The Instagram accounts of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and singers Atif Aslam and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan were blocked in India on Friday. This comes just a day after accounts of Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan and Ali Zafar were blocked. The development comes amidst growing tension between India and Pakistan after 26 people were killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Other artistes whose accounts have been withheld are Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas and Sajal Aly.

When you click on Fawad, Atif and Rahat's accounts, Instagram says, “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”

This comes after the Indian government's move three days ago to ban 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including prominent media outlets like Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News. The channels were banned for airing provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India.

The release of Fawad's upcoming film Abir Gulaal, which also stars Vaani Kapoor, has also been stalled for now.   The film was supposed to release on 9 May.