised it could be in a bad condition, that is the reason why they asked for a ceasefire.'
