India has blocked 17 Pakistani YouTube channels after their coverage of the Pahalgam attack, sparking a major controversy between the two nations.
The decision came after these channels reported on the incident and pointed out inconsistencies in the Indian government’s narrative, prompting allegations from Indian authorities that the channels were spreading “misleading and provocative content.”
Among the banned channels are some of Pakistan’s leading news outlets and independent journalist platforms, including Geo News with 18.1 million subscribers, ARY News with 14.6 million, Samaa TV with 12.7 million, and Bol News with 7.85 million. Other restricted accounts include Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel, GNN, Dawn News TV, Suno News HD, and prominent journalists like Irshad Bhatti, Muneeb Farooq, and Asma Shirazi. In total, the banned channels collectively commanded a subscriber base exceeding 66 million.
Indian authorities claimed the banned platforms were disseminating misleading information targeting the Indian government and military, although no detailed examples were publicly provided. The action follows a deadly attack on April 22 at a tourist site in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where 26 individuals were killed. India accused Pakistan-linked elements without offering substantive evidence, a charge Islamabad has categorically denied.
Tensions escalated further when India’s Cabinet Committee on Security, on April 23, approved sweeping actions including the closure of the Wagah-Attari land crossing, advising Indian nationals against travel to Pakistan, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. In response, Pakistan’s National Security Committee warned that any attempts by India to block Pakistan’s water flow would be treated as an act of war. Diplomatic relations deteriorated sharply, culminating in the vandalism of Pakistan’s High Commission in London during protests on April 26, an incident Islamabad has blamed on Indian-backed elements.
List of Pakistani YouTube Channels Banned by India:
- Geo News — 18.1 million subscribers
- ARY News — 14.6 million subscribers
- Samaa TV — 12.7 million subscribers
- Bol News — 7.85 million subscribers
- ShoaibAkhtar100mph — 3.81 million subscribers
- GNN — 3.54 million subscribers
- Dawn News TV — 1.96 million subscribers
- Suno News HD — 1.36 million subscribers
- Irshad Bhatti — 829k subscribers
- Raftar — 805k subscribers
- Muneeb Farooq — 165k subscribers
- Asma Shirazi — 133k subscribers
- Umar Cheema Exclusive — 125k subscribers
- Pakistan Reference — 288k subscribers
- Uzair Cricket — 288k subscribers
- Razi Nama — 270k subscribers
- Samaa Sports — 73.5k subscribers
Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Pahalgam Attack and It’s Repercussion in Pakistan and India
