Pakistani Songs Removed From Music Apps Following Indian Government Advisory

On Wednesday, May 14, several Pakistani songs were taken down from major music streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. Popular tracks such as Maand, Jhol, and Faasle are among those no longer available to listeners in India.

The move follows an advisory issued by the Government of India on May 8, directing OTT platforms, digital streaming services, and intermediaries to remove all content originating from Pakistan. This includes web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other forms of digital media.

The advisory was issued under Part II of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. It emphasized the responsibility of platforms to ensure that hosted or streamed content does not threaten India’s sovereignty, integrity, national security, or public order.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting referenced a series of terror attacks with alleged cross-border links, most recently the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which resulted in the deaths of several Indian citizens and one Nepali national. The advisory, the ministry noted, was issued in the interest of protecting national security.

Streaming platforms operating in India have been advised to immediately discontinue access to any content of Pakistani origin, regardless of whether it is offered on a subscription basis or for free.