Latest news with #ShoaibAkhtar
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First Post
31-05-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Pakistan legend Shoaib Akhtar in trouble after defamation case filed by former team analyst
Former Pakistan team analyst has sent a legal notice to Shoaib Akhtar over his 'kit man' remark on a podcast. Akhtar has been asked to apologise in 14 days or face legal action. read more Pakistani pace legend Shoaib Akhtar has been sued by former team analyst over his comments. Image: Reuters Karachi: Nauman Niaz, a well-known cricket historian, writer and television personality has sent a notice to former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar for discrediting and defaming him. Dr. Niaz, a former Director of Sports at the state-owned Pakistan Television Network, has sent the notice through his lawyer after Shoaib allegedly described him as a 'kit man' during his time with the Pakistan team. 'Dr Nauman basically used to carry our bags and luggage for us in the team,' Shoaib said on a podcast. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dr Nauman served as the data analyst of the Pakistan team on a couple of tours some years back when Shoaib was playing for his country. Deriding the role of coaches, managers in the team, Shoaib went on to narrate how Dr Niaz was in the team to carry bags for the players. 'That is what he did in the team. I don't know about anything else he did,' he added. In the notice, the lawyer has demanded an unconditional apology in 14-days time or face legal action and damages. The two have a history of clashes and during the time of Imran Khan's government, Dr Niaz asked Shoaib to leave a live show on PTV after a minor dispute. On the intervention of a minister, he later apologised to the fast bowler and the two apparently settled their dispute.
Express Tribune
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Offline across borders
On an ordinary April morning, Shehzad Ghias, a Pakistani comedian and political commentator, opened his inbox to a message that would thrust him into the heart of a geopolitical standoff. His YouTube channel, The Pakistan Experience, had been blocked in India. No warning. No context. Just silence, except, of course, from the Indian government, which days earlier had banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets like Geo News and ARY, as well as independent creators, for allegedly spreading 'anti-India propaganda' in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Pakistan hit back a few days later, blocking 16 Indian YouTube channels and more than 30 websites. Officials said the move was in response to misinformation, but for most people watching from the sidelines, it felt like a digital tit-for-tat. The impact was immediate. Audiences on both sides suddenly found channels they followed for years, news, commentary, even comedy, just gone. For creators, it was worse. Viewership dropped overnight. So did ad revenue. Some had built their platforms over years, video by video, only to be cut off from a huge part of their audience in a matter of hours. And just like that, another fragile bridge between India and Pakistan, one that the internet had quietly held up, was gone. What's unfolding now is more than a tech policy spat. It's a chilling glimpse into the future of digital expression in South Asia, where creators risk becoming collateral in state-led campaigns of narrative control, and platforms like YouTube quietly bow to political pressure. As bans tighten and borders extend into cyberspace, the open web promised to this region is beginning to splinter, one takedown at a time. The ban explained The Indian government didn't hold back. Days after the April 22 terror attack, India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a sweeping order. Sixteen Pakistani YouTube channels were to be blocked across Indian territory. The official reasoning? The channels were accused of spreading 'fake news, anti-India propaganda, and content detrimental to national security.' It wasn't the first time India had pulled the plug on cross-border content, but it was, by far, the most high-profile. Among the banned were some of Pakistan's biggest names in mainstream media. Geo News, ARY News, Samaa TV, GNN and Dawn News all made the list. But it wasn't just the news giants. Individual creators and digital-first platforms were targeted too. The list included Shoaib Akhtar's cricket channel, the political podcast 'The Pakistan Experience', satire-driven commentary from CBA (Comics by Arslan), and a few lesser-known but fast-growing digital voices. The move sent a clear signal — no channel was too big or too niche to be blocked. India's stance was firm. The content in question, authorities said, was harmful to public order and had the potential to incite communal unrest. Much of it, they claimed, painted a distorted picture of events in Kashmir, India's internal security situation, and foreign policy. While India's information ministry didn't go into the specifics of each channel's alleged violations, the language used left little room for interpretation. In their view, these channels were a threat, digitally armed with narratives that didn't align with New Delhi's version of events. This wasn't new