DUBAI, July 3 (TNF): India appears to have begun quietly rolling back its digital restrictions on select Pakistani celebrities and entertainment platforms. Social media users across the country have reported that they can now access Instagram profiles and YouTube channels that were previously blocked amid heightened tensions between the two nations.
On Tuesday, many Indian users noted they could once again view the Instagram accounts of Pakistani stars such as Yumna Zaidi, Dananeer Mobeen, Ahad Raza Mir, Azaan Sami Khan, Mawra Hocane, Ameer Gilani, and Danish Taimoor. These profiles had been restricted after the Pahalgam attack in May, which New Delhi attributed to Pakistan — a claim Islamabad has consistently rejected.
Prominent Indian X user Sonam Mahajan highlighted the development, posting: “BREAKING: Instagram accounts of Pakistani artists Yumna Zaidi, Dananeer Mobeen, Ahad Raza Mir, Azaan Sami, Mawra Hocane, Ameer Gilani and Danish Taimoor, which were restricted in India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, are now accessible again.” She added that official YouTube channels of HUM TV, Har Pal Geo, and ARY Digital had also been unblocked.
Indian entertainment publication Filmfare later confirmed the unblocking, stating that these accounts and platforms were once again reachable in India without the use of VPNs. However, several notable Pakistani celebrity profiles, such as that of Hania Aamir — who stars alongside Diljit Dosanjh in Sardaar Ji 3 — remain inaccessible. Other major names, including Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, and Atif Aslam, also continue to be blocked on Indian platforms.
Indian authorities have not provided any official statement explaining the partial easing of restrictions. The move has drawn backlash on Indian social media, particularly from those supporting the continued blackout of Pakistani content. “It’s shameful that you have done this,” one user posted while tagging the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
Some expressed confusion over the government’s intentions, urging officials to clarify their position. One user quipped about Sardaar Ji 3‘s ban in India, writing: “Diljit be like — ‘When this is what you had to do, then why didn’t you let my film release in India?’”
The film has become a focal point of the cultural fallout following the Pahalgam attack, which led to military escalation, including Indian airstrikes on Pakistani territory. According to ISPR, those strikes killed 31 civilians and wounded 57 others, among them women and children. In response, several Pakistani celebrities, including Hania Aamir, condemned the strikes, with Aamir’s Instagram story calling them “cowardly” and “shameful” — remarks that fueled further anger in India and sparked calls to boycott the film.
While many in India criticized the quiet policy shift, some fans welcomed the access restoration and advocated for a wider cultural thaw. “Then what is the problem in releasing the Sardaar Ji 3 movie?” one commenter asked.
Whether this digital unblocking signals a broader softening of India’s stance on cultural exchanges remains unclear. For now, the online divide between the two countries seems to be shifting subtly, with no official word on what may come next.
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