MUMBAI – India has unexpectedly lifted its ban on Pakistani YouTube channels and artists, once again allowing Indian audiences to access Pakistani content.
Following the Pahalgam incident, India had imposed restrictions on Pakistani YouTube channels and the social media accounts of several artists. Film releases featuring Pakistani actors like Fawad Khan and Hania Aamir were also halted. Despite the restrictions, Hania Aamir’s film witnessed a successful global release — though it was not screened in India.
Now, in a surprising move, the Indian government has reversed the ban, reopening access to Pakistani YouTube channels.
The decision has been welcomed by Indian fans, many of whom expressed joy over the renewed access to their favorite Pakistani content.
During the ban, viewership of Pakistani dramas in India had declined, yet popular shows such as “Man Mast Malang,” “Sher,” “Dayan,” and “Parvarish” continued to draw Indian audiences.
The Indian viewers reacted positively to the development. One fan wrote, “The first step was taken by Diljit Dosanjh, now everyone is following him.” Another user commented, “It’s great that the ban is lifted, but now the Pakistani industry should focus on even better content.”
The fans of actor Danish Taimoor were particularly excited as his dramas “Sher” and “Man Mast Malang” had already been performing well in India despite the restrictions. The supporters now expect viewership to grow even further.
One fan wrote, “Now Sher will roar even louder,” while another said, “Sher is headed for the one billion views club and will break Tere Bin’s record.”
The Indian users were surprised to find posts from Pakistani celebrities appearing again on their timelines, indicating that access to some social media accounts had been quietly restored without any public announcement.
Among those whose accounts are now accessible in India are Danish Taimoor, Ahad Raza Mir, Mawra Hocane and Yumna Zaidi.
However, accounts of several major stars — including Mahira Khan, Fawad Khan, Wahaj Ali, Iqra Aziz, Farhan Saeed, and Hania Aamir — remain restricted for Indian users.
