Amid rising cross-border tensions following the Pahalgam controversy, India has escalated its digital crackdown on Pakistani voices by blocking access to several high-profile Pakistani social media accounts, including those of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Sources confirmed that even the Prime Minister’s official speech at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul—where he had extended an offer for impartial investigation into the Pahalgam incident—was removed following complaints lodged by Indian authorities.
The digital blackout has extended to prominent media and entertainment outlets. The social media accounts of leading English daily The News, Geo News segment The Situation Room anchored by Mubashir Hashmi, and even Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars have all been restricted within India.
Earlier, Indian authorities had already blocked access to popular Pakistani news channels like Geo News, comedy show Hansna Mana Hai, and sports channel Geo Super. The move was widely criticised for targeting content with significant viewership both within and outside India.
The purge hasn’t been limited to news and politics. Celebrated Pakistani actors Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir, as well as Olympic medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, have also had their social media content blocked in India.
Analysts view these actions as part of a broader effort by the Indian government to control the narrative and suppress Pakistani perspectives, especially after Pakistan released damning details and videos allegedly implicating Indian agencies in the Pahalgam operation.
