Cultural Crackdown: India Orders Removal of Pakistani Music from Streaming Platforms
Pakistani music has started disappearing from Indian streaming platforms, including Spotify India, following a government advisory issued earlier this month under India’s Information Technology Rules. Tracks like Maand, Jhol, and Faasle were among the first to be removed, as part of a broader directive from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, calling for the elimination of Pakistani-origin content from digital media.
The ban, citing national security and sovereignty concerns, applies to web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other digital content originating from Pakistan. The crackdown follows rising tensions between India and Pakistan after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, though Pakistan has denied the allegations and called for an independent investigation.
Beyond music, Pakistani actors are also being digitally erased from promotional material on Indian platforms. Actress Mawra Hocane has been removed from Sanam Teri Kasam’s cover art on Spotify and YouTube Music, while Mahira Khan has vanished from Raees’ posters. Similarly, the song Buddhu Sa Mann from Kapoor & Sons, featuring Fawad Khan, is no longer available to Indian users.
Critics argue that even as Pakistani originals are erased, Bollywood continues to remake many of these songs, raising concerns about censorship, cultural ownership, and artistic freedom in the evolving digital media landscape.
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