territory for India. Back in 2022, the government blocked 35 Pakistan-based YouTube channels in one go. The reasoning then was similar, misinformation, threats to sovereignty, and manipulation of Indian audiences. At the time, many of the channels had relatively small followings. This time, though, the stakes were much higher. Several of the blocked channels had large Indian audiences, some reaching into the millions. Their removal wasn't just symbolic, it disrupted an entire ecosystem of regional storytelling, commentary and online exchange. For the creators, the ban came like a rug pulled out from under them. There was no advance notice, no strike warnings, no appeals process. One day they were live across South Asia, the next day they were gone from India's digital landscape. Traffic dropped instantly. Monetization took a hit, especially for those who relied on Indian ad impressions. Even audience interaction slowed down as viewers from across the border vanished overnight. Some creators, like Shehzad Ghias, took it in stride, with sarcasm, frustration, and a touch of resignation. Others, particularly in the news industry, saw it as part of a broader trend where governments are increasingly controlling who gets to speak and who gets to listen. There's also a growing sense that platforms like YouTube are walking a fine line. While they technically follow local laws, they're rarely transparent about how takedown requests are handled or whether content actually violates their community standards. What's clear is that the aftermath of this ban isn't just about numbers or lost views. It's about silencing voices that were already working on the margins. It's about cutting off one of the last few spaces where Indians and Pakistanis could hear each other without filters, anchors or agendas. And in the current climate, that silence speaks volumes. Voices from the shadows For Ghias, the news came via email. A short note from YouTube telling him that his podcast, The Pakistan Experience, had been blocked in India. He read it, laughed out loud, and shook his head. 'I never thought I'd be banned by the Indian government before the Pakistani one,' he said while laughing. 'It was even more amusing to see the initial list of 16 banned channels, it had Pakistan's mainstream news channels along with our little podcast channel.' But once the joke faded, the reality set in. About 30 percent of his audience came from India. That's a big chunk. 'I am guessing we will not lose most of them, they will still watch using VPNs,' he added. But that connection, being accessible without any barriers, is now gone. The ban hit more than just numbers. Creators like Shehzad aren't just chasing views. They're building communities, trying to create space for honest, critical conversations, something mainstream platforms often avoid. When a country as big as India cuts off that access, it narrows the conversation. 'If the truth is a threat to someone,' he said, 'then the problem lies with them.' To Shehzad, this wasn't about national security. It was censorship, clear and simple. 'Calling our channel a national security risk for India is nothing short of a joke,' he said. That's the part that stings for many creators - the silencing. For years, YouTube had allowed a space, however messy or unpredictable, for cross-border engagement. Pakistanis and Indians argued, laughed, agreed, disagreed, but they listened to each other. Now that space is shrinking. Shehzad believes this isn't going to stop political commentary. 'Commentators in Pakistan make videos with the ever-looming threat of a Black Vigo, a ban in India is unlikely to deter them.' But he admits the message is loud and clear. 'Repression is used around the world to silence critical voices, and to signal to others to fall in line, those who truly believe in what they say continue on despite the hurdles.' The ban has also exposed the double standards of global platforms. Shehzad doesn't expect YouTube to fight back. 'Big tech will always follow the money,' he said. 'To expect YouTube to side with the freedoms of a few content creators of the might of the Indian Economy is naive in my opinion.' According to him, platforms have made peace with the idea that they'll say one thing about freedom of expression and do another when a government comes knocking. Still, what hurts more than the algorithm or the analytics is the sense of being cut off. 'The jingoism that you now see on mainstream Indian news shows why the Indian Government might have severed their population from critical voices from Pakistan,' Shehzad said. 'If Indian audiences were exposed to what we were saying they might be less likely to believe in every piece of propaganda put forward by the far-right Indian media.' He isn't alone in that thinking. Many digital creators in Pakistan believe that while politicians build fences, they had been quietly breaking them, through stories, podcasts, comedy, cricket banter. Now it feels like the internet itself is being carved up into territories. Shehzad isn't changing his content. He won't soften his tone. But the ban has forced him, and others, to rethink what it means to operate in a region where one takedown can wipe out years of work. Cross-border digital tensions While creators like Shehzad are directly impacted by the ban, the ripple effects go far beyond subscriber counts and video views. The situation points to a much larger problem, one that has to do with how states are trying to redraw borders on the internet, and how tech platforms are quietly letting it happen. Asad Baig, Executive Director and founder of Media Matters for Democracy (MMfD), has been watching this space for years. For him, India's move to block 16 Pakistani YouTube channels isn't just another policy decision. It's something deeper. 