Pahalgam terror attack: Centre blocks 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, objects to BBC coverage

The Union government on Sunday banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating false and provocative content in the backdrop of the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, The Indian Express reported.

The channels that have been blocked include those of news organisations such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, Ary News and Geo News. The 16 channels have 63.08 million followers put together.

A message on these channels reads: “This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.”

The government also sent a letter to the BBC questioning why it used the word “militants” instead of “terrorists” for those who carried out the Pahalgam attack, The Hindu reported, quoting an unidentified government official. The government is said to be closely monitoring the British public service broadcaster’s coverage of the attack.

The government approached the channel’s head Jackie Martin and conveyed its strong sentiments in connection with the matter, the newspaper quoted the official as saying.

#JUSTIN:The Centre has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for disseminating provocative, communally sensitive content, false, misleading narratives against India, its Army & security agencies in the backdrop of the tragic Pahalgam terror incident in J&K.@IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/L0MIzGG19g— Mahender Singh Manral (@mahendermanral) April 28, 2025

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