By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: India banned more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels on Monday, accusing them of spreading “provocative” content, following a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir last week.
The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the decision to block the channels, which include prominent Pakistani news outlets such as Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, and former cricket star Shoaib Akhtar’s channel, followed recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The platforms were restricted under India’s information technology laws, with users accessing the channels met with a notice citing an “order from the government related to national security or public order.”
Authorities alleged the banned accounts disseminated “communally sensitive” material designed to destabilize India’s social fabric. The move comes amid heightened tensions after gunmen killed 26 people in an attack in occupied Kashmir last week. The assault marked the deadliest violence against civilians in the region in 25 years.
Indian officials have repeatedly implied, without providing evidence, that the attackers had cross-border links — a reference to suspected ties to Pakistan. Islamabad has categorically denied involvement, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calling for an impartial investigation.
Social media platforms in India, particularly X (formerly Twitter), have seen a surge in anti-Pakistan sentiment since the attack, with hashtags such as #WarWithPakistan and #FinishPakistan trending.
On April 24, India also blocked the official X account of the Pakistani government, according to local media reports.
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