'India is setting a deeply problematic precedent by using regulatory powers to silence cross-border speech,' he said. 'These actions represent a shift from democratic digital governance to a securitised model of internet control. Blocking entire channels suggests an unwillingness to engage with pluralistic discourse. This doesn't just harm creators in Pakistan; it restricts Indian audiences from accessing diverse regional perspectives, especially around conflict and diplomacy.' According to Baig, this doesn't only hurt Pakistani creators, it affects Indian audiences too. By cutting off these channels, India is creating 'an act of information isolation, not protection.' It limits the kinds of perspectives Indian viewers are exposed to, especially on issues like Kashmir, foreign policy, and diplomacy. This approach, he added, shows an unwillingness to engage with pluralistic discourse. And it's not just about governments. The platforms themselves are complicit. 'YouTube and others often defer to local legal frameworks, even when those frameworks are being used to suppress free expression,' Baig said. What's worse, he explained, is the lack of transparency. 'The compliance is usually opaque. Platforms rarely clarify the legal grounds or whether content violates platform policies.' He believes that in high-growth markets like India, where political pressure runs high, platforms tend to over-comply. 'In India's case, where freedom of expression is increasingly under strain, platforms have a responsibility to apply higher scrutiny, particularly when the takedowns target journalistic or political content. Unfortunately, platforms tend to over-comply in high-growth markets like India, prioritising access to user bases over rights,' he said. And this is where the situation becomes dangerous, not just for Pakistanis, but for the broader digital region. 'India's bans may embolden similar retaliatory actions from other states,' Baig said. 'It shifts content moderation from a question of community safety to one of nationalistic control.' And that, he warned, is already creating a chilling effect for independent voices on both sides of the border. He didn't hold back on what platforms like YouTube should be doing either. 'YouTube must be held to a far higher standard of transparency in politically sensitive contexts,' Baig said. At the very least, he believes, they should disclose when content has been blocked due to government requests, clearly state the legal justifications, and differentiate these from violations of community guidelines. 'Without this, platforms become silent enablers of Indian state censorship.' And for Pakistani creators, he had a message — don't rely on a single platform. 'Creators must understand that platform policies and geopolitical trends increasingly overlap,' he said. His advice? Diversify. 'Explore other platforms, email newsletters, even independent hosting.' More importantly, he urged creators to document what's happening. 'They should build solidarity with regional and international digital rights networks. It's no longer enough to produce content, you have to defend your right to be seen.' Baig also pointed out the elephant in the room, Pakistan's own history of banning Indian content. While not defending the tit-for-tat, he put it in context. 'While blocking content is never an ideal solution, it's important to recognise who set this precedent,' he said. 'India has aggressively used its regulatory powers to censor Pakistani news and independent voices across platforms. Pakistan's response, while not commendable in itself, is clearly reactive, maybe even seen as a defensive measure in an increasingly hostile digital environment shaped by India's actions.' He stressed that this escalation didn't happen in a vacuum. 'India, as a much larger digital market and regional power, bears significant responsibility for triggering this race to the bottom.' What's needed now, he said, isn't more mutual censorship. 'India needs to step back from its hyper-nationalist digital posture and re-commit to regional openness and informational exchange. And Pakistan shouldn't follow the same flawed logic introduced by India.' In the end, Baig said this fight isn't just about India or Pakistan, it's about the future of the internet in South Asia. 'What's at stake is whether platforms like YouTube can uphold any consistent standard of rights across jurisdictions or whether they'll bend entirely to political pressure,' he said. 