Instagram crackdown: Are Fawad Khan, Atif Aslam, Ali Sethi's pages still visible to Indian users?

In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives—25 of them tourists—Instagram has restricted several high-profile Pakistani accounts for users in India. The move follows a wider clampdown by Indian authorities on digital platforms allegedly spreading anti-India narratives. Certain Instagram accounts owned by popular Pakistani celebrities have already been banned for Indian users.

Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan's Instagram accounts are now blocked to Indian users

Profiles of popular Pakistani actors like Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Sajal Aly, and Imran Abbas are not visible to Indian users. Their pages now display an ‘Account not available in India’ message on Instagram, which cites compliance with a ‘legal request’ as the reason for restriction.

Other blocked names include Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Momina Mustehsan, and Iqra Aziz. However, celebrities such as Fawad Khan, Mawra Hocane, Atif Aslam, Ali Sethi, Shae Gill, and Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan remain visible to Indian users, sparking questions about the criteria used to decide which accounts were targeted.

This blackout comes just two days after the Indian government banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news networks like Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News. The official justification cited ‘provocative content’ and ‘false, communally sensitive narratives’ as grounds for the action. The trigger for these actions appears to be the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, where armed militants ambushed tourists in the popular Baisaran meadow.

In response, India has initiated a series of tough measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari border crossing, and downgrading diplomatic ties. The social media bans appear to be part of this broader pushback, although the selective nature of the Instagram restrictions have led to some confusion among users.