Pakistani actors Hania Amir, Mahira Khan and Ali Zafar
Credit: File Photo
n a recent X post, Pakistani actress Hania Aamir expressed her disappointment at having her Instagram account banned in India alongside other prominent Pakistani figures like Ali Zafar, Mahira Khan and several social media influencers. Users from India trying to access the accounts of these people were met with a message in the place of their accounts stating “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Amir explained that she believed that the ban was due to the fault of their own government. Her post stated “My account, along with other Pak celebs, banned by India. Heartbroken, but this is on OUR govt’s failures! Their wrongdoings led to this. If India didn’t act, no one would have spoken up. Now we ALL must raise our voices against this mess!”
The ban on Pakistani content creators is part of a broader array of retaliatory action taken by the Indian government in light of the Pahalgam terror attack which left 26 civilians dead.
The Indian government has held Pakistan responsible for the attack and has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, suspended Pakistani visas and has closed its borders with Pakistan. India has also decided to suspend the historic Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. This has led to escalations in the tensions between the two countries with Pakistan also taking measures to counter these efforts.
The post by Hania Aamir is of significance due to the fact that it boldly calls out the Pakistani government for its failures. She has received both praise and criticism for her statements. Some netizens welcomed her action, with one user commenting “Now you came on the correct point. Raise this voice in your country.”
Despite this, many users believe that her actions are self-serving. A user commented on her post saying “When terrorist killed innocent people that time you didn't rise your voice..Now when your social account got blocked, you are raising your voice."