Several Instagram profiles of prominent Pakistani television and film personalities, including Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, are now again visible and accessible to Indian users. The Instagram accounts of Pakistan actors in India were banned after the unfortunate Pahalgam attack on April 22, which led to the death of at least 26 civilians.
However, not all Pakistani celebrities’ accounts have been unblocked. Instagram handles of stars such as Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, and singer Atif Aslam are still inaccessible, continuing the tensions between the two countries.
What happened?
The social media accounts of Pakistani artists were restricted after the tragic Pahalgam terror incident on April 22. The attack, which specifically targeted Hindu tourists, was later claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terror outfit designated as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations. This also led to a digital fallout between the two countries, which included not just the Instagram accounts of Pakistan stars, but also an unofficial ban on their digital content as well.
In retaliation for the Pahalgam assault, Indian security forces launched Operation Sindoor. The operation targeted nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), escalating tensions across the Line of Control.
This climate of political and digital censorship has significantly affected the cultural ties, particularly in the entertainment industry. Mawra Hocane, who made her Bollywood debut in 2016 with Sanam Teri Kasam alongside Harshvardhan Rane, was reportedly dropped from its sequel.
Rane publicly addressed the situation through an Instagram post, distancing himself from the original casting decisions.
“While I am grateful for the experience, however as things stand, and after reading the direct comments made about my country, I have made a decision to respectfully decline to be a part of Sanam Teri Kasam part 2 if there is any possibility of the previous cast being repeated,” he stated on Instagram.
Controversy around ‘Sardaar Ji 3’
In recent times, Diljit Dosanjh has also come under criticism for working with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the film Sardaar Ji 3. The backlash led to the movie not being released in India.