Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts blocked again in India amid ongoing tensions

Several prominent Pakistani celebrities have once again found their social media accounts restricted in India, just a day after they briefly became accessible. By Thursday morning, accounts belonging to actors such as Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mawra Hocane, and Fawad Khan were inaccessible to Indian users on platforms like Instagram and Twitter.

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The accounts, which were previously geoblocked, had suddenly become visible to Indian users on July 2, sparking speculation that the restrictions had been quietly lifted. During this brief window, not only celebrity Instagram accounts but also popular Pakistani YouTube channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo had become available once again in India.

However, the reimposed restriction came swiftly, with users now seeing a message on Instagram stating: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” No official statement has yet been issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting regarding either the rollback or reinstatement of these blocks.

The initial bans were reportedly linked to rising diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly after India’s Operation Sindoor, a military campaign against terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The situation escalated when several Pakistani celebrities publicly criticised the operation, triggering public outrage in India and subsequent content restrictions.