By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: India has blocked the social media accounts of several prominent Pakistani cricketers and celebrities, including national team captain Muhammad Rizwan and star batter Babar Azam, following a deadly militant attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Instagram accounts of key figures, such as Shaheen Afridi, Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem, and actors Hania Aamir and Ali Fazal, have also been restricted in India.
Users in India attempting to access the Instagram pages of these individuals now encounter a message that states: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” This action comes in the wake of the recent attack in Pahalgam, which claimed several lives and has been described as one of the deadliest in the region in recent years.
Earlier this week, India took similar steps by blocking 16 Pakistani YouTube channels on the recommendation of the Ministry of Home Affairs, including those run by former cricket stars Shahid Afridi, Rashid Latif, and Shoaib Akhtar. Indian authorities cited “national security” as the reason for this move.
Critics, however, argue that these restrictions are part of a broader attempt by the Indian government to stifle critical commentary, especially following the Pahalgam incident. Indian security forces have faced significant scrutiny over alleged operational lapses during the attack. Shahid Afridi, known for his outspoken views on Kashmir and other political issues, has frequently challenged India’s stance on regional matters, with his YouTube channel now inaccessible in India.
Analysts suggest that this move could be seen as an effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to control the domestic narrative and suppress dissenting voices from across the border. The timing of these digital bans, closely following the violence in Pahalgam, has raised concerns about the increasing censorship of online content and the politicization of cross-border dialogue.
