Arshad Nadeem’s Instagram account blocked in India after 'legal request'

Arshad Nadeem (Pic: AFP)

Olympic gold medalist and javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem's official Instagram account has been restricted in India following a 'legal request'.

When users in India attempt to access Nadeem's profile, they are met with the message: "Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content."

"We received a legal request to restrict this content. We reviewed it against our policies and conducted a legal and human rights assessment. After the review, we restricted access to the content in the location where it goes against local law," further elaborated Instagram.

This development comes in the aftermath of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir, on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, and left many injured. In response, the Indian government has moved to restrict several Pakistani social media accounts with substantial reach in the country.

Earlier this week, India also curtailed access to several Pakistani YouTube channels, including those belonging to former cricketers Shoaib Akhtar, Basit Ali, and Shahid Afridi. However, unlike Nadeem, their Instagram profiles remain accessible to Indian users. The restrictions were reportedly based on the dissemination of "provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives, and misinformation against India, its Army, and security agencies."

While Instagram accounts of current Pakistani cricketers like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan remain visible in India, others, such as actors Mahira Khan and Ali Zafar, have also faced similar bans.

Arshad Nadeem notably clinched gold at the Paris Olympics, defeating India's Neeraj Chopra, who had earlier won gold in Tokyo. Nadeem was invited by Chopra to participate in the upcoming NC Classic javelin event in Bengaluru, set for May 24. He declined the invitation, citing prior commitments.

The invitation sparked backlash against Chopra on social media, despite the athletes' longstanding rivalry and mutual respect on the global stage. Addressing the controversy, Chopra stated: "There has been so much talk about my decision to invite Nadeem to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic, and most of it has been hate and abuse. They haven't even left my family out of it... The invitation I extended to Arshad was from one athlete to another - nothing more, nothing less..."