India Blocks Pak Minister Khawaja Asif’s X Account After Attack
India blocks Pakistani defence minister's X account and 16 YouTube channels following Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
image for illustrative purpose
India’s government on Tuesday suspended the X account of Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Asif, following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, the majority of them tourists. The action came one day after Indian authorities blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, collectively reaching some 63 million subscribers, for posting content deemed provocative and likely to incite communal tension.
The home affairs ministry recommended the social media and video-sharing restrictions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam violence, which targeted a group of holidaymakers in Jammu and Kashmir. In parallel, the external affairs ministry announced it would keep a close watch on BBC reports that use the term “militants” to describe those responsible for the assault.
Channels affected by the YouTube ban include Dawn News, Geo News, ARY News, Bol News, SAMAA TV, GNN, and NightWatch, among others. Officials said the measure aims to curb narratives that authorities believe could further inflame regional discord.
At the United Nations on Monday, India’s deputy permanent representative, Ambassador Yojna Patel, addressed Pakistan’s comments during a hybrid launch of the Victims of Terrorism Association Network. Pakistan’s delegate had referenced the Pahalgam attack, prompting Patel to highlight Asif’s own admission to a television network that Pakistan has backed and trained extremist groups.
Patel told the assembly that the defence minister’s statements amount to a confession of state-sponsored support for terrorism and signal Pakistan’s role in destabilising South Asia. “The world has heard Pakistan’s defence minister acknowledge this history of support and training,” she said, calling for the international community to take note.
In a televised discussion on Sky News, Asif acknowledged that Pakistani agencies had carried out covert operations on behalf of foreign interests, including the United States and Britain, over three decades. His remarks mark one of the few times a senior Pakistani official has publicly detailed the country’s involvement in arming and funding militant networks.
