Ban lifted from Pakistani news and social media channels

Pakistani news channels and celebrity social media accounts, which were blocked in India during Operation Sindoor, have now become accessible again—suggesting that the restrictions have been reversed.

Several Instagram profiles of Pakistani actors, including Saba Qamar, Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, Hania Aamir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, are now visible to Indian users. Popular YouTube channels such as Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo are also streaming again in India. These platforms were earlier restricted following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, where 26 civilians were killed by terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley.

The ban was part of a broader set of measures taken by India, including Operation Sindoor—an airstrike campaign targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation was launched after diplomatic ties were downgraded and the Indus Water Treaty was suspended.

Government sources said that a review of the banned platforms had recently been carried out. Some accounts were reinstated after being inactive on anti-India narratives for a considerable time. However, the government has clarified that around 14,000 accounts are still under restriction, and such bans are not permanent—they are regularly reassessed.

Following the initial ban, many Indian users had turned to VPN services to access Pakistani content. One of the most talked-about figures during this phase was Hania Aamir, who recently gained attention for her role in the film Sardaar Ji 3 alongside Indian actor Diljit Dosanjh. The casting sparked debate due to her nationality, but the filmmakers explained that she had been finalised for the project before the tensions escalated.

The lifting of the ban comes just hours after the All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging a complete and permanent ban on Pakistani entertainment content and digital presence. The letter stressed the need to honour those killed in the Pahalgam attack and argued that cutting ties with Pakistan would not harm India's economy or entertainment sector.