In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Central government on Wednesday blocked the Instagram accounts of several Pakistani actors in India. Among these celebrities were popular actors such as Hania Amir, Mahira Khan, and Ali Zafar.
While Hania has not worked in India, she has a huge Indian fan base for her Pakistani shows and her content on Instagram. Mahira Khan acted alongside Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 film Raees, and Ali Zafar has worked in several Bollywood movies. Both of these Pakistani actors are also highly popular in India.
Also read: Instagram account of several Pak actors, including Hania Aamir and Mahira Khan, blocked in India
Apart from them, other Pakistani actors whose Instagram accounts are not accessible in India include Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly.
While clicking on their account in India, Instagram redirects to a blank page that reads “Account not available in India” in bold letters, followed by “This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
{{/usCountry}}While clicking on their account in India, Instagram redirects to a blank page that reads “Account not available in India” in bold letters, followed by “This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
{{/usCountry}}This comes after India banned sixteen Pakistani YouTube channels including prominent media outlets like Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News around three days ago.
The channels were banned for airing provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack.
Pahalgam attack
The crackdown on Pakistani YouTube channels and their actors’ Instagram accounts comes amid increasing tensions between India and Pakistan. A deadly terrorist attack killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba’s proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack that coincided with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India.
The attack triggered a sharp response by India against Pakistan, prompting the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and asking Pakistani nationals to leave for their home country.