No more Pakistani shows: Indian govt orders OTT platforms to stop streaming all movies, songs, series and podcasts from Pakistan
Amid the rising political tensions between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a new order to OTT platforms operating in India. The Indian government has asked all streamers to stop broadcasting Pakistani content.
A notice shared by ANI read, 'In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription-based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect."
Why has the Indian government taken this move?
The move comes a day after the Indian army led Operation Sindoor, which avenged the deadly terror attack that took place in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 22 that killed 26 people.
Operation Sindoor lasted from 1.04 am to 1.30 am, when Indian armed forces struck as many as nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok) in the early hours of Wednesday. The renewed hostilities between India and Pakistan have already affected the financial markets, with non-deliverable forwards on the Indian rupee indicating a sharp weakening. On the other hand, Pakistan, in a precautionary move, closed its airspace amid the Indian strikes, as per Pakistan International Airlines Corp.
Advisory on content originating from PakistanIn light of the Pahalgam terror attack, national security takes precedence. OTT platforms are hereby mandated to remove all content originating from Pakistan.#OperationSindoor #IndiaFightsPropaganda pic.twitter.com/fDBMWqLjBX
India-Pakistan tension impact on movies and actors
The entertainment industry has also felt the impact, with the Indian government blocking the accounts of several Pakistani celebrities. These include Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hania Amir, Atif Aslam, and others.
Fawad, who was set to make his Bollywood comeback with Abir Gulaal alongside Vaani Kapoor, now faces uncertainty regarding the movie's future.
Social media handles of Pakistani celebrities banned in India
Instagram accounts of former Jal band member and Mere Humsafar actor Farhan Saeed, Ali Sethi of Pasoori fame, Saba Qamar (Hindi Medium), and Adnan Siddiqui (Mom) are also inaccessible in India.
Whenever you try to open their accounts, a message shows up as "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content." This message is displayed when users in India try to access the pages of these artists.
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