The Indian government has reportedly blocked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official YouTube channel in India and removed his recent speech delivered at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, following the fallout from the alleged false flag operation in Pahalgam.
The move comes amid heightened tensions after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his address, strongly criticized Indian state actions and propaganda, which was widely broadcast by Pakistani media outlets. According to YouTube’s notification, the removal was based on a complaint from the Indian government, though it granted the right to appeal the takedown.
Sources revealed that the Modi government was visibly upset over the speech, which countered the narrative India was attempting to push after the Pahalgam incident.
Moreover, the director general of ISPR, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, also detailed alleged Indian terrorism and disinformation campaigns in media briefings on April 29 and 30, leading to further backlash.
In response, Indian authorities suspended ISPR’s official YouTube channel and X (formerly Twitter) account on May 1, along with blocking access to most Pakistani TV channels and high-profile social media accounts from Pakistan. Defense analysts say this is part of a broader attempt by India to control the narrative and suppress voices exposing the truth.
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Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has also confirmed that his Facebook and Instagram accounts have been blocked in India. In response to a question by Samaa TV regarding the blocking of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s YouTube channel, the defense minister revealed that his own social media accounts have also been restricted.
“India has blocked my Facebook and Instagram accounts as well,” Khawaja Asif stated.
He emphasized that such actions would not succeed in silencing Pakistan’s voice. “India cannot suppress our narrative by shutting down our social media accounts,” he said. Khawaja Asif further added that the blocking of Pakistani leaders' social media platforms is a clear sign of India’s fear and insecurity in the face of truth.
Meanwhile, Indian authorities also took down Lahore Qalandars’ official Facebook and Instagram pages, restricting them from being viewed in India. The PSL franchise confirmed the development, stating that no reason was provided by the platforms, except for a message that the pages were “not available in India.”
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Defense and media experts have described India’s actions as a panicked response to being exposed, especially after Pakistani media outlets gained ground in the narrative war by shedding light on the alleged Indian orchestration behind the Pahalgam incident. Reports claim even Indian media has quietly acknowledged the credibility of Pakistan’s reporting on the matter.
“This clampdown on digital platforms reflects India’s discomfort with transparency and accountability,” a senior media analyst told Samaa TV. “The truth has rattled New Delhi, and now it’s turning to suppression tactics to control the damage.”
On the other hand, all relevant Pakistani agencies have been placed on high alert to protect the nation’s cyber infrastructure.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed that the National Telecom Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and other related institutions are actively monitoring critical infrastructure and web servers across the country.
Speaking to Samaa TV, a PTA spokesperson said that so far, no major Pakistani website has suffered any confirmed cyber attack or damage, but all precautionary measures have been implemented. These include the issuance of cyber alerts, continuous monitoring, and strict oversight of web servers. Every report of a cyber threat is being thoroughly investigated.
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Also, in a parallel effort to counter digital threats, law enforcement agencies have increased cyber patrolling to monitor anti-state activity on social media platforms. According to police sources, a total of 52,778 social media pages spreading propaganda against national security have been identified. Out of these, 11,132 pages have been blocked by cyber security units and the police.
Authorities also revealed that 18 terror plots were foiled by intercepting and analysing suspicious online activity. Leads were obtained through surveillance of 54 different social media platforms, which also helped in disrupting the communication networks of extremist groups.
