Several Pakistani celebrities have responded to the recent ban on their Instagram profiles in India with a mix of humor and satire, following a government request reportedly linked to heightened tensions between the two countries after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Indian users trying to access the blocked accounts now receive a notification stating: “Your user is unavailable in India because of a legal request, we have to restrict access to your user.”
Among the celebrities affected were actors Yasir Hussain, Aijaz Aslam, and Sajal Aly, who used social media to express their reactions. While some responded with humor, others raised pointed criticisms of the ban.
Actress Mansha Pasha shared the access warning on her profile and humorously commented on how quickly the restriction was implemented. Similarly, actress Ushna Shah jokingly blamed her account’s block on her habit of posting Pakistan-India memes.
Comedian Ali Gul Pir also took to social media, directly addressing his Indian followers and encouraging them to use VPNs to bypass the restriction. Content creator Arslan Naseer humorously called out Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying: “Modi bro, you banned me in India? What’s next? Will you complain to my Ammi?”
However, some responses were more critical. Actor Zhalay Sarhadi labeled the move as “desperate” and questioned its effectiveness. “By banning, what are you trying to prove? Are you scared or something?” she asked, pointing out that VPN tools are widely available.
Other celebrities, including Mishi Khan and Hina Altaf, joined the conversation through skits and Instagram reels, mocking the ban and the wider implications for cultural expression.
While the ban is part of the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, the celebrities' humorous responses reflect a mix of defiance and light-hearted criticism of the censorship.
