Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar’s Instagram Handles Reappear in India Amid Pakistani Artists Ban
The Instagram handles of several Pakistani artists, including Mawra Hocane, Saba Qamar, Ahad Raza Mir, Yumna Zaidi, and Danish Taimoor, have reappeared for Indian social media users after being previously restricted due to rising cross-border tensions. These Instagram profiles and certain Pakistani YouTube channels like Hum TV, ARY Digital, and Har Pal Geo, which were previously inaccessible following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, are now visible in India.
The reappearance of these accounts comes amid ongoing geopolitical issues between India and Pakistan. Following the attack, in which 26 innocent lives were lost, India imposed a ban on Pakistani content, including the social media handles of actors like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Hania Aamir, which remain inaccessible for Indian users. When attempting to visit these accounts, a message appears stating that the content has been restricted due to legal reasons.
Despite this, the recent return of accounts such as those of Mawra, Saba, and others has sparked discussions about whether this is a glitch in Instagram’s algorithms or if the ban has been lifted. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
This development follows the heightened tensions after the Pahalgam attack and subsequent Indian military operations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistani actors like Mawra and Fawad Khan had publicly condemned India's actions, which further fueled the social media debate. The ban on Pakistani artists' content reflects the ongoing sensitivity around national security and the influence of social media in geopolitics.









