India Blocks Pakistani Defence Minister’s X Account, Bans 16 YouTube Channels After Kashmir Attack

The Indian government has blocked the X (formerly Twitter) account of Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir that claimed 26 lives, most of them tourists. This move comes just a day after India banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading provocative and sensitive content. Together, these channels had more than 63 million subscribers.

The decision to block the YouTube channels was based on recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which reviewed content following the April 22 terror attack. The Ministry of External Affairs will also be keeping a close watch on foreign media coverage, including the BBC, which referred to the attackers as "militants."

Some of the banned YouTube channels include well-known Pakistani platforms such as Dawn News, ARY News, SAMAA TV, BOL News, and Geo News, among others.

The actions gained further momentum after Khawaja Asif admitted during a TV interview that Pakistan had a history of supporting and funding terrorist organizations. In an interview with Sky News, Asif said Pakistan had been involved in doing the "dirty work" for the US and other Western countries for decades.

India strongly responded to these comments at the United Nations. Ambassador Yojna Patel, India’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, condemned Pakistan during a UN event on terrorism victims. She stated that Asif’s confession proves Pakistan’s long-standing role in fueling terrorism and destabilizing the region.

Patel said, “The world can no longer turn a blind eye. Pakistan’s own defense minister has openly admitted their involvement, exposing them as a rogue state.”