3 min read
Gilgit-Baltistan’s youngest and fastest-rising vlogger, Muhammad Shiraz, has encountered a major setback as his Instagram account, boasting 2.1 million followers, has been suspended.
The news was shared through a video on his popular YouTube channel, Shirazi Village Vlogs, which has 1.76 million subscribers. In the video, Shiraz’s father, Muhammad Taqi, emphasising that it happened without any advance notice. He characterised the scenario as “profoundly troubling” for the young creator, who has achieved notable acclaim in a brief period.
Taqi shared that he got an email at approximately 1 AM on January 27, 2025, informing him of the Instagram account suspension. After submitting an appeal, the account vanished entirely. “It’s a common perception that Shiraz gained overnight fame, and to some extent, that may be true. But behind the scenes, it took two to three years of my hard work to get him to this level,” he said.
Shiraz’s father mentioned that Instagram was their primary source of income through paid promotions. “Instagram was extremely important for us,” he emphasized. He assumed that the suspension may be attributable to Instagram’s stringent regulations concerning minor influencers. He also observed that YouTube’s algorithm has been constraining their content due to its classification within the “Made for Kids” category, thereby diminishing its reach.
“Shiraz used to get millions of views on YouTube, but now his views have significantly dropped due to the platform’s algorithm, which restricts content created by kids to child audiences only,” he added. He also suggested that fellow content creators who produce videos featuring children should blend their content with material aimed at adults to prevent facing similar restrictions.
Taqi shared the sentiments in a follow-up video, expressing his disappointment and stating that he had lost hope of recovering the account. He noted that a friend is actively addressing the issue in hopes of bringing it back to its original state.
A six-year-old vlogger and his little sister, Muskaan, who often appears in his videos, come from the Siachin sector of Gilgit-Baltistan. They quickly gained popularity a few months back when their heartwarming content captured the attention of many and went viral. He has won over millions with his enchanting vlogs, highlighting the charm of his village and its humble inhabitants.
Even with his imperfect Urdu, he shares distinctive viewpoints on life and provides an authentic depiction of his environment. Shiraz’s captivating simplicity and authentic portrayal of rural life in northern Pakistan have garnered him significant acclaim. In an impressively brief period, he has gathered more than 1.76 million subscribers on YouTube and over 2.1 million followers on Instagram.
