New Delhi (TDI): Just a day after social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities briefly became visible in India, access was once again blocked by Thursday morning. Indian officials have blamed a “technical glitch” for the temporary unblocking, adding to the confusion around the country’s ongoing digital restrictions on Pakistani content.
Fans who tried to visit the profiles of well-known Pakistani stars like Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, and Saba Qamar on Instagram and X were once again greeted with a familiar message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
According to Indian media, government officials confirmed that the glitch was unintentional. “If you saw some accounts yesterday, that was temporary. A technical error allowed access, but it’s been fixed,” the officials said.
Read More: Instagram Blocks Accounts of Several Pakistani Celebrities From Indian Viewership
The mix-up caused a stir online, particularly after users noticed on July 2 that not just celebrity profiles, but even major entertainment channels like HUM TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo were briefly accessible on YouTube.
For many, the sudden visibility of blocked accounts looked like a quiet policy shift, possibly even a rollback of the restrictions imposed following the Pahalgam attack earlier this year, which India blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad has consistently denied any involvement.
Read More: Pakistan vs India: Hard Times Make Hardy Hearts
Soon after, dozens of Pakistani entertainment accounts and platforms were blocked across Indian digital space, a move seen by many as an extension of the political fallout.
The brief reappearance of these accounts and their just-as-quick disappearance has reignited conversations about digital censorship and the fine line between national security and cultural silencing.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
