Poonam Nath

India blocks Pakistani minister Ataullah Tarar X account days after claim 'India will strike'

Digital Desk: Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister Ataullah Tarar's X account has been blocked in India, days after he claimed that Islambad had "credible intelligence" that New Delhi would launch a military strike on the neighbouring country within 24 to 36 hours of the April 22 terror attack.

A screenshot of Tarar's X account revealed that it was withheld in India due to a legal demand. Tarar's X account has a blank profile photo and cover image.

Tarar stated in a late-night press briefing early Wednesday that Pakistan has obtained "credible intelligence" indicating that India could launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours.

The following unfolded a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi allowed the Indian military forces "complete operational freedom" to respond to the terror incident in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, according to government sources.

Tarar warned that any act of aggression would be faced with a decisive retaliation, holding India responsible for any serious consequences in the region.

The minister stated that Pakistan was "a victim of terrorism" and that Islamabad had "open-heartedly offered a credible, transparent, and independent investigation by a neutral commission of experts to ascertain the truth".

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror incident, which was one of the bloodiest such attacks in the Kashmir Valley in recent years.

Following the Pahalgam killing, the Indian authorities suspended several Pakistani actors' Instagram accounts, including Hania Aamir and Mahira Khan. Other Pakistani superstars whose Instagram accounts have been disabled in India include Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas, and Sajal Aly.

Previously, the YouTube channel of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was prohibited in India. Other restricted YouTube channels in India include Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News, and Razi Naama.