Pakistani Social Media Accounts Briefly Reappear in India, Now Vanish Again?

On Thursday, July 3rd, several high-profile Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts and media platforms briefly became accessible in India. This included the Instagram handles of actors like Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor. YouTube channels of Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar and entertainment channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo were also visible to Indian users after a long blackout.

Accounts Blocked Again Within Hours

However, this visibility did not last long. By Thursday morning, most of these accounts were once again restricted in India. Users trying to access them were greeted with the message:

“Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”

Government sources confirmed that the brief reappearance was not the result of any policy change but instead a technical glitch or platform-side compliance delay. The issue has since been resolved, and all 18,000+ restricted handles are now blocked again or in the process of being blocked.

The Official Reason: National Security and Digital Compliance

The first ban was implemented on May 8, 2025, under Part II of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The Indian government cited serious concerns, including:

• Sovereignty of India
• National security
• Public order
• The integrity of the nation

All intermediaries, including social media platforms, OTTs, and content publishers, were warned to remain fully compliant and were told to discontinue any content originating from Pakistan.

AICWA Calls It an Insult to Victims

The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) strongly opposed the brief reappearance of the Pakistani accounts. In a statement, they called it an “insult to the families of terrorism victims” and demanded:

• A complete digital blackout of Pakistani artists and content
• A permanent ban on cross-border collaborations
• A total cultural disconnect with Pakistan

The association even wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting stricter enforcement of the ban.

What the Government Said

Officials clarified that the reappearance was not due to any policy rollback but rather a temporary technical delay. They added that a few accounts may still be visible to some users for a short while, but they will soon be restricted completely.

What This Means Going Forward

With over 18,000 accounts reblocked, India has reinforced its digital firewall against Pakistani media and public personalities. This move signals a continued hardline stance in response to cross-border threats and promotes the enforcement of digital laws linked to national security.

Users can expect tighter regulation going forward as the Ministry continues to ensure platforms follow compliance protocols under the IT Rules, 2021.

Stay tuned to The Reelstars for all such updates.