New Delhi, April 28 – The Indian government has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels accused of broadcasting provocative, communally sensitive content, along with false and misleading information targeting India, its army, and security agencies. Officials announced the action on Monday, stating that the move was taken following recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists.
As per agency report, the government also sent a formal letter to the BBC, objecting to its description of the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack as "extremists" in its reporting.
Officials explained that the decision to block the YouTube channels was made to counter the spread of inflammatory narratives and disinformation following the tragic incident. The banned channels include prominent Pakistani media outlets and individual commentators such as "Dawn News," "Irshad Bhatti," "Samaa TV," "ARY News," "Bol News," "Raftaar," "The Pakistan Reference," "Geo News," "Samaa Sports," "GNN," "Uzair Cricket," "Umar Cheema Exclusive," "Asma Shirazi," "Muneeb Farooq," "Suno News," and "Razi Nama."
The government’s action underscores its intent to curb the dissemination of misleading narratives that could inflame public sentiment during a sensitive time, while also reinforcing the need for accurate and responsible reporting by international media.
