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Pakistani songs have been removed from music streaming platforms in India — most notably Spotify — following an advisory issued by the Indian government on May 8 calling for the removal of all Pakistani content.

Popular tracks like ‘Maand’, ‘Jhol’, ‘Faasle’, and others began disappearing from Spotify India on Wednesday night, reported NDTV.

The move comes days after the military escalation between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, for which India blamed Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the accusations, calling for an independent probe. Tensions have since simmered down after a ceasefire was announced, but the Indian government continues to crack down on Pakistani content.

Last week, the Indian government issued an advisory directing all OTT platforms, media streaming services and digital intermediaries to discontinue web series, films, songs, podcasts and other media content from Pakistan.

Citing concerns over national security, the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting invoked the IT Rules to justify the clampdown, stating that media content from Pakistan could potentially affect India’s sovereignty, integrity, or public order.

This sweeping ban has resulted in the removal of songs, movies, and even images of Pakistani artists from digital platforms accessible within India.

Pakistani actors are also being digitally scrubbed from film covers — Sanam Teri Kasam’s album artwork on Spotify and YouTube Music no longer features Mawra Hocane; only her Indian co-star Harshvardhan Rane remains. Similarly, Mahira Khan has been edited out of Raees’ promotional imagery, leaving Shah Rukh Khan standing alone.

The 2016 hit ‘Buddhu Sa Mann’ from Kapoor & Sons, which featured Fawad Khan, is now inaccessible on YouTube for Indian users. Sony Music India, the uploader, has also altered the song’s poster to remove Fawad’s image.

Responding to the changes, Sanam Teri Kasam producer Deepak Mukut told Hindustan Times, “They didn’t ask me, it’s their decision. Whatever our government says, everyone has to follow.”

This isn’t the first time India and Pakistan’s cultural ties have suffered due to politics, but this is the first time the shared musical heritage between the two nations is being erased. From ghazals and qawwalis to pop hits, Pakistani artists have long held a revered place in the Indian music scene.

Legends like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Nazia Hassan, and, more recently, Atif Aslam, Ali Sethi, and Maanu, have captivated millions of Indian listeners.

Ironically, while Pakistan-origin songs are being removed, Bollywood continues to profit off remakes of the very same music it now seeks to erase.

Over the years, India’s film industry has routinely repurposed and in some cases, lifted Pakistani tracks. Nazia Hassan’s ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’, Hasan Jahangir’s ‘Hawa Hawa’, and more recently Abrar ul Haq’s ‘Nach Punjaban’ and Sethi’s ‘Pasoori’ have all found second lives in Bollywood soundtracks, repackaged and redistributed for Indian audiences.

These remakes will likely continue to play on airwaves and streaming services, while the originals and the artists behind them are being erased.