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Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ban on Pakistan social media channels lifted? Many accounts, blocked after Pahalgam attack, ‘accessible' in India
Several social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities and YouTube channels of the country's news organisations, which were blocked following the Pahalgam terror attack, now appear to be accessible again. Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane and former cricketer Shahid Afridi(X and Instagram) The Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, such as Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, Ahad Raza Mir, and Danish Taimoor, are now accessible from India. However, the accounts of other Pakistani actors, such as Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Hania Aamir, continue to be inaccessible from India, according to netizens. In addition to the film fraternity, Pakistani news media outlets like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo were available to be streamed in India again. The YouTube channels of former Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, and Rashid Latif also appear to be restored. On May 8, the Indian government had issued a formal advisory to all OTT platforms and digital streaming services, instructing them to immediately remove any web series, films, music, podcasts, or other content that originates from Pakistan. Also Read | 'Was in the room': Jaishankar lays out chronology of India-Pakistan ceasefire, and US phone calls The advisory, framed under the IT Rules, 2021, had cited national security concerns and aims to prevent the dissemination of content deemed harmful to India's sovereignty or public order. Prior to that, authorities had blocked access to 16 Pakistan-linked YouTube channels, including those of news outlets and journalists. YouTube channels of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and sports figures like Shaheen Afridi and Shoaib Malik were also removed from Indian viewership. ACWA writes to PM Modi Earlier today, the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising strong objections to the reappearance of social media accounts of Pakistani actors in India. 'It is deeply concerning and absolutely unacceptable that social media accounts of Pakistani artists like Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, and several Pakistan-based channels are once again visible in India," it said. "This is not merely a digital appearance — it is a direct insult to the sacrifice of our martyred soldiers and an emotional assault on every Indian who lost a loved one in terror attacks perpetrated by Pakistan,' the body added. India-Pak tensions Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, targeting terrorist infrastructure at nine locations in territories controlled by Pakistan, killing more than 100 terrorists. The operation also destroyed terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, from where terrorist attacks against India were planned and directed. This triggered four days of clashes, with both sides using drones, missiles and long-range weapons and raising fears of an all-out war. On May 10, India's military conducted strikes on eight Pakistani airbases, including Murid and Nur Khan air bases, in retaliation for Pakistani attacks on a range of military facilities earlier the same day. The targets hit by the Indian Air Force included runways, hangars, command and control centres, radar bases, missile sites and weapon storage areas. An understanding was reached between both countries to cease hostilities later that day.
India Today
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Ban on Pak news and social media channels, imposed during Op Sindoor, reversed
Pakistani news channels and social media accounts of celebrities that were banned during India's Operation Sindoor in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack have appeared again, suggesting that the restrictions have been lifted. However, no official announcement lifting the ban has been made by the government so Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, including those of Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, Hania Amir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, among others, which were banned by the government in a move to resent the April 22 attack, started becoming visible in India on Wednesday. advertisementEven many YouTube channels run by Pakistani news media outlets like Hum TV, ARY Digital and Har Pal Geo were also made available to be streamed again. Days after the attack in the Baisaran Valley, India had banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including Dawn News, Samaa TV, Ary News and Geo News, for reportedly spreading misinformation against YouTube channels were also banned from streaming in the country for churning out provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives against India, the Army and its security agencies. The banned channels had a subscriber base of 63 million in the ban, several Indian users opted for access to Pakistani celebrities' social media accounts through VPN the celebrities who remained at the heart of this quiet digital reunion was the widely-loved actor Hania Aamir, who is again in the news in India owing to her role in Dilijit Dosanjh-starrer Sardaar Ji makers of the movie received major backlash for starring Aamir amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, following the military conflict between the two countries last month. However, the makers clarified that Aamir was cast in the film before the hostilities comes hours after the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose a complete ban on Pakistani channels and social media accounts in letter appealed to the government to respect the lives lost in the Pahalgam attack earlier this year. It also mentioned that "Cutting off Pakistan completely will have zero negative impact on our economy or entertainment industry".- Ends
India Today
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar's Instagram handles reappear amid Pak artists ban in India
The Instagram handles of several Pakistani artists reappeared in India amid tensions with Pakistan. The profiles of Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor are now visible to Indian social media the wake of the ban on Pakistani artists and content in India, post Pahalgam attack (April 22) in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani Instagram handles and YouTube channels are once again accessible in India. Apart from Pakistani actors, YouTube channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital and Har Pal Geo can now be streamed by Indian YouTube users. The Instagram handles of Pakistani celebrities like Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir and Yumna Zaidi reappeared in India. (Credit: Instagram/mawrellous/sabaqamarzaman/yumnazaidiofficial/ahadrazamir) advertisementDespite Mawra, Saba and other actors' Instagram accounts being visible in India, some Pakistani artists remain restricted. The handles of Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Hania Aamir continue to be inaccessible from India. When you click on their accounts from India, a message emerges which reads, "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." Pakistani YouTube channles like Hum TV, Ary Digital and Har Pal Geo are now accesible in India. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is yet to make an official statement on whether the ban has been lifted or is it a glitch in Instagram's tensions between India and Pakistan started escalating after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, which claimed 26 innocent social media handles of several Pakistani artistes were banned in India as a mark of protest. Later, Indian Defence Forces conducted precision strikes across nine terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of Operation actors like Mawra and Fawad came forward to condemn India's Operation Sindoor. After Mawra's comments, her 'Saman Teri Kasam' co-star Harshwardhan Rane spoke about not working in 'Sanam Teri Kasam 2', if she was to be cast opposite him. He said, "While I am grateful for the experience however as things stand, and after reading the direct comments made about my country, I have made a decision to respectfully decline to be a part of 'Sanam Teri Kasam Part 2' if there is any possibility of the previous cast being repeated."Due to nationwide sentiments and sensitivity about national interest, recently, actor Diljit Dosanjh also faced criticism for working alongside Hania in 'Sardaarji 3'.The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) demanded a ban on Diljit.- EndsMust Watch
Express Tribune
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
India blocks access to Pakistani entertainment channels on YouTube
Listen to article India has blocked several popular Pakistani entertainment channels on YouTube, including ARY Digital, Har Pal Geo, and Hum TV, following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam. The action, reportedly based on a recommendation by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, has drawn concern from fans and content creators alike. The affected channels, which had built a substantial viewership in India over the years, are now displaying the message: 'This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.' The move impacts millions of Indian viewers who had embraced Pakistani serials for their emotional storytelling, relatable themes, and concise episodic structure. Earlier, Instagram had restricted access to the accounts of several Pakistani celebrities and influencers for users in India, following a legal request tied to content regulation. Those affected included actress Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, and singer-actor Ali Zafar. Indian users trying to view their profiles were shown the message: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.' The move mirrored earlier actions by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which had blocked several Pakistani YouTube channels. These included major media outlets like Express News, Dawn News, Geo News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and creators such as former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar.
