India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels following the April 22nd Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir, which killed 26 people. The ban, implemented on the recommendation of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, targets prominent news outlets and individual creators.
Among the channels affected are major Pakistani news networks such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, Geo News, Bol News, and Raftar.
Several prominent journalists, including Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and Muneeb Farooq, also saw their channels blocked. Even the channel of renowned former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar was included in the ban.
The full list of banned channels includes: Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, Samaa TV, ARY News, BOL News, Raftar, The Pakistan Experience, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News, Razi Naama.
The Indian government alleges that these channels disseminated “false narratives” against India, its army, and security agencies, spreading “provocative, communally sensitive” content intended to incite tensions. No official statement has yet been released from Pakistan regarding the ban.
The ban comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack. India has implied cross-border links to the attackers, a claim strongly denied by Pakistan, which has called for a neutral investigation. The ban on the YouTube channels follows India’s earlier blocking of the Pakistani government’s X account.
