FACT CHECK: Did India Block Instagram Accounts of Pakistani Celebrities After the Pahalgam Attack?

ByFactcheck India

May 1, 2025 #Digital Crackdown, #Fact Check India, #factcheck india, #Fake news, #Hania Aamir, #India, #India-Pakistan Tensions, #Instagram Ban, #Mahira Khan, #misinformation, #Pahalgam Attack, #Pakistani Celebrities, #Social Media Block,#TruthXIndia

Government Banning Instagram in India From Next Month

Claim:

India has blocked the Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

Fact:

True. Multiple Pakistani celebrity Instagram accounts, including those of Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir, have been blocked from viewing in India. Users in India now see a restriction notice, stating the accounts are unavailable due to a legal request.

What Happened?

Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 people—including 25 Indian nationals—India initiated a series of retaliatory digital, diplomatic, and strategic actions against Pakistan. As part of this crackdown, several Pakistani celebrity Instagram profiles were restricted in India.

Whose Instagram Accounts Are Blocked in India?

Among the celebrities whose accounts are currently inaccessible in India are:

Mahira Khan
Hania Aamir
Ali Zafar
Sanam Saeed
Sajal Aly
Bilal Abbas
Imran Abbas
Iqra Aziz

When users in India try to visit these pages, they encounter the message:

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

Interestingly, some celebrities’ profiles remain accessible, such as Fawad Khan and Wahaj Ali, suggesting the blocks are based on selective enforcement tied to official directives.

Why Did It Happen?

This is part of a larger effort by the Indian government to counter what it terms anti-India propaganda after the attack. This includes:

Banning 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, such as Geo News, ARY News, and Dawn News.
Taking down Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel (with 3.5 million+ subscribers).
Accusing these platforms of spreading misinformation and communal tension post-attack.

Context: The Pahalgam Attack

Date: April 22, 2025
Location: Baisaran meadow, Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir
Casualties: 26 killed (25 Indians, 1 Nepali)
Attack Details: Victims were reportedly targeted based on religion, shot at close range.

The attack coincided with U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India, adding global diplomatic pressure.

India’s Broader Response:

Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty
Closure of Attari-Wagah border
Visa bans for Pakistani nationals
Reduced diplomatic presence
Closure of Indian airspace to Pakistani aircraft

Pakistan responded by blocking Indian air traffic, cancelling PoK flights, and rejecting treaty suspensions as an “act of war.”

Verdict: True

India has blocked access to multiple Pakistani celebrities’ Instagram accounts for users in India as part of its digital and diplomatic response to the Pahalgam terror attack.