The ban, imposed at the legal request of the Indian government, arrives at a time of intensified conflict between India and Pakistan, making the silencing of Muslim voices even more significant.
Instagram users across India attempting to access the handle, which boasts over 6.7 million followers, are now greeted with the message: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
Khatahtbeh, condemned the restriction in strong terms. “Meta has blocked the @Muslim account by legal request of the Indian government. This is censorship,” he declared, confirming that he had received “hundreds of messages, emails, and comments” from Indian followers reporting their inability to view the account.
@Muslim, which had garnered over 866 million views and served as a crucial platform for sharing real-time news affecting Muslims globally, has now been effectively severed from India’s nearly 200 million-strong Muslim population.
In a statement made through Instagram, Al-Khatahtbeh emphasized the core mission of the platform: “@Muslim was created with the objective of building community, informing others about our faith, and sharing content in real time of stories that affects our ummah.”
He further affirmed the page’s unwavering commitment to justice: “When platforms and countries try to silence media, it tells us that we are doing our job in holding those in power accountable. We will continue to document the truth and stand out firmly for justice.” He also issued a direct appeal to Meta: “I call on Meta to reinstate the account in India.”
While Meta declined to comment directly, a company spokesperson referred reporters to a policy page outlining how the platform restricts content deemed in violation of local law.
The timing of this decision is not incidental. The ban follows the deadliest military confrontation between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan in two decades.
The Indian government launched missile strikes on nine Pakistani sites following a deadly attack in Kashmir, which left 26 Indian tourists dead. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the incident, an accusation Pakistan vehemently denies. In retaliation, Pakistan has vowed to “avenge” those killed.
The @Muslim account is not the only casualty of India’s sweeping censorship campaign. Access to social media profiles of prominent Pakistani personalities, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, singers Atif Aslam and Fawad Khan, and cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shahid Afridi, and Wasim Akram has also been blocked.
Additionally, over a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels have been banned under accusations of spreading “provocative” content.
Meanwhile, in a rare moment of diplomacy, former U.S. President Donald Trump urged both nations to de-escalate and offered to mediate, a call that underscores the seriousness of the conflict and its potential ramifications for regional and global peace.
