Popular Pakistani music has been abruptly removed from Spotify in India, leaving fans across the border disheartened. Tracks like “Maand,” “Jhol,” and “Faasle,” along with many others, disappeared from the platform on Wednesday night, creating a noticeable void for listeners.
The move follows a directive issued by the Indian government on May 8, instructing all Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, digital intermediaries, and streaming services to immediately halt the distribution of content originating from Pakistan, according to NDTV.
Read more: ISPR Releases “Yalghar Hai” Celebrating Pakistan’s Armed Forces Resilience
The advisory, citing national security concerns in the aftermath of “Operation Sindoor” and the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, invoked Part II of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. It called for the discontinuation of all Pakistani-origin web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other media content, regardless of whether it was offered for free or through subscription.
The directive’s effects have rippled across various platforms. In addition to Spotify, YouTube Music has also reflected the changes. Notably, Pakistani actors have been removed from promotional material of Hindi films they previously starred in.
For example, the album cover of Sanam Teri Kasam was altered to exclude Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane on both Spotify and YouTube Music. A similar revision was made to the poster of Raees, with Mahira Khan’s image removed, leaving only the Indian lead actor.
Read more: Saudi Arabia, Qatar paid off Syria’s debt
Moreover, the song Buddhu Sa Mann from Kapoor and Sons, which featured Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, is no longer accessible on YouTube in India. The platform now displays a message stating, “Video unavailable. The uploader has not made this video available in your country.” Sony Music India, which uploaded the song, has also replaced its promotional visuals to exclude Fawad Khan.
Addressing these developments, Sanam Teri Kasam producer Deepak Mukut told Hindustan Times, “They didn’t ask me, it’s their decision. Whatever our government says, everyone has to follow.”