Amid Rising Tensions With Pakistan, Centre Blocks X and Instagram Accounts of 3 Balochistan Online News Portals

New Delhi: In a significant move, India has blocked access to multiple Balochistan-focused media outlets on social media platforms X  and Instagram. The affected outlets include The Balochistan Post (English), The Balochistan Times, and The Balochistan Post. Users attempting to access their X accounts from within India are met with a message stating that the content is "withheld in India in response to a legal demand."

This development has sparked debate over press freedom and the balance between national security and information access in the digital age. While the Indian government has not issued a formal public statement regarding the decision, it appears to be part of a broader strategy aimed at countering narratives deemed harmful to national interests.

India Steps Up Digital Crackdown on Pakistani Content

In addition to the Balochistan-focused outlets, India has recently blocked the Instagram accounts of several prominent Pakistani actors and influencers, including Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir. This comes amid heightened tensions following the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, India had also banned the release of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan’s film, which was scheduled to premiere in Indian theatres on May 9. Furthermore, India blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels—including Samaa TV, ARY News, Dawn News, and Geo News accusing them of spreading misinformation, false narratives, and provocative content.

Hania Aamir addressed viral social media claims alleging she requested Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reverse the Instagram ban. Denying the rumors, she clarified, "I did not make this statement, and I do not endorse or align with the words being linked to me. It is entirely fabricated and misrepresents who I am."

India Shuts Baglihar Dam After Indus Treaty Suspension

In a significant escalation following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, India has reportedly restricted the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River and is preparing to take similar action at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River, according to sources.

The Baglihar Dam, located in Ramban, Jammu, and the Kishanganga Dam in North Kashmir, are key hydroelectric projects that allow India to regulate both the volume and timing of water released downstream—providing New Delhi with strategic leverage under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The recent actions are being interpreted as part of a broader response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, primarily tourists, lost their lives.

India’s move to tighten control over the Indus river system comes shortly after the suspension of the IWT, further raising diplomatic stakes between the two nations. The de-silting and gate-closing operations at Baglihar are said to have reduced water flow to Pakistan by as much as 90%, with similar steps now being planned at the Kishanganga project.

These measures underline India’s shift towards more assertive responses to cross-border terrorism and signal a recalibration of long-standing water-sharing commitments with Pakistan.

Read Also: India Cuts Water Flow to Pakistan, Shuts Baglihar Dam After Indus Treaty Suspension