Our Bureau
New Delhi
In another retaliatory move by the Indian government after the Pahalgam attack, the Instagram accounts of popular Pakistani artists, including actors Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir and Ali Zafar, have been blocked in India. The Centre has already banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading provocative and communally sensitive content.
The deadly terrorist attack in the picturesque town of Jammu & Kashmir on April 22 left 26 dead and many injured. Thereafter, the Indian government announced a slew of punitive measures against its neighbouring state including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the Attari border and downgrading of diplomatic ties.
Hania Aamir, who has a considerable fan following in India, enjoys over a million subscribers on YouTube and more than 18 million followers on Instagram. Her Pakistani dramas “Mere Humsafar” and “Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum” are a hit with the Indian audiences too.
The actress had also taken to her social media handles to express the pain and anguish after the tragedy on April 22. She wrote, “”My heart is with the innocent lives affected by the recent events. In pain, in grief, and in hope-we are one. When innocent lives are lost, the pain is not theirs alone-it belongs to all of us. No matter where we come from, grief speaks the same language. May we choose humanity, always.”
Mahira Khan, debuted in Bollywood opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 film ‘Raees’, while singer-actor Ali Zafar has done a host of Bollywood projects in the past including ‘Dear Zindagi’ and ‘Mere brother ki Dulhan’. On the other hand, Instagram profiles of Pakistani celebrities Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam remained accessible to users in India. Fawad Khan was slated to make his Bollywood return with the film ‘Abir Gulaal’, but its release in India has now been cancelled.
Pakistan has also responded to the retaliation by shutting its airspace to Indian airliners followed by the suspension of all trade with India, including through third countries. Pakistan has vehemently criticised India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and said any move to stop the flow of water will be seen as an “act of war”.
