Instagram Blocks Access to Prominent Pakistani Accounts in India Following Terror Attack
Instagram Restrictions on Pakistani Profiles
In a notable action taken after the terror incident on April 22 near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, several prominent Pakistani Instagram accounts, including those of cricketers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, have been restricted from access in India.
This restriction also affects former cricket legends such as Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Shahid Afridi, along with current players like Test captain Shan Masood, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan, and Imam-ul-Haq.
Individuals trying to view these accounts from Indian IP addresses now encounter a message that reads:
"Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content."
This decision seems to be part of a wider initiative by Indian authorities to limit the influence of social media personalities from Pakistan following the attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, including tourists, in southern Kashmir. The account of former Pakistan Prime Minister and cricket captain Imran Khan is also among those restricted.
“Complied with legal request”: Instagram's Statement
Meta-owned Instagram provided a succinct explanation for users attempting to access these blocked accounts:
“We received a legal request to restrict this content. We reviewed it against our policies and conducted a legal and human rights assessment. After the review, we restricted access to the content in the location where it goes against local law.”
While many prominent cricket figures have been affected, some notable personalities like Waqar Younis and Misbah-ul-Haq are still accessible on the platform in India, although they may face restrictions soon.
These Instagram limitations follow previous actions against Pakistani YouTube channels, which included accounts belonging to cricketers such as Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Shahid Afridi.
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting cited reasons such as the dissemination of "provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives, and misinformation against India, its Army, and security agencies."
The latest actions also included the blocking of Pakistan’s Olympic javelin star Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram account on May 1, indicating a comprehensive ban on digital content associated with Pakistan.