The Indian government on Tuesday banned the X account of Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for spreading disinformation about Jammu and Kashmir and for supporting and sponsoring terrorism in India.
The move came days after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down. “This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order,” a message displayed on Asif’s X profile reads when accessed from India.
Earlier, the Indian government had blocked several Pakistani YouTube channels following the terror attack. Among those banned were the channels of former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali. Their channels were withheld after an “order from the government related to national security or public order.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended action against these platforms, stating that the Pakistani YouTube channels were “disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies.”
Other Pakistani media outlets and personalities whose channels have been blocked include Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News, and Razi Naama. All these channels have been withheld on YouTube in India.
Akhtar, a former fast bowler and popular cricket analyst, enjoyed a sizeable fanbase in India for his detailed and often humorous take on international cricket. Basit Ali, a former Pakistan coach, ran a similar channel offering cricket commentary and insights.
India has cracked down on foreign content deemed to be fueling misinformation or inciting tensions, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam killings that have sharply escalated India-Pakistan tensions.
