India has quietly lifted the digital ban on several Pakistani celebrities and entertainment platforms — a restriction that was imposed following the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where at least 26 civilians were killed.
The incident led to a sharp escalation in tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals, India and Pakistan.
Some online users have reported that they are once again able to access previously blocked social media accounts, including Instagram profiles and YouTube channels.
Among the now-accessible accounts are those of popular Pakistani celebrities such as Yumna Zaidi, Dananeer Mobeen, Ahad Raza Mir, Azaan Sami Khan, Mawra Hocane, Ameer Gilani and Danish Taimoor.
Indian users on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted the development, noting that the YouTube accounts of three major Pakistani entertainment channels have also been restored.
However, several prominent celebrities' accounts remain inaccessible in India — including those of Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam.
The Indian government has not issued any official statement clarifying whether the unblocking was intentional or simply the result of an algorithmic glitch on platforms like Instagram.
Some Indian fans expressed surprise at the selective restoration of accounts, questioning why the ban was lifted for certain celebrities while others remain restricted. A few users speculated that the unblocking applied only to "B-list" celebrities, reducing its overall significance.
The original restrictions were imposed after Pakistan strongly condemned Indian airstrikes on May 7, which targeted six locations across Pakistan — reportedly civilian areas, including mosques — and caused damage to nearby residential zones.
The targeted locations included Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, and Muzaffarabad.
Pakistani celebrities such as Fahad Mustafa, Hina Altaf, Hina Khawaja Bayat, Minal Khan and Ushna Shah publicly condemned the attacks, calling out the civilian casualties and damage.
Following the 22 April Pahalgam incident — in which gunfire targeted both soldiers and tourists in IIOJK — India imposed a sweeping digital ban on Pakistani YouTube channels, as well as social media accounts of several public figures, citing national security concerns.
Tensions further escalated in May, when the Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian fighter jets in fitting response to missile strikes.
This geopolitical conflict also disrupted the release of "Abir Gulaal", a film starring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor, while posters of Mahira Khan and Mawra Hocane were removed from major Indian streaming platforms.
Several Indian media outlets have reported on the partial lifting of the ban and confirmed restored access to certain Pakistani YouTube channels and celebrity Instagram accounts.
India has also removed restrictions on Pakistani drama and entertainment content available on YouTube, allowing Indian audiences to view them once again.
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