Former Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali's YouTube channels were blocked in India after following an order from the government related to national security or public order after the Pahalgam terror attacks.
India's central government officially blocked 16 YouTube channels from Pakistan for allegedly disseminating “provocative and communally sensitive content”. Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali's channels were also seemingly affected by the order. Apart from their YouTube channels, Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama are the other Pakistani channels banned in India.
“This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order,” stated a YouTube message on logging into the channels.
“On the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India has banned Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir,” PTI quoted officials as saying.
The Pahalgam terror attack happened on April 22. At least 26 tourists were killed after terrorists opened fire on innocent civilians in Baisaran in Jammu and Kashmir, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen.
In response to this attack, the Indian government has taken several actions, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens.