Mahira Khan to Ali Zafar: Instagram Profiles of Pakistani Stars Go Dark in India

Several high-profile Pakistani celebrities have had their Instagram accounts geo-blocked in India, following a legal request from the Indian government. Indian users attempting to access the pages of actors Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, and singer-actor Ali Zafar are now greeted with the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” While no official statement has been issued by Meta or the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the action aligns with a broader clampdown on Pakistan-linked digital content after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, acting on national security concerns, reportedly recommended the restrictions as part of efforts to curb cross-border misinformation and content deemed provocative. Earlier this week, India also blocked 16 Pakistan-based YouTube channels, including major news outlets such as Geo News and Dawn News, accusing them of spreading false narratives and undermining public order in the wake of the attack. The Instagram bans appear to be an extension of this posture, targeting individuals with wide digital reach among Indian audiences.

Those affected include some of Pakistan’s most prominent entertainment figures. Mahira Khan, who starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees, is widely followed in India for her roles in both film and television. Hania Aamir, known for serials like Mere Humsafar, had posted a message of peace following the Kashmir attack, but her account has nonetheless been blocked. Ali Zafar, who made his Bollywood debut in Tere Bin Laden and enjoyed a cross-border music career, is also no longer visible to Indian Instagram users. Other restricted accounts include those of actors Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas Khan, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly—all popular in India thanks to television dramas, film roles, and past collaborations with Indian platforms. Their profiles, while still active globally, are now inaccessible from Indian IP addresses.

Notably, some Pakistani celebrities remain unaffected. The Instagram accounts of Fawad Khan—best known in India for Kapoor & Sons and Khoobsurat—and rising star Wahaj Ali are still accessible, indicating that the restrictions are selective rather than part of a blanket ban. Officials have not clarified the criteria used to determine which profiles would be blocked, but the list appears curated with specific intelligence and content sensitivity in mind.

The geo-blocks do not remove the profiles from Instagram globally, but merely restrict access within India. Users outside the country can continue to view, follow, and engage with the affected accounts. Still, for Indian followers—many of whom formed a substantial share of these stars’ online audiences—the restriction is a sharp reminder of how swiftly geopolitical rifts can redraw the contours of even the most personal digital spaces.

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