Instagram Imbroglio: India Blocks Pakistani Cricket Stars’ Accounts
Multiple Instagram accounts belonging to prominent Pakistani cricketers have been blocked in India. The affected figures include current national team captain Babar Azam, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, and former pace legend Wasim Akram.
The list extends beyond these three. Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar, ex-captain Shahid Afridi, along with current players Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, and Hasan Ali, have all seen their Instagram accounts restricted in India. Even the account of Imran Khan—captain of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning team and former Prime Minister—has been blocked from view in the country.
As a result, Indian users are currently unable to access these Instagram profiles. Attempting to do so prompts a message from the platform: “This account is not available in India. We restrict content in response to legal requests.”
The move follows a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a region in India-administered Kashmir. On April 22, twenty-six people—most of them tourists—were killed in a shooting reportedly carried out by militants.
In the aftermath, the Indian government has taken a tougher stance on social media accounts operated by Pakistani public figures with large followings within India.
