Pakistani actor Arslan Naseer known for his scriptwriting contributions to the animated series Burka Avenger and for his acting roles in Pakistani television has stirred a social media frenzy after appearing to pin the blame on fellow actor Fawad Khan for the sudden restriction of numerous Pakistani celebrity Instagram accounts in India.
The situation has generated discussion on both sides of the border.
The problem was discovered when Indian users complained that they were unable to access the profiles of several well-known Pakistani figures, such as Momina Mustehsan, Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly.
In a characteristically tongue-in-cheek post, Arslan jabbed at Fawad Khan, writing: “Fawad Bhai film aap ne ki… masla border pe shuru ho gaya… ban mai ho gaya. Mind na karna lekin aap woh ‘Ice Age’ wali gilehri hain…” — a humorous comparison to Scrat, the hapless squirrel from the Ice Age films, suggesting Fawad’s recent Bollywood project may have indirectly triggered the fallout.
When attempting to view the blocked profiles, users are met with the standard platform message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Although it's unclear if Arslan Naseer's own social media accounts have been subject to similar limitations, the actor expressed his annoyance on both Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), which were still accessible from India at the time of writing.
The comment appears to reference Abir Gulaal, Fawad Khan's latest film alongside Vaani Kapoor, marking another cross-border collaboration amid an increasingly sensitive political climate.
This controversy comes in the wake of the tragic Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, in which armed militants ambushed tourists in the Baisaran valley, resulting in 26 deaths, 25 of whom were civilians. In the aftermath, bilateral tensions have intensified, seemingly impacting the cultural and digital exchange between the two nations once again.
As debate rages online, Arsalan’s comments have added a layer of intrigue — and humour — to an otherwise serious issue involving censorship, cross-border relations, and freedom of digital presence.
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