India-Pakistan tensions: Centre blocks singer Abida Parveen's Instagram account, 3 online news portals on X

As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to intensify after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22, the Instagram account of Pakistani singer Abida Parveen has been blocked in India.

Parveen is among several Pakistani celebrities whose accounts have been blocked, including Hania Aamir, Ali Zafar, Sajal Aly, and Mahira Khan. 

If users from India try to access the singer's account, they get a message saying: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." 

Besides this, the Government of India has also banned the X accounts of three online news portals -- Balochistan Times, Balochistan Post, and Balochistan Post English.

The X account of Balochistan Post English reads: "Account withheld. @TBPEnglish has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand."

Before this, the X accounts of Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and former Foreign Affairs Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were also blocked in India. 

Last week, New Delhi announced a ban on 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for airing "provocative and communally sensitive content" as well as false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India.

The banned channels include Dawn News, ARY News, Bol News, Geo News, Samaa Sports, Asma Shirazi, and Uzair Cricket. Ex-Pakistani cricketer and commentator Shoaib Akhtar's channel has also been banned in India. 

Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem's Instagram account is also no longer accessible for Indian users. Other Pakistani stars affected by India's digital strike include Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam, Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Azis, Imran Abbas, Ayeza Khan, and Maya Ali.  

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan is making a comeback to Bollywood with his new film ‘Abir Gulaal,’ co-starring Vaani Kapoor. However, this return is met with calls for a boycott following a tragic terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists and left many injured.

Directed by Aarti S Bagdi, the film has already generated controversy due to Khan's involvement, a point of contention stemming from his previous engagements in the Indian film industry.