Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube channel banned in India after Pahalgam attack? What we know
Former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel is not included in the government-issued list of banned Pakistani channels.
The central government on Monday blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating "false, provocative and communally sensitive content" about India, with the channel of former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar also seemingly affected.
While Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel is not included in the government-issued list, opening it on the platform yields a message saying it can't be viewed in India.
“This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order,” the message says.
The government's move follows recommendations from the ministry of home affairs in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in the upper reaches of Pahalgam, in which 26 people lost their lives while several others were left injured.
The YouTube channels included in the government’s ban list are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News, and Razi Naama.
"On the recommendations of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Government of India has banned Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir," PTI quoted officials as saying.
The Pahalgam terror attack
A group of terrorists fired upon tourists in a meadow near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam last Tuesday. 26 people, including 25 Indians and a Nepali citizen, lost their lives in the attack that sent shockwaves through the country and even beyond.
The union government suspended the Indus Waters Treaty along with several other measures like visa cancellations for Pakistani citizens, to put pressure on the western neighbour to cease cross-border terrorism.
Islamabad also threatened to pull out of all agreements with India, and reciprocated with other measures. For the last four days, the Pakistani forces have violated the ceasefire agreement along the LoC and fired upon Indian positions.
