Selective Blocking of Pakistani Actors' Instagram Accounts in India Amid Rising Tensions

In a notable development on Wednesday, it was revealed that several Instagram profiles of Pakistani celebrities, including Hania Aamir and Mahira Khan, have been blocked for users in India. However, certain profiles, such as those of Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam, remain accessible to Indian users, sparking questions about the selective restrictions.

While actors like Fawad Khan, who enjoys immense popularity in India, and singers Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan still have visible Instagram profiles in India, others like Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Momina Mustehsan, and Sajal Aly have faced restrictions. Instagram displays an "Account not available" message when users from India attempt to access the accounts of these celebrities, citing compliance with a legal request to restrict content.

The selective blocking comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. The terrorist attack has heightened animosity between the two nations, leading to the Indian government's decision to ban 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major media outlets like Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News, for spreading provocative and misleading content.

This incident adds to the ongoing discourse regarding the political and cultural divide, with some social media users questioning the inconsistency in enforcing such bans. While some argue for the restriction of all Pakistani content, others highlight the continued accessibility of certain celebrities' social media profiles, like Fawad Khan's.