Key points
- India launched a digital and diplomatic crackdown on Pakistan
- Blocked ‘X’ accounts of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former PM Imran Khan.
- Blocked websites, social media accounts
- Pakistan struck back with a digital manoeuvre, airing its national song as a YouTube ad in India
ISLAMABAD: Following the Pahalgam incident, India launched a series of stern measures aimed at countering cross-border influence—including the blocking of several Pakistani news websites, YouTube channels, and the suspension of social media accounts linked to Pakistani celebrities, politicians, and athletes.
However, in a surprising twist that has left Indian viewers both shocked and angered, Pakistan’s national song was broadcast as a paid advertisement on Indian YouTube.
The move, seen by many as a calculated manoeuvre in the ongoing narrative and hybrid warfare between the two nations, caught India off guard and exposed vulnerabilities in the digital space.
The incident has reignited debates about information security and the growing sophistication of psychological operations online, with critics questioning how such content bypassed content filters and ad regulations.
For now, the anthem’s unexpected appearance has sparked a storm across Indian social media—not from Pakistani voices, but from Indian citizens demanding answers.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) launched a digital campaign by airing its national song as an advertisement on YouTube in India.
The anthem, showcasing the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and the nation’s unwavering resolve, has not only resounded with Pakistani audiences but also hit a raw nerve among Indian viewers, many of whom are now questioning their own government’s competence in countering digital narratives.
Declaring the move a “clear advantage” in the ongoing information war, the MoIB emphasised in an official statement that Pakistan’s voice will continue to transcend borders, despite what it described as India’s nefarious attempts to suppress the truth.
Among the latest moves, the Indian government has blocked the accounts of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former Prime Minister and PTI founder Imran Khan on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).
Earlier, India had taken a number of steps after the Pahalgam incident on April 22, including the closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals—giving them just 40 hours to exit India—and a reduction in diplomatic staff at both Indian and Pakistani High Commissions. India also froze the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960, a significant and symbolic diplomatic gesture.
On May 3, India imposed a blanket ban on the import and transit of all goods originating from or passing through Pakistan, effectively shutting the door on bilateral trade. In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs announced a ban on Indian-flagged ships from entering Pakistani ports and vice versa.
India has also ceased the exchange of mail and parcels with Pakistan via land and air routes. In addition to diplomatic and trade measures, India has escalated cultural censorship: banning a song by Sikh singer Zara Gill, removing Pakistani actress Hania Aamir from the upcoming film Sardar Ji 3, and blocking Instagram accounts of top Pakistani cricketers including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Olympian Arshad Nadeem.
