India blocks Pakistan government’s X account after deadly Pahalgam attack

Despite the suspension of the official government account, individual X accounts of Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, remain visible in India.

By  Storyboard18Apr 24, 2025 12:12 PM
India blocks Pakistan government’s X account after deadly Pahalgam attack
Despite the suspension of the official government account, individual X accounts of Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, remain visible in India.

India has blocked the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Pakistani government, following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed the lives of 26 people.

The decision came shortly after a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss India's response to the 23 April attack. Gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists enjoying pony rides in the scenic valley, in one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

As part of its measures, India has also suspended a key clause of the Indus Waters Treaty—a long-standing water-sharing agreement with Pakistan—and closed a major land border crossing in Kashmir.

In addition, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that all Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata and must leave within a week. India will also be pulling its own military advisors from the High Commission in Islamabad, along with five support staff. These roles are now considered annulled by both sides.

Despite the suspension of the official government account, individual X accounts of Pakistani leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, remain visible in India. While leaders across the world issued strong condemnations of the Pahalgam attack on social media, there was no public statement from Sharif or his ministers—only a press release from Pakistan’s Foreign Office.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has responded by calling the Pahalgam incident a “revolution” against alleged oppression of minorities in India. In a controversial statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that such events are part of wider resistance movements in various Indian states, including Nagaland, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, and Kashmir.

“These are uprisings against Hindutva forces that are repressing minorities, including Christians and Buddhists,” said Asif. “People are fighting for their rights.”

Pakistan is expected to hold a high-level National Security Committee meeting on Thursday to formulate its official response to India’s actions, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Prime Minister Sharif has reportedly summoned the country’s top military commanders and ministers to discuss what Pakistan has labelled a “false flag operation” by India.

First Published on Apr 24, 2025 12:12 PM

More from Storyboard18

Digital

Instagram expands photo format options, adds new reel discovery feature

Instagram expands photo format options, adds new reel discovery feature

How it Works

Dark Patterns, Explained: The digital design tactics misleading millions

Dark Patterns, Explained: The digital design tactics misleading millions

How it Works

Amid ANI controversy, public broadcasters make content free or affordable for creators

Amid ANI controversy, public broadcasters make content free or affordable for creators

How it Works

Court asks Mohak Mangal to modify video, Zubair and Kamra to take down ANI posts

Court asks Mohak Mangal to modify video, Zubair and Kamra to take down ANI posts

Digital

Delhi HC questions YouTuber Mohak Mangal's "defamatory language" in "extortion" allegations against ANI

Delhi HC questions YouTuber Mohak Mangal's "defamatory language" in "extortion" allegations against ANI

How it Works

LinkedInfluencers under fire: ASCI demands transparency in paid posts

LinkedInfluencers under fire: ASCI demands transparency in paid posts

How it Works

60% travellers say social media and OTT now shape their holiday plans: Thomas Cook & SOTC Travel

60% travellers say social media and OTT now shape their holiday plans: Thomas Cook & SOTC Travel

Digital

Tech millionaire Bryan Johnson warns against hustle culture after Indian techie's viral post

Tech millionaire Bryan Johnson warns against hustle culture after Indian techie's viral post