India bans Shehbaz Sharif, Imran Khan's YouTube channels

Days after multiple Pakistani YouTube channels were banned in India, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, and Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif’s channels have also been banned on the platform amid rising tension between the two countries after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir.

According to the emails sent by YouTube to the two channels, the ban follows an “order from the government related to national security or public order. And the future uploads on these channels will also be blocked.”

Tensions between the two countries remain high, as India, without offering any concrete evidence, continues to imply cross-border linkages of the attackers, while Pakistan has firmly denied any involvement. PM Shehbaz Sharif has called for a neutral investigation into the incident.

The bans by the Narendra Modi-led government in India are being perceived as attempts to restrict the alternative narrative surrounding the Pahalgam attack.

Earlier, on the recommendation of its Ministry of Home Affairs, India reportedly banned 16 prominent YouTube channels, including Dawn News, Geo News, Samaa News, ARY News, Bol News, and Suno News.

Journalists Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and Muneeb Farooq’s channels were also blocked in India. The podcast The Pakistan Experience was among the channels that were also banned

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The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs alleged that the above-mentioned YouTube channels were pushing “false narratives” against India, its army, and security agencies.

Indian media reported that the Instagram accounts of multiple influencers and Pakistani actresses, including Hania Aamir, Iqra Aziz, and Mahira Khan, are no longer accessible to users in India.

When users in India access the accounts, a message appears stating: “The account is not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content’s message.”