Spotify India, OTT platforms pull Pakistani music after Indian government ban
The directive's impact is not limited to audio content. Pakistani actors are now being digitally erased from promotional material on Indian platforms. PHOTO: PEXELS
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Pakistani music has started vanishing from Indian streaming platforms, with Spotify among the first to act on a government advisory issued earlier this month. Tracks such as Maand, Jhol, and Faasle disappeared from Spotify India in the hours following the order, according to NDTV.
The move, which began taking effect on Wednesday night, follows an official directive from India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 8 May, calling for the removal of all Pakistani content from digital media.
The advisory, issued under India's Information Technology Rules, urged all OTT platforms, digital streaming services, and online intermediaries to take down Pakistani-origin web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other media. The ministry cited national security, sovereignty, and public order as grounds for the sweeping content ban.
The crackdown comes amid tensions between India and Pakistan following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad has rejected the allegation, calling for an impartial investigation. Although both sides have since agreed to a ceasefire, the ban remains in place.
The directive's impact is not limited to audio content. Pakistani actors are now being digitally erased from promotional material on Indian platforms. Actress Mawra Hocane has been removed from the cover art of Sanam Teri Kasam on Spotify and YouTube Music, leaving only her Indian co-star Harshvardhan Rane.
Similarly, Mahira Khan has disappeared from Raees' posters, while the song Buddhu Sa Mann from Kapoor & Sons, which featured Fawad Khan, is now inaccessible to Indian users.
This marks one of the most far-reaching cultural crackdowns in the region's recent history. While political tensions have often strained artistic ties between the neighbours, the shared musical heritage—spanning genres like ghazals, qawwalis, and contemporary pop—had until now largely remained intact.
Pakistani icons such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Nazia Hassan, and Atif Aslam have historically enjoyed immense popularity across India, their work forming a vital part of the country's musical landscape.
Ironically, critics point out that even as Pakistani originals are scrubbed from platforms, Bollywood continues to churn out remakes of many of these very songs—raising questions about cultural ownership and censorship in an era of digital media.
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