Pakistan Government’s X Account Withheld in India Amid Rising Tensions

New Delhi/Islamabad – The official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Government of Pakistan, @GovtofPakistan, has been withheld in India following a legal demand, as diplomatic tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. Users in India attempting to access the account are now met with a message stating: “Account Withheld @GovtofPakistan’s account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”

The move, reportedly executed by X in compliance with Indian legal directives, highlights the increasing use of digital platforms as instruments in geopolitical disputes. While the account remains visible and accessible to users outside India, it is now restricted within Indian territory.

This marks at least the third time that Pakistan’s official social media presence has been restricted in India. Similar actions were taken in July and October 2022 under comparable circumstances, raising concerns over transparency and the legal frameworks guiding such decisions.

The recent development comes against the backdrop of the Pahalgam incident and a series of diplomatic flashpoints that have strained bilateral ties. Analysts note that the digital sphere is becoming an extension of statecraft in South Asia, where control over narratives and access to information is increasingly being wielded as a strategic tool.

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As of now, neither the Indian government nor the platform X has publicly clarified the specific legal provisions or reasoning behind the latest withholding action.

The incident underscores the deepening mistrust and limited space for dialogue between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with even digital diplomacy becoming a casualty of geopolitical rivalry.