Several Pakistani news channels and celebrity social media accounts that were banned in India during Operation Sindoor, a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, have started reappearing, indicating a softening or partial lift of the restrictions.
Government sources revealed that a review of the bans was recently undertaken. Some accounts were reinstated after being observed to have avoided anti-India content for a prolonged period. However, around 14,000 accounts remain banned, and the government emphasized that these bans are not necessarily permanent and are subject to regular assessment.
Instagram accounts of notable Pakistani actors—Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, Hania Aamir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor—were among those that became accessible again in India. Their accounts had been blocked following the April 22 attack, which saw 26 civilians, including 25 tourists, killed by terrorists affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) under the Resistance Front (TRF) in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley.
As part of its initial retaliation, India had also banned 16 Pakistani YouTube news channels such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News, accusing them of spreading provocative, false, and communally sensitive content targeting India and its security forces. Collectively, these channels had over 63 million Indian subscribers.
With the restrictions in place, many Indian users resorted to VPNs to access content from their favorite Pakistani celebrities. One of the most talked-about names was Hania Aamir, whose role in Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Sardaar Ji 3’ sparked debate. The film’s producers clarified that her casting occurred before the military conflict escalated.
Meanwhile, the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging a complete and permanent ban on Pakistani content, arguing that such a move would have no adverse impact on India’s economy or entertainment industry. Their appeal came just hours before these accounts began to reappear.
Context and aftermath:
Following the Pahalgam massacre, India took multiple diplomatic and strategic steps, including:
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Downgrading diplomatic ties
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Suspending the Indus Water Treaty (IWT)
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Launching Operation Sindoor on May 7, which destroyed nine terror launch pads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists
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Responding forcefully to Pakistan’s cross-border retaliation, hitting key military targets
The hostilities ceased on May 10, following a ceasefire agreement between the two nations.
Despite the relative calm, tensions remain, and India's approach to Pakistani content is likely to continue evolving based on ongoing assessments of national interest and security.
