In the aftermath of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025-which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians-India has taken significant digital and diplomatic measures aimed at curbing what it describes as anti-India propaganda and misinformation originating from Pakistan. As part of these actions, the Indian government ordered the blocking of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official YouTube channel for users in India.

When attempting to access the channel, Indian users are now met with a message stating that the content is unavailable due to a government order related to national security or public order, referencing the Google Transparency Report for further details.

This move is part of a broader crackdown that followed the Pahalgam attack, which has been described as one of the deadliest incidents in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, acting on recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, has invoked emergency powers under the Information Technology Act to block not only the Pakistani Prime Minister’s channel but also a wide array of other Pakistani digital platforms. This includes the banning of 16 prominent Pakistani YouTube channels, among them major news outlets such as Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, BOL News, and Geo News, as well as channels run by individual journalists and former cricketers like Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi.

The rationale provided by Indian authorities is that these channels and accounts were disseminating provocative, communally sensitive content, and misinformation targeting India, its security forces, and its sovereignty. The government asserts that the content posed a threat to national security and public order, particularly in the sensitive context following the Pahalgam attack.

In addition to YouTube, the crackdown extended to other social media platforms. The Instagram accounts of several high-profile Pakistani celebrities, including cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik, and Shoaib Akhtar, as well as entertainers like Atif Aslam, Fawad Khan, Hania Aamir, and Mahira Khan, have also been withheld in India. These actions are part of a coordinated effort to prevent the spread of what the Indian government characterizes as harmful narratives and to maintain public harmony amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

The digital bans are accompanied by other diplomatic measures, including the downgrading of diplomatic ties, expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, and closure of the Attari land-transit post. These steps reflect a significant escalation in India’s response to the terror attack and the perceived role of cross-border influences in fomenting unrest.

These actions underscore the Indian government’s strategy of leveraging digital regulation and diplomatic pressure to counteract what it views as coordinated misinformation campaigns and to reinforce national security in the wake of the Pahalgam tragedy.

ANI