India blocks Arshad Nadeem's Instagram account

India has reportedly blocked access to the Instagram account of Pakistani Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, accusing him of violating local laws, in what is being seen as part of a broader crackdown on Pakistani influencers with a significant Indian following.

According to reports, Instagram cited a "legal request" as the reason behind restricting access to Arshad Nadeem's official account, @arshadnadeem29, within India. When accessed from India, the profile displays a message stating that the account has been restricted due to a legal demand.

In its explanation, Instagram mentioned, "We reviewed this content in light of our policies and human rights standards. Access to the content was restricted in India under local laws where it was deemed unlawful."

Interestingly, Nadeem's account on X (formerly Twitter) remains accessible in India.

The move comes shortly after a deadly terror attack in the Pahalgam region of Iegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir on April 22 resulted in 26 tourists losing their lives. Following the incident, the Indian government reportedly began blocking several Pakistani social media accounts under flimsy national security grounds—especially those with a considerable Indian audience.

Before Arshad Nadeem, former cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Basit Ali also saw their YouTube channels blocked in India.

Arshad Nadeem made headlines after defeating India's Neeraj Chopra at the Paris Olympics with a remarkable throw of 92.97 meters, winning the gold medal. His performance earned him massive appreciation across the globe and a surge in social media popularity.