Daijiworld Media Network - News Delhi
New Delhi, Apr 28: In a strong move following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has blocked 16 YouTube channels operated from Pakistan for spreading disinformation and provocative content targeting the Indian Army, security agencies, and national interests.
The action, based on recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, was prompted by the channels’ role in amplifying false and communally sensitive narratives intended to create panic, fuel disharmony, and undermine public order.
The banned channels include major Pakistani networks such as Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, BOL News, Geo News, and others including Irshad Bhatti, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News HD, and Razi Naama. Together, these channels had amassed more than 63 million cumulative views.
An official statement noted that these platforms were engaged in deliberate misinformation campaigns relating to the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign policy, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam tragedy that claimed 26 civilian lives.
In a related development, India's government has also restricted access to the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Pakistan government, further tightening information control in response to the terror strike.
Following the attack, India summoned Pakistan’s senior diplomat in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, and issued a formal Persona Non Grata note to Pakistani military attaches. The diplomatic fallout has escalated sharply, with India undertaking a series of retaliatory measures under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Modi, announced sweeping steps, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari-Wagah border, cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani citizens, expulsion of Pakistani military attaches from New Delhi, and a reduction in diplomatic personnel in both countries' High Commissions.
The terror attack in Pahalgam, reportedly orchestrated by Pakistan-based outfit The Resistance Front, has significantly heightened tensions between the two neighbours, with India vowing firm action to ensure national security and public safety.