A day after briefly resurfacing, the social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities have once again been blocked in India, reigniting debate over digital censorship and cross-border sensitivities.
Instagram and Twitter profiles of actors such as Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Shahid Afridi, Mawra Hocane, and Fawad Khan became inaccessible to Indian users on Thursday morning. The move follows a brief reversal on Wednesday, when previously restricted accounts and Pakistani YouTube channels, including Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo, had unexpectedly reappeared.
By Thursday, users attempting to access these profiles were greeted with a message that read: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
No formal communication has been issued by the Indian government regarding the reinstatement of the block. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has remained silent on the sudden rollback and re-imposition of the restrictions, leading to speculation about internal policy reversals or platform-level compliance actions.
Also read: India reimposes ban on Pak celeb accounts a day after backlash
The restrictions were originally imposed following India’s Operation Sindoor, a military action targeting terror networks in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The crackdown was accompanied by a wave of criticism from several Pakistani public figures, whose remarks were seen as inflammatory by Indian audiences.
The digital bans, covering YouTube channels and individual social media accounts, were widely perceived as a retaliatory response to these public statements. While the brief restoration of access had triggered speculation about a quiet rollback of the ban, the renewed restrictions appear to confirm otherwise.
Fans and followers had taken to social media on Wednesday to express surprise at the sudden visibility of previously blocked accounts. No explanation was offered by Instagram, Twitter (X), or YouTube regarding the momentary unblocking.
The lack of an official explanation has further fuelled conjecture about the legal mechanism behind the geoblocking. Technology and legal analysts have pointed out that such restrictions are usually the result of directives issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
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