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Ban on Pak actors' Instagram lifted? Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi's accounts reappear; Hania Aamir-Fawad Khan still blocked
The Instagram accounts of several Pakistani actors have suddenly become accessible from India, after being blocked for 2 months post Operation Sindoor.
In the wake of India's Operation Sindoor against terror establishments in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), many Pakistani celebrities had criticised India and the Indian armed forces, leading to the Indian government getting the Instagram accounts of all major Pakistani figures geoblocked in India. Now, two months after the incident, fans have noted that the accounts of many Pakistani actors, including popular names like Mawra Hocane, have reappeared in India. This has led to speculations that the 'ban' on them on social media is over.
Is the ban over?
The Instagram accounts of Pakistani actors Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, Ahad Raza Mir, and Danish Taimoor are now accessible from India. All these actors had their Instagram accounts made inaccessible in India post comments on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terrorist attack. However, as of July 2, their accounts are visible to Indian fans. After screenshots of the accounts being visible in India were shared on social media, many fans wondered if the ban had been revoked. One wondered, "Why govt removed ban?" Others claimed that these were the 'B-list' stars of Pakistan so it doesn't matter. "Not required! Well I don't know who even these artists are. Never watched any dramas or movies or shows of that country! Never followed anyone," argued one.
There has been no official word from the government of the Ministry of Information and Technology on if the ban has indeed been revoked or if this is a glitch in Instagram's algorithms.
Hania Aamir, Fawad Khan still blocked
However, Pakistani celebrities' accounts are generally blocked in India. The Instagram accounts of A-list Pak celebs such as Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Hania Aamir continue to be inaccessible from India. Landing on their accounts from India leads the user to a message that reads: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Hania Aamir has been the subject of controversy in India recently, courtesy of her appearance in Diljit Dosanjh's Punjabi film Sardaar Ji 3. Even though the film has not been released in India, there is anger over Hania's casting in it, with many cine bodies and Indian celebs calling for a ban on Diljit for working with Hania.
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