India blocks X account of Pakistani defence minister amid Pahalgam terror attack fallout
PTC Web Desk: In response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, most of them tourists, the Government of India has taken significant digital action. On Tuesday, the authorities blocked the X (formerly Twitter) account of Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif. This move follows a broader crackdown on digital platforms, where 16 Pakistan-based YouTube channels with a combined subscriber base exceeding 63 million were also banned for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive content.
The decision was reportedly prompted by recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist strike in the upper reaches of Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Among the banned YouTube channels are popular networks like Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, GEO News, and other known media voices from Pakistan, including individual creators like Irshad Bhatti, Asma Shirazi, and Muneeb Farooq.
Adding fuel to the controversy, Khawaja Asif recently admitted during a television interview that Pakistan has historically supported and funded terrorist organisations. This candid admission triggered international reactions.
At a United Nations forum on Monday, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, condemned Pakistan's delegate for referring to the Pahalgam incident during a hybrid launch of the UN’s Victims of Terrorism Association Network (VoTAN). Patel criticizsd the attempt to "misuse the platform" and highlighted Asif’s public confession.
“The world heard Pakistan’s Defence Minister openly admit his country’s past of training and supporting terrorism. This isn’t surprising—but it reaffirms Pakistan’s role as a rogue state undermining regional stability,” Patel said during India’s Right of Reply.
She concluded firmly, “The world can no longer turn a blind eye.”
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also flagged concerns over international media coverage, particularly from BBC, which referred to the attackers as "militants" rather than terrorists. The MEA is expected to keep a close watch on such reporting moving forward.
In an interview with Sky News, Khawaja Asif remarked, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States and the West, including Britain, for about three decades,” effectively acknowledging Pakistan’s involvement with extremist groups under past foreign policy agendas.
- With inputs from agencies
