‘Technical Glitch’
Just a day after social media users in India noticed the sudden reappearance of previously banned Pakistani celebrity accounts on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), the Indian government has reinstated the restrictions. The brief accessibility of these accounts was explained by Indian officials as the result of a “technical glitch,” not a deliberate policy shift, sparking widespread confusion and speculation online.
By Thursday morning, users attempting to view the Instagram and X profiles of popular Pakistani celebrities such as Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, and Saba Qamar were once again met with a familiar notice: “Account not available in India.
This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” According to India Today, this re-blocking was carried out as the authorities moved quickly to address what they described as an unintentional lapse in enforcement.
An unnamed Indian government source confirmed to the outlet, “If you can see some accounts on X, YouTube, and Meta, they will be inaccessible in a few hours. Some technical glitch led to the unblocking. Rectified now.”
The brief restoration of access caused quite a stir across Indian social media platforms, particularly on July 2, when users realized that not only were celebrity accounts visible again, but so were the YouTube channels of major Pakistani entertainment networks like HUM TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo. For many, this suggested a potential softening of the digital blockade that had been in place for several months.
The origins of these restrictions can be traced back to the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the deadly attack in Pahalgam in May, which India blamed on Pakistan — an allegation Islamabad has categorically denied. In the immediate aftermath, a wave of Indian airstrikes targeted Pakistani territory, prompting an outcry in both countries.
During that period of heightened hostilities, Pakistani artists including Hania Aamir and Mawra Hocane had publicly condemned the military aggression. Soon after, India imposed a digital blackout targeting Pakistani celebrities and content platforms, effectively censoring them from reaching Indian audiences.
Given that backdrop, the sudden and unexplained access to these banned platforms had initially been interpreted by many as a quiet rollback or at least a reconsideration of the censorship policy. But the swift reimposition of the bans confirmed that the Indian government remains firm in its restrictions, further fueling public debates over digital censorship, national security, and freedom of expression.
Critics on social media were quick to point out the irony of the situation, with many questioning the justification behind blocking artistic and entertainment content, especially in an era of global digital connectivity.
Others viewed the back-and-forth as a clear indication of politically motivated censorship tied to the broader India–Pakistan geopolitical rivalry. As of now, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has not issued an official statement explaining the broader policy or the future course of action regarding Pakistani content on Indian platforms.