'If companies don't step up, the internet in South Asia could become a fragmented, platform-controlled patchwork, unrecognisable from the open web we were promised.' What lies ahead This isn't just about blocked videos or regional rivalries playing out online. What's happening now feels like a shift. The internet, once imagined as a space where borders mattered less, is slowly starting to mirror the political divides on the ground. And for creators, audiences, and even tech platforms, that shift is becoming harder to ignore. For Pakistani YouTubers, the ban isn't just a content issue, it's personal. Their stories, opinions, and creative work are no longer reaching a massive audience that once engaged with them freely. For Indian viewers, it means being cut off from perspectives they may not always agree with, but that were part of a much-needed regional dialogue. The ban also raises tough questions for platforms like YouTube. Can they really call themselves champions of free speech if they quietly give in to political pressure every time a government pushes back? If a creator's visibility can be erased overnight because a country doesn't like what they say, then what kind of internet are we building? And what about the viewers, the millions who tuned in not for politics but for shared laughs, cricket commentary, or longform conversations about society and life on the other side of the border? They've lost something too. A small but meaningful connection that survived despite history, headlines, and hostilities. What's clear is this. The more governments turn the internet into a battleground, the more it loses the openness that once made it powerful. And while creators like Shehzad continue speaking up, and experts like Asad call out the system, it's hard not to feel that something important is slipping away. But not all hope is lost. People are still watching through VPNs. Conversations are still happening in smaller corners of the web. Creators are finding new platforms, new ways to reach out. Because the truth is, while states may try to silence voices, stories have a way of finding their way through. The question now is, who gets to decide what we hear, and who we hear it from? And maybe more importantly, who's still listening?
Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
What curbs have India and Pakistan imposed on each other after the Kashmir attack?
Border Security Force (BSF) security personnel stand guard at the Attari-Wagah crossing on the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar, following Tuesday's attack on tourists near south Kashmir's scenic Pahalgam, India, April 25, 2025. REUTERS/Pawan Kumar/File Photo What curbs have India and Pakistan imposed on each other after the Kashmir attack? NEW DELHI - Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan have announced a raft of measures against each other as tensions mount after 26 men were killed in an attack targeting Hindu tourists in Kashmir last month. Here is a look at the tit-for-tat punitive steps announced by the South Asian nations amid mutual finger-pointing in the latest crisis: TRAVEL India and Pakistan have shut their only open land border and closed their airspace to each other's airlines. They have also barred all ships bearing the other's flag from visiting their ports, and said that their own ships will no longer visit the other's ports. New Delhi also cancelled almost all visas issued to Pakistanis and set a deadline for them to return to Pakistan. TRADE Pakistan has paused bilateral agreements and suspended all trade with India, which has also banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan. WATER India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty which regulated sharing of water of the Indus river system between the countries. Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on the water for its hydropower and irrigation, has said any attempt to stop or divert its flow will be considered an "act of war". DIPLOMACY Both countries have declared each other's defence advisers in missions in New Delhi and Islamabad persona non grata, and reduced the strength of their embassies. POSTAL SERVICE India has suspended exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes. LOANS India has asked the International Monetary Fund to review its loans to Pakistan, whose recent borrowings from the global lender include a $7 billion loan secured in September, followed by a $1.3 billion climate resilience loan in March. SOCIAL MEDIA India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including those of media outlets such as Dawn News as well as channels of sportspersons such as former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. It has also blocked social media accounts of some popular Pakistani personalities, including actor Fawad Khan, whose Instagram account has been blocked, and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose X account is no longer visible in India. SPORTS India's Olympic javelin medallist Neeraj Chopra has rescinded his invitation to Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem to attend his meet in Bengaluru this month, saying it was "completely out of the question" after the Kashmir attack. He had earlier invited Paris Olympics champion Nadeem to the meet - titled Neeraj Chopra Classic - which will bring the world's top throwers together from May 24. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
06-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
What curbs have India and Pakistan imposed on each other after the Kashmir attack?
