In a significant move following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, the Government of India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative, communally sensitive, and misleading content targeting India, its Army, and security agencies.

This action, recommended by the Ministry of Home Affairs, comes in the wake of the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in an incident attributed to cross-border terrorism.

The banned channels include some of Pakistan’s most prominent news outlets and individual commentators, such as Dawn News, Geo News, ARY News, Samaa TV, Bol News, Suno News, and GNN, as well as channels run by journalists like Muneeb Farooq, Umar Cheema, Asma Shirazi, and Irshad Bhatti.

Other affected channels include Uzair Cricket, The Pakistan Reference, Razi Naama, Samaa Sports, and Raftar. Collectively, these channels have a subscriber base exceeding 63 million.

The Indian government stated that these channels were engaged in spreading inflammatory narratives, misinformation, and anti-India propaganda, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. The ban is part of a broader strategy to counter the dissemination of harmful content that could undermine national security and social harmony.

In parallel, India has also taken diplomatic steps, including formally objecting to the BBC’s coverage of the Pahalgam attack, criticizing the broadcaster for referring to terrorists as “militants,” and announcing that BBC’s reporting will be closely monitored going forward.

These measures are part of a series of stern actions by the Indian government after the Pahalgam tragedy, which also include suspending the Indus Water Treaty, downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan, expelling Pakistani military attaches, and closing the Attari land-transit post.

The heightened tensions have also seen ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, with reports of unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side and retaliatory action by the Indian Army.

Additionally, Indian authorities have launched an investigation into alleged fraudulent activities at Lucknow’s Aadhaar Seva Kendra, which is suspected of generating fake IDs for Pakistani nationals whose visas were revoked following the attack.

The ban on these Pakistani YouTube channels underscores India’s intent to combat cross-border misinformation campaigns and safeguard national security in the aftermath of one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent years.

Agencies