India Bans 16 Pakistani YouTube Channels for Spreading Misinformation After Pahalgam Attack

India Bans 16 Pakistani YouTube Channels for Spreading Misinformation After Pahalgam Attack

India has acted firmly by banning 16 YouTube channels with Pakistani connections that were spreading communally sensitive information after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.The move came after recommendations by the home ministry, barely days after a dastardly attack claimed the lives of 26 individuals.

The blocked channels are mainstream Pakistani news channels like Geo News, Dawn, Raftar, Bol News, ARY News, Samaa TV, and Suno News. Apart from these mainstream channels, some of the YouTube channels belonging to some well-known journalists, like Muneeb Farooq, Umar Cheema, Asma Shirazi, and Irshad Bhatti, have been blocked as well. Some of the other banned channels include Uzair Cricket, The Pakistan Reference, Razi Naama, and Samaa Sports.The combined number of subscribers on these channels was 63 million.

Sources have said that the targeted channels were instrumental in disseminating inflammatory and communally sensitive content, in addition to false and misleading narratives aimed at India and its security agencies. This follows already tense relations between the neighboring nations, heightened by the Pahalgam tragedy.

Pahalgam Terror Attack Overview

The terror strike took place in Baisaran meadow, a tourist destination close to Pahalgam, which is one of the most fatal incidents in the area since the 2019 Pulwama attack when 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed.

Following the Pahalgam attack, National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams have stepped up efforts to collect evidence at the site, which has been under surveillance since April 23. The teams, led by senior anti-terror agency officials, are actively interrogating eyewitnesses who witnessed the attack on April 22.

The Indian military has also increased its vigil, undertaking several search operations to eliminate any lingering terrorist threats after the attack. The incident has caused widespread outrage across the country, with citizens protesting en masse across India, calling for more aggressive measures against Pakistan regarding the Pahalgam attack.

The recent moves by the government show its intent to counter disinformation and safeguard national security as tensions in the area continue to rise.