In the wake of escalating tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has blocked the X (formerly Twitter) accounts of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
A notification on Bilawal Bhutto’s profile states that his account “@BBhuttoZardari has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand,” with a link to X’s compliance policy.
The move comes as part of a broader crackdown by the Indian government, which has also restricted social media accounts of several prominent Pakistani figures. These include popular singer Atif Aslam, cricketers Shahid Afridi and Babar Azam, and actor Fawad Khan.
Instagram accounts belonging to actresses Hania Aamir and Mahira Khan, as well as entertainers Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Momina Mustehsan, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly, have also reportedly been blocked in India.
These restrictions follow the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s earlier decision to ban 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including leading news platforms such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News. The ministry cited concerns over the spread of “provocative, communally sensitive content” and misinformation as grounds for the action.
The ongoing digital clampdown reflects worsening bilateral relations as both sides continue to trade accusations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
