July 4, 2025: Just a day after briefly becoming accessible, the social media accounts of several prominent Pakistan celebrities have once again been blocked in India, reigniting conversations around digital censorship and geopolitical tensions between the two nations.
Instagram and Twitter/X handles belonging to Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Mawra Hocane, Fawad Khan, Shahid Afridi, and others were found inaccessible to Indian users on Thursday morning. When searched, a message now reads: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Block-Unblock-Block: What Happened?
On Wednesday, July 3, Indian users briefly noticed that Instagram and YouTube profiles of several Pakistani celebrities and entertainment channels—including Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, as well as popular channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo—had become visible again after being blocked earlier this year.
This temporary lift sparked speculation that the ban on Pakistani content had been silently rolled back. However, the reappearance was short-lived.
“Technical Glitch,” Says Government Source
According to a government official cited by IndiaToday.in, the sudden visibility was due to a technical glitch.
“If you can see some accounts either on X, YouTube or Meta, they will be inaccessible in a few hours. Some technical glitch led to the unblocking. Rectified now,”
The original social media restrictions were implemented earlier this year, following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor—an Indian military strike on terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Several Pakistani celebrities had publicly criticised the operation, prompting backlash across Indian social and political spheres. In response, the Indian government moved to restrict their digital presence by blocking their content on major platforms like Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook for Indian users.
Official Silence Continues
As of now, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has not released an official statement regarding either the brief lifting or reimposition of the content restrictions. The lack of clarity has led to confusion among fans and followers, many of whom took to social media to express frustration or speculate on the reasons behind the flip-flop.
What’s Still Blocked?
Currently, the following Pakistani content remains inaccessible in India:
- Instagram accounts of Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Mawra Hocane, Fawad Khan, Shahid Afridi, Saba Qamar, Yumna Zaidi, Danish Taimoor
- YouTube channels: Hum TV, ARY Digital, Har Pal Geo
- Twitter/X handles of several celebrities
Fan Reactions
The blocking and unblocking sparked strong reactions across Indian and Pakistani social media communities. Some expressed support for the ban in light of political tensions, while others decried the move as digital censorship infringing on cultural exchange and artistic freedom.
The Bigger Picture
The reblocking of these accounts underscores how geopolitical tensions continue to spill over into the digital world, affecting not just governments but artists and fans on both sides of the border.