Pakistani social media accounts re-blocked in India after brief 'Technical glitch' unblocking

New Delhi: Social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities and media outlets were blocked again in India on Thursday, just a day after a "technical glitch" briefly made them accessible to Indian users. 

The accounts, including those of prominent Pakistani actors like Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Mawra Hocane, and former cricketer Shahid Afridi, became inaccessible again on platforms like Instagram and Twitter by Thursday morning.

A pop-up message on Instagram now reads, “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” 

YouTube channels of Pakistani entertainment outlets such as Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo, which had also briefly reappeared, remain accessible in some cases, while news channels like Dawn News and Geo News continue to be blocked.

The brief unblocking on July 2 sparked widespread speculation that India might be softening its stance on Pakistani content, banned since the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. 

In response, India imposed restrictions on Pakistani social media accounts and 16 YouTube channels, citing national security concerns and the spread of "communally sensitive content and misinformation.

As per news reports, government sources clarified that the brief accessibility was due to a "technical glitch" and not a policy change. “If you can see some accounts either on X, YouTube, or Meta, they will be inaccessible in a few hours. Some technical glitch led to the unblocking. 

The reappearance of accounts triggered significant backlash, particularly from the AICWA, which urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to enforce a "complete digital blackout" of Pakistani content. 

The controversy also touched the entertainment industry. Hania Aamir, who stars in the recently released Sardaar Ji 3 alongside Diljit Dosanjh, faced backlash for her casting, with some Indian groups accusing Dosanjh of treason. The film was released overseas instead of in India due to the tensions.