Pahalgam Spillover continues as India Blocks Pak Govt X account

ISLAMABAD – In another tragic escalation of diplomatic agitation, India has suspended the official X (previously Twitter) account of the “Government of Pakistan,” following a deadly incident in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that killed 28 visitors.  

India on Thursday blocked the official handle of the government of Pakistan on the social media platform X, just hours after downgrading diplomatic ties with the nation following the Pahalgam terror attack.   

The move is not a stand-alone effort: Islamabad saw a series of retaliatory actions taken by New Delhi after it accused Pakistan of involvement in the deadly gun attack in the occupied region of Kashmir without conducting any investigation.  

India hurried to unilaterally cut off the Indus Waters Treaty, block the Attari-Wagah border crossing and made Pakistani diplomatic envoys in India persona non grata. In addition to that, the Modi government suspended SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas for Pakistani nationals indefinitely as a reaction. 

Islamabad, however, has strongly denied any link to the event, calling the charges “baseless” and “politically driven.”    

According to Indian authorities, the decision to implement strict measures, including the social media ban and downgrading of diplomatic tie,s was taken during a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).   

Prior to that, India summoned Pakistan’s diplomat Saad Warraich Wednesday and was handed over a note verbale with all measures taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Tuesday.  

Pakistan Calls Pahalgam Attack a “False Flag Operation,” Demands Proof  

Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, responded quickly to Indian penalizing actions, dismissing India’s charges as “politically motivated,” implying that the strike could be a false flag operation to serve India’s internal and geopolitical objectives, as the current government of Republic of India has been known to orchestrate in the past.  

“The timing is questionable,” Asif stated, “especially after recent political developments in the region.” He reiterated Pakistan’s stance of zero tolerance for terrorism and emphasized the country’s complete non-involvement in the Pahalgam incident.  

Following the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security’s meeting earlier this week to review its own response to the attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) will convene today to assess India’s recent aggressive measures and devise a comprehensive policy response and measures. Three service chiefs and important key ministers will attend the meeting, reported Radio Pakistan. 

Foreign Office Condemns Attack, Urges Caution  

Pakistan’s Foreign Office issued an official communiqué decrying the attack and expressing profound regret for the lives lost, while also rebuking India’s response as “baseless accusations” made without solid proof.  

“Though we stand united with the victims’ families,” the communiqué continued, “we call on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any measures that might further destabilize the region.”  

It is to note that India has blamed Pakistan for various terror attacks on its soil in the past, most famously in Uri, Pathankot and Pulwama during 2016-2019.  

Tension Escalation Boiling Over to the Digital World  

The Indian government’s decision to suspend Pakistan’s official X account represents a notable development in digital diplomacy, highlighting how social media platforms are increasingly used as instruments in geopolitical disputes.   

Critics, including free speech activists and policy experts, argue that this action risks establishing a troubling precedent for how nations engage online in diplomatic arenas.  

This isn’t India’s first attempt at blocking Pakistani government handles: In March 2023, New Delhi successfully secured a legal order that forced X (then Twitter) to withhold the @GovtofPakistan account from being viewable within India, citing domestic court demands and alleging violations of local laws, as reported by Reuters.