Popular Pakistani music has suddenly disappeared from Spotify in India, causing disappointment among fans. Songs like “Maand,” “Jhol,” and “Faasle” vanished on Wednesday night, following a new advisory issued by the Indian government on May 8.
The advisory instructed all OTT platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries to stop streaming any content originating from Pakistan. According to Indian reports, the move is linked to national security concerns following “Operation Sindoor” and a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam.
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Citing the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the advisory applies to all content types, including songs, films, series, and podcasts, regardless of whether they are free or paid.
Besides Spotify, YouTube Music has also seen changes. Album art from the movie Sanam Teri Kasam was edited to remove Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane. Similarly, Mahira Khan’s image was taken off promotional posters for Raees. The song “Buddhu Sa Mann” from Kapoor and Sons, featuring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, is no longer available to Indian users on YouTube.
The video now shows the message: “Video unavailable. The uploader has not made this video available in your country.”
Producer Deepak Mukut of Sanam Teri Kasam expressed surprise over the removal of Mawra Hocane, stating to Hindustan Times: “They didn’t ask me—it’s their decision. Whatever our government says, everyone has to follow.”
