India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels spreading misinformation after Pahalgam attack

The banned platforms include YouTube channels of prominent news outlets such as Geo News, Dawn, Raftar, Bol News, ARY News, Samaa TV, Suno News. Additionally, YouTube channels of well-known journalists, including Muneeb Farooq, Umar Cheema, Asma Shirazi, and Irshad Bhatti, have been blocked. Other banned handles include Uzair Cricket, The Pakistan Reference, Razi Naama, and Samaa Sports.

The channels had a total of 63 million subscribers.

The YouTube channels in question have been spreading content deemed provocative and communally sensitive, as well as false and misleading narratives and misinformation targeting India, its Army, and security agencies, according to government sources. This action comes amid strained relations between the neighbors following the Pahalgam tragedy, where terrorists killed 26 people in a brutal attack.

The government has also written a formal letter to the BBC, conveying India’s strong sentiments on its Pahalgam reportage and terming terrorists ‘militants’, officials said on Monday.

In a communication to Jackie Martin, BBC’s India Head, the Ministry of External Affairs has conveyed the country’s strong sentiments regarding their reporting on the terror attack.

“A formal letter has been sent to the BBC on terming terrorists as militants. The External Publicity Division of the MEA will be monitoring the reporting of the BBC,” the official said.

Pahalgam terror attack

The terror attack occurred in Baisaran meadow, near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams, stationed at the Pahalgam terror attack site since April 23, have intensified the search for evidence following the incident. The teams, led by an IG, DIG, and SP from the anti-terror agency, are questioning eyewitnesses who observed the April 22 attack.