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The Hindu
03-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pakistani celebrities' social media accounts geo-blocked again in India
The social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities were geo-blocked again on Thursday (July 3, 2025), hours after they became briefly accessible to users in India — a development that had triggered sharp reactions across social media platforms. Some of the previously restricted profiles became visible on Wednesday (July 2, 2025), reportedly due to a technical glitch. However, following the issue being brought to the attention of the authorities, the content was once again geo-restricted and is no longer accessible in India. In the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended the blocking of 16 YouTube channels based in Pakistan. These were accused of disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false narratives, and misinformation targeting India, its armed forces, and security agencies. The list of banned YouTube channels includes prominent media outlets such as Dawn News, ARY News, Samaa TV, Bol News, and Geo News, along with other channels such as Irshad Bhatti, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, Suno News, and Raazi Naama. In addition, the social media profiles of Pakistani public figures — including actors Mahira Khan, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Danish Taimoor, Yumna Zaidi, Fawad Khan, Mawra Hocane, and Hania Aamir — as well as cricketers such as Shahid Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Wasim Akram, Shan Masood, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Imam-ul-Haq, Shadab Khan, and Shoaib Akhtar — remain geo-blocked in India. Further, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had issued an advisory to over-the-top (OTT) platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries in India, instructing them to discontinue web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other forms of media content originating from Pakistan. The advisory cited national security considerations, stating, 'Several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan-based state and non-state actors... On April 22, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam led to the killing of several Indians, one Nepali citizen, and injuries to a number of others...'. Quoting Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Ministry underscored the responsibilities of content publishers on OTT platforms. It also referenced Rule 3(1)(b) of Part II of the IT Rules, 2021, which stipulates that intermediaries must ensure that users do not upload or share content that 'threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign States, or public order'.
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
YouTube channels of Shoaib Akhtar, 2 other former Pakistani cricketers again viewable in India
The YouTube channels of former Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Rashid Latif are again accessible in India, nearly three months after the central government blocked several Pakistani social media accounts following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Soon after the April 22 attack that claimed 26 lives, the three channels had shown messages indicating their unavailability in India. The government had banned Pakistani artists across the media. On April 28, the government banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels–with about 63.08 million subscribers in total–for disseminating 'provocative content, false narratives and misinformation' against India, its Army and security agencies. The decision was based on recommendations made by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The 16 YouTube channels continue to remain blocked. However, the Instagram accounts of Pakistani actresses Mawra Hocane and Saba Qamar are now accessible in India. On Tuesday, several Instagram users reported being able to view their profiles. The Instagram accounts of other Pakistani celebs like Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Fawad Khan, and Atif Aslam, as well as the YouTube account of former cricketer Tanvir Ahmed remain banned. Hania Aamir is in the news for her casting in Diljit Dosanjh's Sardaar Ji 3. The film has become a box-office hit abroad, though it did not release in India, given the India-Pakistan tensions following the terrorist attack. The 16 banned YouTube channels are: 1. Dawn News TV – Considered among the leading platforms in Pakistan with 1.96 million followers, the channel uses the handle @dawnnewspakistan. 2. Irshad Bhatti – Irshad Bhatti's YouTube channel has 827k followers. The channel's handle is @IrshadBhatti01. 3. Samaa TV – Samaa TV has 12.7 million followers. The channel goes by the handle @Samaatv. 4. ARY News – ARY News has 14.6 million followers. The channel's handle is @ArynewsTvofficial. 5. BOL News – BOL News has 7.85 million followers. The channel uses the handle @BOLNewsofficial. 6. Raftar – Raftar has 804k followers. The channel's handle is @raftartv. 7. The Pakistan Reference – The Pakistan Reference has 288k followers. The channel's handle is @ThePakistanExperience. 8. Geo News – Geo News has 18.1 million followers. The channel uses the handle @geonews. 9. Samaa Sports – Samaa Sports has 73.5k followers. The channel's handle is @SamaaSports. 10. GNN – GNN has 3.54 million followers. The channel's handle is @gnnhdofficial. 11. Uzair Cricket – Uzair Cricket has 288k followers. The channel's handle is @UzairCricket786. 12. Umar Cheema Exclusive – Umar Cheema Exclusive has 125k followers. The channel's handle is @UmarCheemaExclusive. 13. Asma Shirazi – Asma Shirazi's channel has 133k followers. The handle is @AsmaShiraziofficial. 14. Muneeb Farooq – Muneeb Farooq's channel has 165k followers. The handle is @muneebfarooqofficial. 15. SUNO News HD – SUNO News HD has 1.36 million followers. The channel uses the handle @SUNONewsHD. 16. Razi Naama – Razi Naama's channel has 270k followers. The handle is @razinaama.
New Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's YouTube channel blocked in India
NEW DELHI: With diplomatic relations with Pakistan continuing to be tense, access to the YouTube channel of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was blocked in India on Friday. "The content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report," read a message on the blocked channel. The government had earlier this week blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating "false, provocative and communally sensitive content" about India. The YouTube channels blocked are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama. The government also strongly objected to the BBC's reportage on the Pahalgam attack. This development follows recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, a famous tourist destination in south Kashmir, where 26 people were gunned down. Meanwhile, the Instagram accounts of leading current and former Pakistani cricketers, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Wasim Akram, were also restricted in India, intensifying the digital crackdown on influential personalities across the border in the aftermath of the terror attack. The list of restricted accounts also includes Test captain Shan Masood and pacers.
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Business Standard
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif's YouTube channel blocked in India over security
The government had earlier this week blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating false, provocative and communally sensitive content Press Trust of India New Delhi Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's YouTube channel was blocked in India on Friday amid ongoing tension between the two countries following the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. "The content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report," read a message on the blocked channel. The government had earlier this week blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating "false, provocative and communally sensitive content" about India and has also strongly objected to the BBC's reportage on the Pahalgam attack. The government's move follows recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in the upper reaches of the Kashmir resort town in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Besides, the Ministry of External Affairs will be monitoring the reporting of the BBC, which termed terrorists as militants, officials had said. The YouTube channels blocked are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's YouTube Channel Blocked In India
New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's YouTube channel was blocked in India on Friday amid ongoing tension between the two countries following the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. "The content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report," read a message on the blocked channel. The government had earlier this week blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating "false, provocative and communally sensitive content" about India and has also strongly objected to the BBC's reportage on the Pahalgam attack. The government's move follows recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in the upper reaches of the Kashmir resort town in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Besides, the Ministry of External Affairs will be monitoring the reporting of the BBC, which termed terrorists as militants, officials had said. The YouTube channels blocked are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama.
