India bans YouTube channels, social media accounts of these cricketers, list includes Shoaib Akhtar, Hasan Ali

After the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the worsening relations between India and Pakistan has been witnessing continues consequences with the two countries striking each other with diplomatic responses. This time, India has blocked social media accounts of famous current and former Pakistani cricketers and actors. These include Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Wasim Akram and Shaheen Afridi have been added to the list of social media accounts of Pakistani cricketers banned in India.  

List of banned Pakistani YouTube channels and social media accounts 

The Indian government has blocked the Instagram accounts of these influential cricketers. A day earlier, May 1, Thursday, Instagram also blocked the account of Pakistan’s javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem. The Indian government has also imposed restrictions on Pakistani YouTube channels as they received blocking orders following their distribution of material that consisted of provocative sectarian content and false military misinformation about India. On the recommendation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India on Monday banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels. 

The list of restricted accounts also includes Test captain Shan Masood, pacers Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah, batter Imam-ul-Haq, all rounder Shadab Khan and former stars Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi. Additionally, the account of Pakistan's former Prime Minister and cricket captain Imran Khan is also now inaccessible in India. 

The list of other banned YouTube channels from Pakistan included prominent names such as Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, BOL News, and Geo News, among others. 

Other YouTube channels are Irsha Bhatti, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, SAMAA Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Sirazi, Mujeeb Farooq, Suno Newz and Razi Naama. 

The government has also banned Instagram accounts of actors Hania amir, Mahira khan and Fawad khan. 

This news comes amid rising tensions with Pakistan in the backdrop of the tragic terror incident on April 22, where 26 people lost their lives near the Baisaran Meadow, a popular tourist destination in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir. 

This attack marks one of the deadliest in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack, which resulted in the deaths of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans. 

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)