India bans PM Shehbaz Sharif, ISPR's YouTube channels

Days after multiple Pakistani YouTube channels were banned in India, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s channel has also been banned on the platform amid rising tension between the two countries after the 22 April attack in Pahalgam, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

According to the emails sent by YouTube to channel, the ban follows an “order from the government related to national security or public order. And the future uploads on these channels will also be blocked.”

The ban by the Narendra Modi-led government in India are being perceived as attempts to restrict the alternative narrative surrounding the Pahalgam attack.

The Indian government went nuts after PM Shehbaz Sharif’s speech at the Kakul.

Academy was posted on the YouTube channel. The platform remove the speech video after a complaint filed by the Indian government.

The Youtube administration said PM Shehbaz Sharif has been given the right to appeal.

Earlier, on the recommendation of its Ministry of Home Affairs, India reportedly banned 16 prominent YouTube channels, including Dawn News, Geo News, Samaa News, ARY News, Bol News, and Suno News.

Journalists Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and Muneeb Farooq’s channels were also blocked in India. The podcast The Pakistan Experience was among the channels that were also banned.

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs alleged that the above-mentioned YouTube channels were pushing “false narratives” against India, its army, and security agencies.

Indian media reported that the Instagram accounts of multiple influencers and Pakistani actresses, including Hania Aamir, Iqra Aziz, and Mahira Khan, are no longer accessible to users in India.

When users in India access the accounts, a message appears stating: “The account is not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content’s message.”

ISPR channel also banned

India has intensified its digital crackdown on Pakistani media outlets and blocked access to the YouTube channel of Pakistan Army’s media wing, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian government has reportedly urged platforms like YouTube, Instagram and X to ban all Pakistani handles from operating in India.

Visitors attempting to access the ISPR channel on YouTube are now greeted with a message stating: “This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.”

 
Reporter Awais Kiyani