Pakistan cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar’s YouTube channel could not be accessed in India on Monday morning. This comes shortly after India banned a number of Pakistani accounts. Although Akhtar’s account is not within the official record, followers could not discover his channel on YouTube whereas looking out on the web site or app. Although previous movies from the account may nonetheless be considered on YouTube, the channel itself is not accessible. Shoaib Akhtar stays one of the crucial adopted Pakistan cricket celebrities in India. He has typically been part of cricketing discussions on totally different sports activities and media retailers over the previous few years.

The previous Pakistan pacer’s account is not the one one to have been restricted in India, with followers unable to entry the YouTube channels of the nation’s former cricketers like Rashid Latif and Basit Ali too. These accounts are additionally not a part of the official record, but, their visibility in India has been restricted.

Whereas a number of the accounts, that are a part of the official record of banned channels launched by the federal government of India, are totally suspended, the previous movies of some are nonetheless accessible on YouTube. It is not but clear whether or not Shoaib Akhtar’s channel was mistakenly missed or it is part of a brand new record which may very well be launched quickly. 

Many Pakistan youtube channels blocked in India, together with Shoaib Akhtar, Wasay and Iffi pic.twitter.com/cu9aPigwqJ

— Dr Gill (@ikpsgill1) April 28, 2025

The choice to ban sure YouTube accounts in India was taken following suggestions from the Ministry of House Affairs within the wake of the April 22 terror assault at Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam during which 26 individuals, largely vacationers, have been killed.

The federal government has additionally despatched a proper letter to BBC over it terming terrorists “militants” in its reportage on the Pahalgam tragedy.

“On the suggestions of the Ministry of House Affairs, the Authorities of India has banned Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative and communally delicate content material, false and deceptive narratives and misinformation towards India, its Military and safety businesses within the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir,” officers stated.

The YouTube channels which were confirmed to be blocked are: Daybreak Information, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo Information, Samaa Sports activities, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Unique, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO Information and Razi Naama.

With PTI Inputs