India Blocks X Accounts of Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto After Pahalgam Terror Attack as Digital Tensions Soar
May, 11 2025
Online Crackdown Follows Bloody Attack in Kashmir
India just took its digital standoff with Pakistan up a notch. X (the platform you probably still call Twitter) has gone dark for two of Pakistan’s most prominent political figures — former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. If you try to check their profiles from India now, you’ll hit a wall. This fresh escalation comes right after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that left 26 people dead, including tourists.
The April 22 incident was instantly pinned by New Delhi on groups operating out of Pakistan. Islamabad, as expected, brushed off the accusation. But, for India, the online arena is as important as the battlefield now. Blocking the X accounts of Khan and Bhutto Zardari isn’t just about silencing two big names. It’s the latest step in a broader push to stamp out Pakistani voices and content in Indian cyberspace.
This crackdown is sweeping across social media. Instagram and X have been on the chopping block — not just for politicians. Think popular celebrities like Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, or pop sensation Atif Aslam. Indian officials are naming these accounts as either a threat to national harmony or sources of misinformation. YouTube channels, too, have been axed. The message from New Delhi is clear: if your content can be linked to Pakistan, it’s fair game for removal these days.
Diplomatic and Digital Fallout After the Attack
This current wave started building up after the Pahalgam killings. Shortly after, India quietly cut off access to the X account of Pakistan’s Information Minister, Ataullah Tarar. He had sparred with India by warning of potential military action across the border. If the goal was to cool tempers, the blackout doesn’t seem to be working. If anything, it’s turned the digital sphere into a new battleground.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, never one to stay quiet, slammed the move. He called the X bans an "unprecedented escalation" and argued that India is simply shifting from diplomatic disputes to all-out digital warfare. He also pointed to Pakistan’s own issues with terrorism, acknowledging a troubled past but insisting that blackouts won’t fix anything. For Imran Khan, who’s already been sidelined from real-world politics by court cases and military scrutiny, the move further erodes his ability to reach audiences outside Pakistan.
This isn’t just about politicians. Celebrities, music fans, and even news followers are being caught up in what amounts to a sweeping border wall — just online instead of barbed wire. Both governments seem comfortable using platform access as leverage, sometimes blocking entire sites or users without much warning. In the background, the two nuclear-armed neighbors keep trading barbs, each blaming the other for regional violence and instability.
While India justifies the bans as necessary to block misinformation and support to terrorism, critics see it as censorship. With tensions high on the ground and online, the fight for influence now stretches from mountain valleys to social media feeds. The only certainty? For politicians and pop stars hailing from Pakistan, India’s digital doors are now firmly shut.