Twitter accounts of Radio Pakistan, 4 Pakistani embassies banned in India, know why

Tightening up the social media regulations and spread of fake news, India has decided to ban the Twitter accounts of four Pakistan embassies situated in different countries, shortly after it decided to ban Pakistan’s national radio broadcaster – Radio Pakistan.

According to reports, Twitter in India banned official accounts of Pakistan Embassies in the UN, Turkey, Iran, and Egypt. After Twitter in India withheld these official accounts the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Twitter to restore these accounts with immediate access.

This development comes at a time when the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting earlier blocked 16 YouTube news channels including 6 Pakistan-based channels for spreading disinformation related to India’s national security, foreign relations, and public order.

The Indian government has started to crack down on several Pakistani social media channels for fake and unverified news to cause panic, incite communal disharmony, and disturb public order in India. Till now, over a dozen Pakistani social media handles have been blocked in India.

The blocked social media accounts include six Pakistan-based and 10 India-based YouTube news channels, having a cumulative viewership of over 68 crores. None of the digital news publishers had furnished information to the Ministry as required under rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021, the government said.

According to the central government, the Youtube channels based in Pakistan, which have since been blocked, were being used in a coordinated manner to post fake news about India on various subjects such as the Indian Army, Jammu, and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations in the light of the situation in Ukraine among others.

The content of these channels was observed to be completely false, and sensitive from the perspective of national security, sovereignty, and integrity of India, and India’s friendly relations with foreign States.

Earlier, India had also slammed Pakistan for using social media applications such as Instagram and Facebook for trying to spread fake news. Agencies also found out that several fake hashtags and agendas were being used by Pakistani accounts to peddle and propagate false news about issues in India.