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Pakistani actors Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi and others' Instagram accounts once again blocked in India after brief access
Indian government has reimposed restrictions on the social media accounts of several Pakistani talent after a brief access due to a technical error.
Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, including Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, Danish Taimoor and Ahad Raza Mir have once again been blocked in India, just days after they had briefly become accessible to users in the country.
The initial ban was enforced in May, following the terror attack in Pahalgam and the subsequent Operation Sindoor. At the time, social media handles belonging to Pakistani actors, athletes, diplomats, and other public figures were made inaccessible across Indian platforms.
Pak celebs' Instagram accounts blocked again
On July 1, however, Indian users noticed that several of these accounts, including those of popular actors like Mawra and Yumna, had become visible again, sparking speculation that the ban might be lifted gradually or revised. But by Thursday morning, the accounts were once again geo-restricted. Users trying to access them were met with a standard notification: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Why were the accounts visible
According to a report by Hindustan Times, officials familiar with the matter clarified that the temporary visibility was due to a technical error that caused the accounts to be inadvertently unblocked. The officials added that the accounts are now in the process of being blocked once more.
AICWA's call for digital blackout
The brief access triggered strong criticism from the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), which has long pushed for a cultural and digital boycott of Pakistan. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the group described the incident as an “insult” to the families of victims of terrorism and renewed its call for a permanent ban on collaborations with Pakistani artists and media entities.
Citing past terror attacks, including those in Pulwama, Uri, Pahalgam, and the 2008 Mumbai attacks, AICWA labelled Pakistan a "terrorist nation" and demanded a total severing of cultural ties.
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