How were Indians able to access Pakistani artists' accounts?
What's the story
The Indian government has once again restricted the social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, including actors Mawra Hocane and Yumna Zaidi. The move comes two days after these accounts were briefly accessible to Indian users. According to Hindustan Times, this became possible due to a technical glitch. The initial ban was imposed in May following a terror attack in Pahalgam and India's subsequent military response, Operation Sindoor.
Details
Ban on these accounts appeared to be lifted on Tuesday
On Tuesday, Indian users discovered that several previously blocked accounts, including those of popular actors like Hocane, Zaidi, Ahad Raza Mir, and Danish Taimoor, were visible again. This sparked speculation that the ban might be lifted gradually. However, by Thursday morning, these accounts were once again geo-restricted. Users attempting to access them received a standard notification: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content."
Backlash
Incident 'insult' to families of terror attack victims: AICWA
The brief access to these accounts drew strong criticism from the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA), which has been demanding a cultural and digital boycott of Pakistan. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the group called the incident an "insult" to families of terror attack victims and reiterated its demand for a permanent ban on collaborations with Pakistani artists and media entities.
Demands
AICWA's letter to PM Modi
AICWA cited previous terror attacks, including those in Pulwama, Uri, Pahalgam, and the 2008 Mumbai attacks, to label Pakistan a "terrorist nation." The association has demanded a complete severing of cultural ties with the neighboring country. Meanwhile, even during the temporary visibility, accounts of big Pakistani artists such as Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan remained inaccessible.