New Delhi: Hania Amir is now out of bounds for her Indian fans. A darling of the Indian internet—thanks to her viral reels, crossover appeal, and energetic personality—Hania is no longer accessible to millions in India. The Indian government has blocked Pakistani actress Hania Amir’s Instagram account in the country.
Her account now displays the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Hania isn’t the only one.
The ban—reportedly enforced on national security grounds following the Pahalgam terror attack—has also targeted Pakistani stars like Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Ayeza Khan, Sajal Ali, Sanam Saeed, Maya Ali, and Iqra Aziz Hussain.
However, prominent actor Fawad Khan’s Instagram appears to be safe for now. The accounts of Saba Qamar Zaman, Yumna Zaidi, Mehwish Hayat, and Urwa Hocane were also accessible at the time of publishing.
Drama channels such as Hum TV and ARY Digital have also been removed, including from Indian YouTube.
Earlier this week, India also blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels with a combined 63 million subscribers. These included major outlets like Dawn, Geo News, Bol, and Samaa, as well as individual voices like Asma Shirazi, Umar Cheema, and The Pakistan Experience.
Officials said the content was inflammatory, misleading, and a threat to national harmony amid heightened cross-border tensions.
Hania Amir and Fawad Khan enjoy immense popularity in India. Apart from her reels, Hania’s recent bonhomie with Rakhi Sawant was also widely appreciated.
In a viral video posted from the airport in January, Rakhi Sawant declared her love for Hania and jokingly announced she was moving to Pakistan. “Hania, your Indian sister is coming. Come pick me up,” she quipped.
Hania replied with a Story: “Life was quite sad before Rakhi ji came into my life… I’m coming to pick you up!”
After the move, reactions began pouring in on Reddit.
“Hania Amir will be shaking in her boots,” one user wrote. “Pakistanis hate her for being too modern—her entire fanbase was Indian.”
(Edited by Prashant)
India know full well that they need to end all people-to-people contact and art/culture exchange to further prejudices and hate.