Instagram Limits Access to Pakistani Actors Amid Rising Tensions with India
Instagram Restrictions on Pakistani Accounts
Instagram has imposed restrictions on several accounts belonging to Pakistani celebrities in India, including well-known figures like Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir, as well as Olympic javelin champion Arshad Nadeem. This action was taken in response to a legal request.
The decision comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following a terrorist incident in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22.
Users in India attempting to access these accounts are met with a notification stating: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
In addition to Khan and Aamir, other Pakistani actors such as Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly are also inaccessible from India.
Conversely, some accounts, including those of Fawad Khan and Wahaj Ali, along with singers Atif Aslam and Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, remain accessible.
Arshad Nadeem, who recently secured a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was invited by Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra to take part in the inaugural NC Classic javelin event scheduled for May 24 in Bengaluru. However, Nadeem declined the invitation due to prior commitments.
Chopra faced backlash on social media for his invitation to Nadeem following the Pahalgam attack. In response, he stated that Nadeem's participation was “completely out of the question” given the circumstances.
The Pahalgam attack resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals and left 17 others injured. Reports indicate that the attackers targeted tourists based on their names to determine their religion, with the majority of victims being Hindu.
In the aftermath, the Indian government announced on April 24 that the visas of Pakistani citizens in India would be revoked, requiring them to leave the country by April 27. Visa services for Pakistani nationals were also suspended immediately.
Additionally, India halted the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, stating it would remain inactive until Pakistan ceased its support for cross-border terrorism.
On the same day, the Indian government banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading misinformation related to the attack. These channels, which include those from prominent news organizations, collectively have over 63 million followers.