Social media accounts of Pakistani stars blocked once more

The social media accounts of a number of Pakistani celebrities had been geo-blocked once more on Thursday (July 3, 2025), hours after they grew to become briefly accessible to customers in India — a improvement that had triggered sharp reactions throughout social media platforms.

Among the beforehand restricted profiles grew to become seen on Wednesday (July 2, 2025), reportedly on account of a technical glitch. Nonetheless, following the difficulty being delivered to the eye of the authorities, the content material was as soon as once more geo-restricted and is not accessible in India.

Within the wake of the current terrorist assault in Pahalgam, the Union Ministry of Dwelling Affairs had really useful the blocking of 16 YouTube channels primarily based in Pakistan. These had been accused of disseminating provocative and communally delicate content material, false narratives, and misinformation concentrating on India, its armed forces, and safety companies.

The listing of banned YouTube channels consists of outstanding media retailers similar to Daybreak Information, ARY Information, Samaa TV, Bol Information, and Geo Information, together with different channels similar to Irshad Bhatti, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Samaa Sports activities, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Unique, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, Suno Information, and Raazi Naama.

As well as, the social media profiles of Pakistani public figures — together with actors Mahira Khan, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Danish Taimoor, Yumna Zaidi, Fawad Khan, Mawra Hocane, and Hania Aamir — in addition to cricketers similar to Shahid Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Wasim Akram, Shan Masood, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Imam-ul-Haq, Shadab Khan, and Shoaib Akhtar — stay geo-blocked in India.

Additional, the Ministry of Data and Broadcasting had issued an advisory to over-the-top (OTT) platforms, media streaming companies, and digital intermediaries in India, instructing them to discontinue net collection, movies, songs, podcasts, and different types of media content material originating from Pakistan.

The advisory cited nationwide safety issues, stating, “A number of terrorist assaults in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan-based state and non-state actors… On April 22, the terrorist assault in Pahalgam led to the killing of a number of Indians, one Nepali citizen, and accidents to a lot of others…”.

Quoting Half III of the Data Know-how (Middleman Pointers and Digital Media Ethics Code) Guidelines, 2021, the Ministry underscored the duties of content material publishers on OTT platforms. It additionally referenced Rule 3(1)(b) of Half II of the IT Guidelines, 2021, which stipulates that intermediaries should be certain that customers don’t add or share content material that “threatens the unity, integrity, defence, safety or sovereignty of India, pleasant relations with international States, or public order”.

Revealed – July 03, 2025 09:06 pm IST