Centre blocks Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif’s YouTube channel amid rising tensions

Shehbaz Sharif

The Centre on Friday blocked the official YouTube channel of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, citing national security concerns amid escalating tensions between the two countries.

"This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report," the blocked channel showed this message.

This move marks one of the most high-profile account restrictions by the Centre, following earlier bans on the digital accounts of Pakistani Finance Minister Khawaja Asif and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army.

The government’s crackdown extends beyond political figures, targeting Pakistani sportspersons, social media influencers, and media outlets as part of a broader effort to counter misinformation and hostile narratives.

These measures comes in the wake of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. In response, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed the blocking of several Pakistani-operated YouTube channels and social media profiles accused of spreading misleading content and undermining India’s sovereignty and public order.

Among the notable accounts now blocked are those of former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, journalist Arzoo Kazmi, and political commentator Syed Muzammil Shah. Instagram accounts of Olympian Arshad Nadeem and ex-cricketer Shahid Afridi, along with YouTube channels such as 'DuniyaMeryAagy', 'Ghulam Nabi Madni', 'HAQEEQAT TV', and 'HAQEEQAT TV 2.0', have also been restricted for Indian users.

On April 30, the Instagram profiles of popular Pakistani actresses Hania Aamir and Mahira Khan were similarly blocked in India.