India has blocked access to the X (formerly Twitter) accounts of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan, former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and other high-profile figures amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.
Users in India who try to access these accounts are met with a standard message:
"Account withheld in India in response to a legal demand."The profile and cover images have also been removed, signaling a blanket content block within Indian jurisdiction.
This digital crackdown follows the blocking of Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister Ataullah Tarar’s X account in India. His account was restricted shortly after he made inflammatory claims that New Delhi might launch a military strike on Pakistan within 24 to 36 hours, citing "credible intelligence."
The move appears to be a retaliatory and preventive step by India as part of its information security and national defence posture, especially in light of the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Force (TRF)—a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot based in Pakistan.
In a broader sweep, Instagram accounts of Pakistani celebrities, including popular actors Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir, have also been disabled in India, though without publicized legal justification. This reflects an intensifying social media blackout on Pakistani public figures across major platforms.
These developments underscore:
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India's increasing use of legal mechanisms under the Information Technology Act to curb cross-border digital influence in times of a security crisis.
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A diplomatic hardening of position post-Pahalgam attack, aligning with earlier steps like border troop repositioning and diplomatic demarches.
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Concerns over online platforms being used for narrative warfare or misinformation during sensitive military and political periods.
