India Reimposes Ban on Pakistani YouTube Channels and Social Media Accounts

NEW DELHI, 6 July 2025 – Just 24 hours after a brief relaxation, India has once again restricted access to the social media channels of several prominent Pakistani personalities and media outlets. As of Thursday morning, YouTube channels and accounts belonging to various Pakistani actors, cricketers, and news platforms have become inaccessible in India.

While no official government notification has been issued regarding the renewed restrictions, visitors attempting to access the accounts are met with the message:
“This content is not available in your country due to a legal complaint.”

The move follows recent security tensions surrounding the Pahalgam killings and Operation Sindoor, after which India accused several Pakistani media outlets of spreading anti-India propaganda and inciting communal unrest. These allegations prompted earlier bans on select Pakistani digital content.

Among those whose platforms have been blocked again are former cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, and actors including Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, and Fawad Khan. Their YouTube channels, Instagram profiles, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts are no longer visible to users in India.

This reversal comes barely a day after some of the accounts were briefly restored on Wednesday, reportedly following internal deliberations within India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. The apparent U-turn within 24 hours has stirred confusion, with no formal explanation provided as yet by Indian authorities.

Major News Portals Also Affected

Previously banned YouTube channels from major Pakistani media outlets such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, Bol News, Raftaar, Geo News, Suno News, ARY News, and The Pakistan Experience remain inaccessible. Additionally, social media accounts of popular YouTubers and commentators like Arzoo Kazmi, Wasay Habib, Ali Zafar, Muneeb Farooq, and Umer Cheema also appear to have been blocked following Operation Sindoor.

Call for Total Ban on Pakistani Artists in India

Following Wednesday’s temporary unblocking, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) issued a fresh appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging a blanket ban on all social media accounts of Pakistani artists in India. Several pro-Hindutva voices within the entertainment industry have also called for a complete ban on Pakistani involvement in Indian films and media.

The political backlash extended to Bollywood, as the release of Diljit Dosanjh’s upcoming film Sardaarji 3 has been postponed. The film features Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, whose presence in the cast has sparked controversy in light of the recent tensions.

Even celebrated Indian cultural figures such as Javed Akhtar and Naseeruddin Shah have faced online backlash for voicing support for Dosanjh. Critics on social media have labelled them as “agents of Pakistan.”