After the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, the Indian government blocked the Instagram accounts of several Pakistani cricketers, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi. Some actors like Hania Aamir and Ali Fazal were also affected.
Terror Attack in Pahalgam Triggers Digital Action
The attack, which happened on April 22 in Pahalgam, killed 26 people and injured many others. In response, the Indian government also blocked some YouTube channels and Instagram accounts linked to former Pakistan cricketers, saying it was done for national security and public safety.
Indian Government Blocks Pakistani Accounts Over Security Concerns
Instagram users in India can no longer access the profiles of Pakistani cricketers like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. A message says the accounts are “not available in India” due to a legal request. Instagram confirmed it restricted access after reviewing the request based on local laws and human rights policies.
Despite past controversial comments, Shahid Afridi’s Instagram account is still visible in India. Meanwhile, several Pakistani YouTube channels were also blocked for spreading content seen as false or sensitive toward India and its security forces. This includes the channels of Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Afridi.
https://t.co/3Dqg5Vrf5S pic.twitter.com/q9ckijGSoz
— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 2, 2025
Olympic javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram is also blocked in India.
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi are currently playing in the Pakistan Super League 2025. Babar plays for Peshawar Zalmi, and Rizwan for Multan Sultans. They were part of Pakistan’s squad during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
Babar Azam has scored over 4,200 runs in Tests and more than 6,200 in ODIs, but is not currently active in T20 internationals.
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