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Despite a year-old government directive to block Pakistani digital content in India, a significant volume of Pakistan-origin programming remains readily accessible to Indian audiences through various platforms, according to an investigation by India Today’s Open-Source Intelligence team.
The advisory, issued following the Pahalgam terror attack last year, instructed OTT platforms, streaming services and digital intermediaries to remove web series, films, songs, podcasts and other content originating from Pakistan. However, implementation has proven inconsistent and incomplete across the digital landscape.
The investigation revealed a pattern of selective enforcement that has left substantial gaps in the content blockade. While certain platforms and channels have been restricted, many others continue to operate unimpeded, allowing Pakistani content to reach Indian viewers through alternative pathways.
Several major Pakistani entertainment networks exemplify this inconsistency. ARY Digital’s YouTube channel has been blocked in India under “public order” restrictions, yet its official website—offering the same drama content through paid subscriptions—remains fully accessible to Indian users. Similarly, “Har Pal Geo,” owned by Geo Media Group, maintains uninterrupted streaming of Pakistani serials on its website despite restrictions on Geo News and related YouTube channels.
The analysis identified at least 15 YouTube channels actively streaming and monetizing Pakistani drama content that remain accessible in India. Five Pakistan-based lifestyle and vlog channels with a combined following exceeding 18 million continue to attract Indian viewership. Additionally, three Pakistan-origin podcasts featuring political and socio-cultural discussions remain available despite the advisory.
The enforcement discrepancy extends to social media platforms as well. Several Pakistani actors and singers have been blocked on Instagram, yet their content ecosystems largely remain intact elsewhere. At least four Pakistan-based digital creators with a collective following of over 14 million continue benefiting from Indian views and engagement.
Perhaps more concerning is the continued accessibility of politically sensitive and anti-India content. Radio Pakistan, a state broadcaster, remains accessible on YouTube and Instagram while being blocked on X and Facebook. Last year, the broadcaster carried an interview with Mushaal Hussein Mullick, wife of imprisoned Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, who is serving a life sentence in India.
In the strategic information domain, DG ISPR—the media wing of Pakistan’s military and a known source of state-backed propaganda—continues operating its official X handle without restrictions in India, despite its history of disseminating narratives hostile to Indian security interests. Multiple Pakistan military-aligned pages and groups on Facebook, including “Public Defense Information” and Pak Army, also continue circulating military propaganda.
The investigation extended to extremist content as well. Blogs and digital platforms linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, particularly its proxy outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), remain accessible from within India, continuing to publish content promoting extremist ideology.
These findings highlight a fundamental weakness in the implementation approach: the ban has targeted platforms rather than content. By blocking select channels while leaving websites, alternate platforms, and entire propaganda ecosystems untouched, enforcement gaps allow Pakistan-origin content to remain both accessible and monetized in India.
Digital security experts note that such implementation inconsistencies create an ineffective regulatory environment. Without a comprehensive strategy addressing content across all distribution channels, the advisory’s intended impact remains limited.
The situation underscores the challenges facing digital content regulation in an increasingly interconnected online environment, where restrictions on one platform can be easily circumvented through others. As digital consumption patterns evolve, regulatory frameworks may require more sophisticated approaches to achieve their intended objectives.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has not commented on these implementation gaps, but industry observers suggest that a more coordinated approach involving multiple stakeholders might be necessary to address these regulatory challenges effectively.
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12 Comments
The continued accessibility of Pakistani entertainment content in India, despite the ban, raises broader questions about the feasibility and unintended consequences of such content restrictions in the digital age.
Absolutely, this case study underscores the challenges policymakers face in balancing national interests with the realities of the global digital ecosystem.
This investigation highlights the complexities involved in regulating cross-border digital content. The inconsistent implementation of the ban suggests a need for more robust and adaptable policies.
Agreed. The dynamic nature of digital media requires nimble, comprehensive approaches to content regulation, rather than piecemeal efforts.
Interesting how Pakistani content continues to bypass the digital ban in India. Seems like implementation has been inconsistent and incomplete, allowing many platforms to still operate and reach Indian audiences.
Yes, the selective enforcement has left significant gaps in the content blockade. It’s an intriguing dynamic that warrants closer examination.
The persistence of Pakistani entertainment content in India, despite the ban, is noteworthy. It speaks to the challenges of enforcing such digital content restrictions in the modern, interconnected media landscape.
You’re right, the fluidity of digital platforms makes it difficult to completely seal off content flows between countries, even with government directives in place.
The findings suggest a need for India to re-evaluate its approach to restricting Pakistani digital content, with a focus on more effective and consistent implementation across platforms.
You make a good point. A more holistic and adaptable strategy may be required to address the persistent flow of Pakistani content into the Indian market.
This raises questions about the effectiveness and transparency of India’s efforts to restrict Pakistani digital content. Selective enforcement seems to undermine the stated policy objectives.
Indeed, the findings suggest a need for a more comprehensive and consistently applied approach if the ban is to be truly effective.