Instagram accounts of popular Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir and Ali Zafar were blocked in India on Wednesday. Indian users attempting to access these accounts are met with a message stating: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content."
While there has been no official confirmation, the move is believed to be linked to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. This comes shortly after the Indian government blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels earlier this month. The YouTube channels were banned for allegedly spreading provocative, communal content and misleading narratives against India.
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued the blocking orders based on recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The channels affected include major Pakistani outlets such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News, as well as individual creators like former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. Indian users attempting to access these channels are greeted with a message indicating that the content has been restricted following a government order related to national security or public order.
In another move, the Indian government has withheld access to the official Twitter account of the government of Pakistan. The message on the account reads: "Account Withheld, @GovtofPakistan has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand."