Pakistani singer Abida Parveen's instagram account banned in India amid growing tensions between the two nations

Renowned Pakistani Sufi singer Abida Parveen’s Instagram profile is no longer accessible to users in India.
This move is part of the ongoing restrictions imposed on several prominent Pakistani celebrities following the recent terror attacks in Pahalgam, India.

Screenshots of the account being banned have been widely shared on X (formerly Twitter) by fans and listeners of Abida. The message reads: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”

Abida Parveen is known for her soulful renditions of Sufi poetry. 'Tu Jhoom', 'Main Naraye Mastana', 'Pardadari', 'Chaap Tilak' and 'Aaqa' are some of her most celebrated tracks.

The restriction follows a series of similar actions affecting artists such as Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar and Fawad Khan. While there has been no official explanation directly linking these bans to specific events, the restrictions appear to reflect India’s current stance on digital access to content from Pakistan.

Fawad Khan’s 'Abhi Gulaal' has also been prevented from being released in India after tensions escalated between India and Pakistan. Reportedly, the film’s release has been halted in Pakistan as well.

Instagram pages belonging to Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Ayeza Khan, Imran Abbas and Sajal Aly have also been rendered inaccessible within India.


Actresses Mawra Hocane (known for her Bollywood role in Sanam Teri Kasam), Saba Qamar (Hindi Medium), and Adnan Siddiqui (Mom) have also faced similar legal restrictions in India.

Amidst the social media ban, actress Hania Aamir took to her Instagram stories and shared a long note addressing the government for punishing innocent people for the wrongdoings of others: “Just because of General Asim Munir's actions in Kashmir, the entire Pakistani entertainment industry has been banned in India, and even social media accounts are being restricted. I respectfully request the Prime Minister of India: we, the common people of Pakistan, have done nothing wrong to India. It is the Pakistani army and Islamist terrorists who are behind the Pahalgam terrorist attack. So why are you punishing ordinary Pakistanis? Please take action against the Pakistani army and the terrorists, not the innocent citizens,” she wrote.