India Blocks YouTube Channels of Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali After Pahalgam Terror Attack

Vivek Kumar 29 April 2025 राष्ट्रीय समाचार
16 Pakistani YouTube channels banned on Monday, their content has also become inaccessible within India.
16 Pakistani YouTube channels banned on Monday, their content has also become inaccessible within India.

New Delhi – The Indian government has blocked access to the YouTube channels of former Pakistani cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali, citing national security concerns following last week’s terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

While Akhtar and Ali’s channels were not named in the official list of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels banned on Monday, their content has also become inaccessible within India. Visitors to their channels are met with a message from YouTube stating that the content is “unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.”

The move comes in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack in a meadow near the tourist town of Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives — including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. In the wake of the tragedy, the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended the bans to curb the spread of what it called “provocative and communally sensitive content” online.

The official list includes well-known Pakistani news and commentary channels such as Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, BOL News, Geo News, and others. The government alleged these platforms were disseminating “false and misleading narratives” against India, its Army, and its security forces.

“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,” officials told PTI.

Shoaib Akhtar, known for his candid cricket commentary and popularity among Indian fans, has not publicly commented on the restriction so far. Basit Ali, a former Pakistan coach, similarly produces cricket-related content and commentary.

This digital crackdown is part of a broader set of diplomatic and security measures India has taken in response to the Pahalgam incident. Other actions include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and revoking visas previously granted to Pakistani nationals.