Saturday, March 29, 2025
New Delhi, May 2, 2025 (ANI) — In the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian government has taken further digital action by withholding the Instagram handles of several prominent Pakistani cricketers from being accessed in India. This follows the earlier ban on multiple Pakistani YouTube channels earlier in the week.
Among those affected are current and former Pakistani cricketers such as:
Babar Azam
Mohammed Rizwan
Shaheen Afridi
Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Akhtar
Previously, YouTube channels belonging to Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Basit Ali, and Shoaib Akhtar were also banned in India following the attack.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended the ban on these digital platforms due to the spread of provocative, communally sensitive, and misleading content. The Ministry emphasized that such content poses a threat to national unity, public order, and the integrity of Indian security forces.
Consequently, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels. These included some of the biggest media platforms in Pakistan, such as:
Dawn News
SAMAA TV
ARY News
BOL News
Geo News
Other banned channels are Irsha Bhatti, Raftar, SAMAA Sports, GNN, The Pakistan Reference, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Sirazi, Mujeeb Farooq, Suno Newz, and Razi Naama.
The decision comes on the heels of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 people lost their lives near Baisaran Meadow, a well-known tourist destination.
This incident is considered the deadliest terror attack in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack, which had claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans. As tensions between India and Pakistan mount, the Indian government is tightening control over any content that could further inflame public sentiment or destabilize communal harmony.
As digital platforms continue to play a central role in shaping public discourse, the Indian government remains vigilant against foreign content that could threaten national interests. While social media remains a powerful tool for communication, the restrictions highlight the fine line between free speech and national security.
