WASHINGTON, May 8 (Alliance News) – Meta has blocked access to the widely-followed Instagram news account @Muslim in India at the request of the Indian government, sparking accusations of censorship as tensions between India and Pakistan continue to rise.
The page, which has 6.7 million followers, now displays the message “Account not available in India” when accessed within the country.
Meta confirmed the restriction was made in compliance with local laws but declined further comment, referring instead to its standard policy on government takedown requests.
The account’s founder, Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, denounced the move as “censorship,” stating: “Meta has blocked the @Muslim account by legal request of the Indian government. This is censorship. When platforms and countries try to silence media, it tells us we are doing our job.”
This development comes amid growing digital and military hostilities between India and Pakistan. Recently, India has blocked the social media profiles of several Pakistani public figures, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan and popular cricketers such as Babar Azam and Shahid Afridi.
Pakistani actors and singers including Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam have also faced bans in India.
The blocking of @Muslim was first reported by User Magazine, amid escalating cross-border violence following India’s missile strikes in Pakistani territory after blaming Islamabad for a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan has rejected the allegations and vowed retaliation.
Online platforms have seen a spike in misinformation and manipulated content related to the conflict, fueling further unrest in the region.
Al-Khatahtbeh, in a statement, apologized to followers in India and vowed to continue reporting. “We will continue to document the truth and stand firmly for justice,” he said, urging Meta to reinstate the account’s visibility in India.
