Instagram accounts of Fawad, Atif Aslam blocked in India

In the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India has taken a firm digital stance, blocking access to the Instagram accounts of several high-profile Pakistani celebrities. Among those affected are actor Fawad Khan and singers Atif Aslam and Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, whose accounts can no longer be viewed by users in India.
This action comes just a day after similar restrictions were imposed on Instagram profiles of

Hania Aamir

, Mahira Khan, and Ali Zafar, all major figures with widespread popularity among Indian audiences.
Account not available in India
Users attempting to visit these Instagram pages from within India are greeted with a message that reads: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." The platform further clarifies, “We reviewed it against our policies and conducted a legal and human rights assessment. After the review, we restricted access to the content in the location where it goes against local law.”

The move has impacted more than just a handful of stars. Other names now inaccessible on Instagram in India include Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas,

Sajal Aly

, Ayeza Khan, and Maya Ali, most of whom have acted in Pakistani shows and films widely consumed by Indian viewers on streaming platforms.

Bollywood project caught in the crossfire
The digital crackdown has also had repercussions in the entertainment industry. Abir Gulaal, a much-anticipated Indo-Pak collaboration featuring Fawad Khan and Bollywood actor Vaani Kapoor, is reportedly on hold. Sources told PTI that the film, originally scheduled for a May 9 theatrical release in India, has now been shelved indefinitely.