New Delhi: Amid several media reports that some Pakistani YouTubers who made pro-India content and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been hanged by the Pakistan Army, an Islamabad-based content creator Arzoo Kazmi has denied anything like this and claimed that all of them are fine and she had even managed to speak to couple of them.
Kazmi added she has been told that most of these YouTubers are likely to resume their work shortly.
The hanging rumours gained momentum after about 12 YouTubers, including Sana Amjad and Sohaib Chaudhary, who were popular in Pakistan for their street interviews and pro-India content, went offline and stopped sharing videos on social media for several weeks.
“I am been continuously asked about well-being of several YouTubers Sohaib Chaudhary and Sana Amjad. There have been talks that they (Youtubers) have been hanged. But things are not like this, anybody can’t be hanged just for making videos…I know there are lots of wrong things happening in Pakistan…people are harassed and made to undergo mental torture, but so far I have not heard anything like this (hanging of YouTubers),” said Kazmi in a video on her YouTube channel.
Arzoo Kazmi’s statement
In the video, Kazmi lauded all these YouTubers for their content, but clarified that she has never worked with any of them except Sohaib Chaudhary, Ribaha and Shaila with whom she appeared in couple of videos.
“Barring one or two, I am not in contact with any of the Lahore-based YouTubers who have stopped working. I have spoken to Shaila Khan (Naila and Shaila) and Ribaha Imran, they were called and asked to surrender the credentials of their YouTube channels and asked not to publish pro-India or content or videos praising Modi ji and therefore they could not come online for so long. But all of them all are fine,” added Kazmi.
Who are Sana Amjad, Sohaib Chaudhary?
Sana Amjad and Sohaib Chaudhary are Pakistan-based YouTubers who are immensely popular in their country and other nations having Indian and Pakistani population. Chaudhary (Real Entertainment), and Amjad (self-titled), both are known for their pro-India videos where they are seen interviewing general public on issues pertaining to both the countries.
Recently, one video titled – “Modi Sada Sher Hai” (Modi is a Lion)- on Amjad’s channel was removed from YouTube. The video reportedly showed PM Modi’s Jammu and Kashmir visit and talked about Article 370.
There were widespread speculations about well being of Sana Amjad, Sohaib Chaudhary recently after both went offline and stopped adding content for almost 19 days.
Pakistani YouTubers hanged rumours
Social media was abuzz with speculations about the well being of Amjad and Chaudhary and claims that all of them have been either summoned or detained by ISI, added to them. However, Kazmi’s recent video if likely to put a stop over such rumours.
Kazmi said even she received a call and was asked to come to Lahore. But she refused to go there and told the caller that she would appear before them in Islamabad, but not in Lahore.
“People who make such calls and threaten people should know this is an era of social media they are being watched by the whole world,” said Kazmi without naming ISI or Pakistan Army.
Kazmi further said she has been told that all these YouTubers will resume their work in few days and extended good wishes expressed hope that all will continue with their good work.
