In a swift turn of events, the social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, including Fawad Khan, Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Mawra Hocane, and others, have been banned again in India, just a day after a brief period of accessibility. This development follows a temporary lifting of restrictions on July 1, 2025, which allowed Indian users to view the Instagram profiles of Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Yumna Zaidi, Ahad Raza Mir, and Danish Taimoor, along with YouTube channels such as Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo. However, by Thursday, July 2, 2025, these accounts were once again inaccessible, displaying the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
The initial ban on Pakistani artists’ social media accounts was enforced in May 2025, following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which claimed 26 lives, primarily Hindu tourists. The attack, attributed to The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), prompted India’s Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Several Pakistani celebrities, including Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, faced backlash for their critical remarks on India’s military actions, leading to the geoblocking of their Instagram and YouTube accounts in India.
BIG UPDATE: Govt sources CONFIRM that some Pak YouTube handles have been reinstated as they have “not spoken anti India language for a while, which was the main reason for blocking them.”
Strange “REWARD FOR GOOD BEHAVIOUR” logic. Hope it doesn’t extend to Pak government. pic.twitter.com/ZfqlCPQtCW
— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) July 2, 2025
On July 1, 2025, netizens were surprised when the accounts of certain Pakistani artists, such as Mawra Hocane and Yumna Zaidi, became visible again, sparking speculation of a phased lifting of the ban. Indian X user Sonam Mahajan highlighted this change, noting that channels like Hum TV and ARY Digital were also accessible without VPNs. However, prominent figures like Fawad Khan, Hania Aamir, and Mahira Khan remained blocked even during this brief window. The sudden reappearance of select accounts led to mixed reactions, with some fans welcoming the move and others questioning its implications, especially amid ongoing tensions.
The reimposition of the ban on July 2, 2025 followed an emergency internal review meeting, though no official statement from the Indian government or the Ministry of Information and Technology has clarified the reasons behind the reversal. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) played a significant role in pushing for the renewed restrictions, issuing a strong appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AICWA condemned the brief unblocking as “deeply concerning and absolutely unacceptable,” labeling it an “insult to the sacrifice of our martyred soldiers” and citing Pakistan’s history of cross-border terrorism, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pulwama, Uri, and Pahalgam. The organization demanded a permanent digital blackout of Pakistani social media accounts, a ban on future collaborations with Pakistani artists, and a cultural disconnect to honor India’s armed forces and martyrs’ families.
Pakistan banned Indian songs from FM radio stations just days after the Pahalgam attack and before Operation Sindoor. The ban has not been lifted yet, and we hardly care.
But, what was the urgency for the Govt of India to lift the ban on those Pakistani social media accounts…
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) July 3, 2025
The controversy has been further fueled by recent developments in the Indian film industry. Pakistani actress Hania Aamir’s casting in Diljit Dosanjh’s film Sardaar Ji 3, which opted for an overseas-only release to respect domestic sentiments, has drawn significant criticism. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) escalated the issue by writing to co-producer Bhushan Kumar, lead actor Sunny Deol, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to sever ties with Diljit Dosanjh and revoke permissions for filming Border 2 at the National Defence Academy (NDA). Additionally, singer Mika Singh publicly opposed Aamir’s casting, while Guru Randhawa’s cryptic X post, “Lakh pardesi hoyieee, Apna desh nhi bhandi daa. Jehre mulk da khayie, us da bura nhi mangi da,” was widely interpreted as a jab at Dosanjh, who later deactivated his X account.
BREAKING: Instagram accounts of Pakistani artists Saba Qamar, Yumna Zaidi, Dananeer Mobeen, Ahad Raza Mir, Azaan Sami, Mawra Hocane, Ameer Gilani, and Danish Taimoor, which had become accessible in India again, have now been re-restricted.
Some of these artists, who had made…
— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) July 3, 2025
Pakistani celebrities’ social media accounts remain blocked in India
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/xP8Brbon80#Pakistan #India #SocialMedia pic.twitter.com/cJjoRFcVPd
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) July 3, 2025
Public sentiment on X reflects the divided opinions. While some users supported the re-ban, with posts like “Good Step! @MIB_India Hope you do the same for their YouTube channels as well!” others expressed disappointment or dismissed the move as ineffective. One user questioned, “Then what is the problem in releasing the Sardaar Ji 3 movie?” while another pleaded, “What wrong did Atif Aslam do? Please unblock his account.” The selective unblocking and subsequent re-ban have left netizens confused, with no clear explanation from authorities on whether the brief accessibility was intentional or a technical glitch.
The reimposed restrictions extend beyond individual accounts to include Pakistani entertainment channels. In May 2025, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed OTT platforms to remove all Pakistan-origin content, citing national security concerns. This ongoing digital and cultural clampdown reflects the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, with the AICWA and other bodies advocating for a complete severance of artistic collaborations.
