NEW DELHI, April 28: India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, along with false and misleading narratives targeting India, its Army, and security agencies.
The decision was taken by the Government of India following recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs after the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir.
The banned YouTube channels include 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 HD, and Razi Naama.
According to an official statement, these channels were found to be spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order. Collectively, the banned channels had a cumulative viewership of over 6.3080 crore.
Officials noted that the banned channels were posting fake news on several sensitive topics, including the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. The content was aimed at creating panic, inciting communal disharmony, and disturbing public order within the country.
In a related move, the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Government of Pakistan was also withheld by India following the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 innocent civilians and injured several others.
Following the deadly attack, India launched a strong diplomatic offensive, summoning Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, and handing over a formal Persona Non Grata notice for all Pakistani military attaches.
These actions are part of a broader series of sweeping retaliatory steps taken by India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the assault a “cowardly attack on innocent civilians.”
The Pahalgam attack, orchestrated by the Pakistan-based terror outfit The Resistance Front, has significantly heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
In response, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Modi, announced several stringent measures. These include the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the closure of the Attari-Wagah border, the cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, the expulsion of Pakistan’s military attaches from New Delhi, and a reduction in diplomatic staff at both countries’ High Commissions.
