India Reinstates Limited Access to Banned Pakistani Celebrity
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI – July 4, 2025:
Amid rising cross-border tensions, India has reinstated temporary access to a small number of previously banned Pakistani social media accounts. The development comes after public backlash over the blocking of several prominent Pakistani celebrities who criticised a recent Indian airstrike that hit civilian homes and mosques in Pahalgam.
Among those affected were actors Fahad Mustafa, Hina Altaf, and Ushna Shah, whose critical posts garnered significant attention online.
According to India Today, sources within India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that the reinstatement was a technical error, which has now been corrected. The ministry has not released an official public statement on the matter.
“Approximately 14,000 accounts remain blocked under India’s digital regulations and national security laws,” officials stated. These accounts will reportedly be reviewed periodically to assess compliance.
Hania Aamir Faces Scrutiny Over Film Casting
The controversy has also reignited criticism of Pakistani actress Hania Aamir, who stars opposite Diljit Dosanjh in the upcoming Bollywood film Sardaar Ji 3. Indian media outlets have questioned her casting in light of the ongoing diplomatic strain.
In response, the film’s producers clarified that Hania Aamir was signed well before the conflict escalated earlier this year.
Speaking to BBC Asian Network, Dosanjh addressed the backlash:
“When this film was being made, the [political] situation was fine. We shot this film in February. But a lot of big things are not in our hands,” he told host Haroon Rashid.
