In the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, India launched a powerful and coordinated military operation—codenamed Operation Sindoor—targeting terror hubs deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Carried out by a tri-services task force involving the Air Force, Navy, and Army, this marks India’s most significant cross-border strike since Balakot in 2019.
The operation came in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians—including a serving Indian Navy officer and a Nepali national—lost their lives. Intelligence reports linked the attack to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terror outfit known for state-backed operations.
Nine terror-linked locations—four in Pakistan and five in PoK—were hit with surgical precision. These were verified as operational bases of banned groups like LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The Indian Ministry of Defence clarified that no Pakistani military installations were targeted, reaffirming the operation’s sole focus on dismantling terrorism.
As the nation hailed the bravery of its forces, a parallel controversy erupted online. India banned the official social media accounts of several Pakistani celebrities, including Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir, and Ali Zafar. Many Indian citizens, celebrities, and politicians supported the ban, viewing it as a justified move against cross-border hypocrisy.
Fueling the fire, some Pakistani actors posted Instagram stories criticising the operation as a "cowardly act"—even as reports surfaced that a child was among those killed in the attack . Their statements—framing India’s retaliation as unjust—sparked nationwide outrage, especially among Bollywood circles.
Netizens questioned the silence of these stars during past terror strikes. “Where were these voices when our innocent civilians were killed?” asked one user. Now, as India responds with strength, these same voices call it ‘cowardly’.
The situation has reignited long-standing tensions not just between governments, but between cultures, platforms, and people.