Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali's YouTube channels banned in India

New Delhi

The Indian government has blocked the YouTube channels of former Pakistan cricketers Shoaib Akhtar and Basit Ali, following an order related to national security and public order, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. On April 22, 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in the attack, which prompted the Indian government to take action.

The decision comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended banning several Pakistani YouTube channels. The government stated that these channels were spreading provocative, communally sensitive content, along with false and misleading narratives about India, its army, and security forces. Along with Akhtar and Ali's channels, others such as Dawn News, SAMAA TV, ARY News, BOL News, Geo News, and several others were also banned in India.

YouTube has complied with the order, displaying a message saying, This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order when users attempt to access these channels.

Shoaib Akhtar, a former fast bowler known for his entertaining and often insightful cricket commentary, is a well-liked figure in India. Basit Ali, a former cricketer and coach, also offers similar cricket-related content on his channel. Despite their popularity, the action reflects India's ongoing concerns about the content being shared by these channels in light of the recent security threats.