Partial lifting of ban? Some Pakistani Instagram profiles unblocked in India
A few Instagram accounts belonging to Pakistani celebrities, previously restricted in India, are now visible in the region. This comes after a ban was imposed on the accounts after the events of the Pahalgam terror attack and the retaliatory Operation Sindoor.
The Instagram accounts of Shahid Afridi, Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi, Ahad Raza Mir, and Danish Taimoo are now visible in India. However, the accounts of Fawad Khan, Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam, and Babar Azam, remain blocked in the region. While it remains unclear why only a few accounts have been restored, netizens believe that only B-list celebrity's accounts are being allowed.
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According to reports, Pakistan-based YouTube channels are also available in the country. Additionally, while BCCI is yet to confirm participation, reports suggest that India will face off against Pakistan for the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates this September, fuelling social media debate.
The heightened efforts to keep Pakistan and Pakistani-based personalities at bay by the Indian government are evident. Right after the Pahalgam incident, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) announced a “blanket boycott” of Pakistani artists in light of the attack. Fawad Khan-starrer Abir Gulaal , a Bollywood film, was the first casualty of the boycott.
More recently, Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Sardaar Ji 3 faced backlash for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the film, after which Dosanjh and the producers made a conscious decision not to screen it in Indian theatres. Dosanjh had been facing additional heat as union bodies like FWICE and All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) pushed for a complete industry ban on the Punjabi.
ALSO READ | ‘Sardaar Ji 3’ row: FWICE seeks complete ban on all of Diljit Dosanjh’s future project
His upcoming role in Border 2 has courted controversy. FWICE sent a letter to the producers of Border 2—J.P. Films and T Series—calling their action a “blatant violation” of their directive to ban Dosanjh due to his “unpatriotic act of working with a Pakistani actress”.
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