Indian designer Manish Malhotra removes posts featuring Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir

Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra has removed Instagram posts featuring Pakistani actresses Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir, as cultural and digital fallout continues in the wake of escalating Pakistan-India tensions following the Pahalgam attack.

Meanwhile, Instagram had restricted access to the accounts of several Pakistani celebrities and influencers for users in India, following a legal request tied to content regulation.

Those affected included Mahira Khan and Hania Aamir.

Indian users trying to view their profiles were shown the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”

The move mirrored earlier actions by the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which had blocked several Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news and entertainment outlets.

Amid renewed Indo-Pak tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, India has increasingly moved to restrict cross-border cultural exchange, blocking Pakistani celebrities on social media and banning digital content.

The moves mark a widening of the conflict into the cultural sphere, with India's Modi government taking unilateral steps to curb soft engagement, under the pretext of national security concerns.