Instagram has limited access to the profiles of several Pakistani top celebrities in India, including cricket stars Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan, upon an Indian official’s legal request. The action has been taken against the backdrop of the tragic April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that resulted in 26 fatalities.
“Account Not Available in India”: Instagram Message Sparks Reaction
Indian users attempting to view the Instagram accounts of the three Pakistani cricketers—playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025—were greeted with the message, “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
The move is seen as part of an across-the-board clampdown on Pakistani social media profiles with a major Indian following. The government did this after the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was found to be connected with the Pahalgam massacre that resulted in 25 tourists and a local Kashmiri man being killed. Senior security officials asserted that LeT leader Hafiz Saeed and commander Farooq Ahmad had their hands involved in masterminding the attack.
Olympian Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram Also Blocked
Instagram had previously suspended the account of Arshad Nadeem, a gold medalist in the Paris Olympics. Nadeem had been invited by Indian javelin sensation Neeraj Chopra to compete in the NC Classic event on May 24 in Bengaluru, but turned it down because of training obligations for the Asian Athletics Championship.
Similarly, YouTube has suspended the accounts of Pakistani cricket stars such as Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, and Basit Ali in India. The authorities gave reasons like “spreading provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading information, and misinformation against India, its Army, and security agencies.”
Pakistani Artists Also Face Online Restrictions
Restricted accounts on Instagram include singer Atif Aslam and actor Fawad Khan as well. Their accounts now reflect the same notice of being compliant with the law. Aslam is famous for Bollywood numbers like Tu Jaane Na and Pehli Nazar Mein, while Khan has acted in Khoobsurat and Kapoor & Sons. His latest film, Abir Gulaal, is uncertain following the attack.
Pakistani actors Mahira Khan, Hania Amir, and Ali Zafar have also faced their Instagram accounts being blocked in India.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise Between India and Pakistan
The April 22 attack in Baisaran, referred to as ‘mini Switzerland’, resulted in the killings of 25 tourists—a Nepali citizen included—and one native. It was the deadliest terror attack in Kashmir since Pulwama in 2019. A naval officer and an IB personnel, among others, were among the killed.
After the massacre, India reduced diplomatic ties with Pakistan, canceled visas to Pakistani citizens, and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. In response, Islamabad threatened that diverting water would be considered an “Act of War.” The two countries have since shut down their airspace for each other.
