India blocks accounts of Bilawal Bhutto, Imran Khan amid rising tensions over Pahalgam terror attack

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the recent deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Indian authorities have suspended the social media accounts of prominent Pakistani political figures — Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The move comes in the wake of controversial remarks made by Bhutto, who recently acknowledged Pakistan's troubled history with terrorism. Speaking candidly, the former Foreign Minister admitted that his country has had ties with extremist groups in the past, stating that while Pakistan has suffered due to its association with terrorism, it has undertaken reforms to move away from such practices.

Bhutto's remarks closely followed a similar admission from Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who publicly conceded that the Pakistani establishment had supported and funded terrorist outfits in earlier years.

Addressing a political rally in Mirpur Khas on Thursday, Bhutto further heightened the rhetoric, asserting that while Pakistan seeks peace in the region, it is prepared to retaliate if provoked by India. His statement was widely criticized for being both provocative and contradictory, particularly at a time when cross-border relations remain fragile.