Pakistani actors Mawra Hocane, Yumna Zaidi & Ahad Raza Mir's Instagram accounts ban lifted in India?

In the weeks following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this year, Indian digital platforms quietly began restricting access to several Pakistani public figures online. Among the steps taken was the regional blocking of Instagram accounts belonging to a number of Pakistani actors, musicians, and influencers. The move was widely understood to be part of a broader crackdown on cross-border digital content following heightened tensions.

Now, without any official statement or notice, the Instagram profiles of two Pakistani actors — Mawra Hocane and Ahad Raza Mir — have become visible again to users in India. Until recently, their pages displayed a restriction message that said the content was not available in the region due to a legal request. Their reappearance has sparked questions online about whether the broader ban is beginning to be lifted.

However, the access remains inconsistent. Accounts of other well-known figures such as Mahira Khan, Wahaj Ali, Fawad Khan, Iqra Aziz, and Farhan Saeed remain restricted. Attempts to open their profiles from Indian IP addresses still result in the same blocking message, indicating that no blanket reversal has occurred.

The restrictions were introduced in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror incident in April, where over two dozen people were killed. Following that, several Pakistani artists — along with YouTube channels and even the official page of the Pakistani Prime Minister became inaccessible in India. Though there was no formal list released, social media users quickly noted which public profiles had been taken down.

The reason behind the selective visibility of certain accounts remains unknown. Meta has not issued a comment, and no government body has clarified whether the restrictions are being reviewed or lifted in phases.

For now, only a handful of accounts have quietly resurfaced, while many others remain behind a digital wall — leaving fans and followers in India waiting for clarity.