Indian government lifts ban on several Pakistani YouTube channels

July 2, 2025 by News Desk

The Indian government has lifted its ban on several Pakistani YouTube entertainment channels that were blocked earlier this year.

In late April 2025, the Indian government imposed a ban on Pakistani YouTube channels following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu Kashmir, that left 26 people dead.

The crackdown was part of what officials described as a national security measure aimed at preventing the spread of misinformation and provocative narratives originating from across the border.

The ban included major Pakistani news outlets such as Dawn News, Geo News, ARY News, Samaa TV, GNN, and Suno News HD. Several entertainment channels and personal accounts of Pakistani celebrities and influencers were also blocked. Among the most notable names affected were former cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali, whose YouTube channels with millions of followers were made inaccessible to Indian users.

However, in a quiet reversal of that decision, the Indian government has now lifted the ban on several Pakistani entertainment channels.

Platforms such as ARY Digital, Hum TV, Har Pal Geo, Green TV Entertainment, and ARY Digital HD are once again accessible in India.

The unblocking has also extended to the Instagram accounts of several Pakistani actors. Indian users can now access the profiles of Yumna Zaidi, Ahad Raza Mir, Mawra Hocane, Danish Taimoor, Ameer Gilani, and Azaan Sami Khan.

The Indian government has not issued a public explanation for the selective unblocking.