India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels

In the wake of the recent in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the tragic loss of 26 lives, the Indian government has banned in a bid to curb the spread of provocative and misleading content online.

The ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) on Monday, 28 April, ordered the blocking of these channels — including the personal channel of former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, which boasted over 3.5 million subscribers at the time.

Government sources claim these channels were found to be disseminating content that was:

• provocative and communally sensitive, aiming to incite discord among various religious communities;

• spreading false narratives targeting India, its Army and its security agencies; and

• publishing unverified information that could potentially disturb public order and affect national security.

Among the blocked channels are several prominent Pakistani news outlets and personalities, including:

Shoaib Akhtar: former Pakistani cricketer with a significant YouTube following;

Arzoo Kazmi: a journalist known for her commentary on India-Pakistan relations; and

Syed Muzammil Shah: a media personality with a substantial online presence.

The news and current affairs channels being blacked out include Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, BOL News, Raftar, The Pakistan Experience, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket and Suno News HD. Channels run by individuals include Umar Cheema Exclusive, Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq and Razi Naama.

These channels were allegedly disseminating disinformation related to India's national security, foreign relations and public order.

Together, these YouTube channels had a cumulative viewership of over 6.3080 crore. They were spreading false and unverified information aimed at creating panic, inciting communal disharmony and disturbing public order within India, claimed an official statement.

The banned channels were posting fake news on various subjects, it alleged, such as the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir and India's foreign relations vis-a-vis the Pahalgam terror attack.

In a related move, the official X handle of the Government of Pakistan had also been withheld by India following the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 innocent civilians and injured several others.

Following the deadly attack, India launched a strong diplomatic offensive, summoning Pakistan's top diplomat in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, and handing over a formal ‘persona non grata’ note for all Pakistani military attaches.

The moves are part of a series of sweeping retaliatory actions by India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the assault a "cowardly attack on innocent civilians".

The attack, for which the Pakistan-based terror outfit The Resistance Front claimed responsibility, has triggered a sharp escalation in tensions between the two countries.

In response to the attack, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Modi, announced several stringent measures.

These include the suspension of the , closure of the Attari–Wagah border, cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals and expulsion of Pakistan's military attaches from New Delhi. A reduction in diplomatic staff has been reported at both High Commissions.

Meanwhile, the BBC is facing significant criticism in India over its coverage of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian government has formally conveyed its objections by sending a letter to Jackie Martin, head of BBC’s India operations, emphasising the strong sentiments prevailing across the country regarding the incident, the reported.

The primary concern raised by the government pertains to the BBC's terminology in its reporting. Specifically, the BBC referred to the incident as a "militant attack" rather than labeling it as a "terrorist attack."

Additionally, the headline "Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack on tourists" was perceived by Indian authorities as biased, suggesting an equivalence between the actions of the terrorists and India's response.

In response to the criticism, the BBC has stated that it stands by its journalism and refutes any claims of misrepresentation. The organisation emphasises its commitment to impartial reporting and has not issued any retractions or apologies concerning its coverage of the Pahalgam attack.

Beyond the BBC, other international media outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, have also faced criticism for their coverage of the Pahalgam attack. Critics argue that these outlets have downplayed the severity of the incident by using terms like "gunmen" instead of "terrorists," thereby minimizing the gravity of the attack.

The Hindu American Foundation and the US House Foreign Affairs Committee have also expressed concerns over such terminology, emphasising the need to accurately label acts of terrorism.

With IANS inputs