Did Hania Aamir urge PM Modi to target Pakistani army over Instagram ban?

The recent Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 innocent tourists has caused a big rise in tensions between India and Pakistan. To counter the attack, the Indian government has undertaken various steps, such as imposing limitations on digital content and Pakistani websites.

Pakistani celebrities' Instagram accounts not accessible

On Wednesday night, Indian users discovered that Instagram accounts of Pakistani celebrities such as Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Sajal Aly, and Iqra Aziz were inaccessible. A message on their pages read that the accounts were not accessible in India because of a request by local law enforcement.

Controversy over a screenshot

A screenshot of an Instagram story purportedly from a Pakistani celebrity fueled controversy on social media sites such as Reddit and X (previously Twitter). The story asserted that the ban on Pakistani entertainment in India had been caused by General Asim Munir's moves in Kashmir. The authenticity of the screenshot, however, was doubted by users, with most labeling it fake. 

Impact on Pakistani entertainment industry

The restrictions have severely affected the Pakistani entertainment sector. Several popular Pakistani TV serials in India are now held up from being streamed. Further, some Pakistani production house YouTube channels have also been blocked.

Selective restrictions

Interestingly, the Pakistani stars' accounts of some celebrities like Fawad Khan, Atif Aslam, Mawra Hocane, Farhan Saeed, and Fahad Mustafa were still available in India. This raised questions regarding the criteria for imposing the restrictions and whether they were aimed at individual people or entities.

Pakistani celebrities' Instagram accounts

The ban on Pakistani celebrities' Instagram accounts and the prohibition of Pakistani TV serials and YouTube channels are indicative of the heightening tensions between India and Pakistan. Although the actions of the Indian government can be viewed as a reaction to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the effects on Pakistani civilians and the entertainment industry are noteworthy.