NEW DELHI, May 6 (Reuters) - Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan have announced a raft of measures against each other as tensions mount after 26 men were killed in an attack targeting Hindu tourists in Kashmir last month. Here is a look at the tit-for-tat punitive steps announced by the South Asian nations amid mutual finger-pointing in the latest crisis: India and Pakistan have shut their only open land border and closed their airspace to each other's airlines. They have also barred all ships bearing the other's flag from visiting their ports, and said that their own ships will no longer visit the other's ports. New Delhi also cancelled almost all visas issued to Pakistanis and set a deadline for them to return to Pakistan. TRADE Pakistan has paused bilateral agreements and suspended all trade with India, which has also banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan. WATER India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty which regulated sharing of water of the Indus river system between the countries. Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on the water for its hydropower and irrigation, has said any attempt to stop or divert its flow will be considered an "act of war". DIPLOMACY Both countries have declared each other's defence advisers in missions in New Delhi and Islamabad persona non grata, and reduced the strength of their embassies. POSTAL SERVICE India has suspended exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes. LOANS India has asked the International Monetary Fund to review its loans to Pakistan, whose recent borrowings from the global lender include a $7 billion loan secured in September, followed by a $1.3 billion climate resilience loan in March. SOCIAL MEDIA India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including those of media outlets such as Dawn News as well as channels of sportspersons such as former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. It has also blocked social media accounts of some popular Pakistani personalities, including actor Fawad Khan, whose Instagram account has been blocked, and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose X account is no longer visible in India. SPORTS India's Olympic javelin medallist Neeraj Chopra has rescinded his invitation to Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem to attend his meet in Bengaluru this month, saying it was "completely out of the question" after the Kashmir attack. He had earlier invited Paris Olympics champion Nadeem to the meet - titled Neeraj Chopra Classic - which will bring the world's top throwers together from May 24. Compiled by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh and Raju Gopalakrishnan
India.com
06-05-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Bad news for Pakistan cricketers, Shoaib Akhtar, Babar Azam face HUGE losses due to…
Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) In these collection of pictures, we find out all about the big losses suffered by Pakistan cricketers like Shoaib Akhtar and Babar Azam after Indian government have blocked their social media handles amid India-Pakistan war tension. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube channel has over 3.8 million subscribers and a huge number of that is from India. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Shoaib Akhtar and many Pakistan cricketers social media handles have been blocked by Indian government after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. There is mounting speculation of possible India-Pakistan war. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Shoaib Akhtar's earning from YouTube is more than Rs 80000 per week. The earnings would take a major hit after Indian government's ban. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali's YouTube channel has also been blocked. He has nearly 2 lakh subscribers and majority from India. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Basit Ali gains lot of views with discussions about Indian cricketers like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. "For creators who depend on YouTube's monetisation, losing Indian viewership means a steep drop in ad revenue," the news agency quoted a social media strategist in Lahore as saying. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan's Instagram account has also been blocked in India. Rizwan has 1.7 million followers while his Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has 2.6 million followers, also had his Instagram account blocked. Image credit: X (Formerly Twitter) Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has also lost his followers in India. Babar has a total of 5.7 million followers on Instagram. The loss of followers from India, will lead to substantial loss in ad revenue from sponsored posts for Babar Azam.
