India blocks Pakistani celebrities’ Instagram accounts again after brief access due to 'technical glitch'

Indian authorities have once again blocked the social media accounts of several Pakistani artists after a brief period of restored access, which officials say was the result of a "technical glitch."

According to a report by India Today, the accounts of Pakistani actors Mawra Hocane, Ahad Raza Mir, and Saba Qamar on Instagram and X became temporarily accessible to Indian users, sparking speculation that digital restrictions on Pakistani content had been lifted.

However, the access was soon revoked. When Indian users attempted to view these profiles, a message appears stating that the account is unavailable in India due to a legal request.

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Government sources told the media outlet that the brief restoration was unintentional. Some accounts on X, YouTube, and Meta platforms were visible due to a technical glitch. The issue has been resolved, and these accounts are being re-blocked, an official said.

The momentary visibility of these accounts led many users to believe that India had relaxed its digital censorship of Pakistani content.

Notably, during the brief window, Pakistani dramas and entertainment content began trending once again in India following the partial revival of some Pakistani entertainment channels.