On Wednesday evening, several prominent Pakistani artists, including Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, and Ali Zafar, found their Instagram accounts inaccessible in India. The move comes in the wake of a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, which the Indian government has attributed to Pakistani-backed militants.
This development further deepens cultural and diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours. Pakistani actors have remained absent from the Indian film industry since the 2016 Uri terror attack, which also originated from Pakistan.
Pahalgam Attack and Its Aftermath
The terror attack last Tuesday targeted tourists vacationing in Pahalgam, a scenic Himalayan valley in Kashmir. According to survivors, the assailants separated men from the group, questioned them about their religion, and executed them at close range. The attack claimed 26 lives—25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national.
Following the massacre, the Indian government imposed several punitive measures on Pakistan. These included suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting the Attari land border crossing, and downgrading diplomatic ties.
Artists’ Past Links and Responses
Mahira Khan, who starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees (2017), has not worked in Bollywood since the 2016 cross-border tensions. Hania Aamir, well known in India for her roles in Pakistani television dramas such as Mere Humsafar and Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum, responded to the tragedy with a message of solidarity.
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“My heart is with the innocent lives affected by the recent events. In pain, in grief, and in hope—we are one. When innocent lives are lost, the pain is not theirs alone—it belongs to all of us. No matter where we come from, grief speaks the same language. May we choose humanity, always,” she posted earlier.
Escalating Measures on Both Sides
The restriction on celebrity accounts follows the Indian government’s decision to block 16 Pakistani YouTube channels accused of disseminating provocative and communal content.
Pakistan, in retaliation, closed its airspace to Indian aircraft and suspended all bilateral trade, including indirect trade through third countries. The Pakistani government also dismissed India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that any attempt to block water flows would be interpreted as an “act of war.”
