ISLAMABAD: Pakistani top actor Mahira Khan has spoken out against India’s ban on Pakistani celebrities and social media accounts, calling it a “political game” and emphasizing the role of artists in building cross-border connections.

India banned the social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities and influencers in early May, days before the two nuclear-armed countries took part in their worst military confrontation in decades, trading artillery fire, missile strikes and drone attacks for four days before the US brokered a ceasefire on May 10. 

New Delhi’s measures to ban Pakistan accounts came in response to India’s allegations that Islamabad was involved in an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 were killed. Pakistan denies involvement and has repeatedly called for an international probe.

When asked what she thought about India’s ban, Khan said she had “zero reaction” to it and still loved her fans in India.

“People are people, with politics it has nothing... Well, eventually it does relate to it, obviously. But it is a political game,” the actress told Independent Urdu in an interview. 

Pakistan’s telecommunication authority responded with measures of its own on May 7, announcing it had blocked 16 YouTube channels and 32 websites from India for spreading “anti-Pakistan propaganda” and disseminating false information.

Khan said she did not believe in banning art, wondering why artists were the first to bear the brunt of “political problems” between nations. 

“Because artists … and art is that thing that connects people,” Khan said. “So, the first thing you ban is this. So that this thing dies, there is no more love.”

The Pakistani actor described artists as “powerful” and the “soft power” of any country. 

Khan is one of the most popular and highest paid actors from Pakistan and the recipient of several accolades, including seven Lux Style Awards and seven Hum Awards. She has also made a mark in international cinema, most notably in the Bollywood flick ‘Raees’ in which she stared alongside Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan in 2017.

In addition to acting, Khan promotes social causes such as women’s rights and the refugee crisis and is vocal about issues such as child abuse and sexual harassment. Khan has been a national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Afghan refugees in Pakistan in 2019.

While the ceasefire between India and Pakistan persists, tensions continue to simmer as New Delhi says it will continue to hold in abeyance a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan. The treaty guarantees water access for 80 percent of Pakistan’s farms through three rivers originating in India.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed Pakistan’s tourism authorities to take immediate steps to boost the country’s international profile as a travel destination, including launching a global branding campaign, creating special tourism zones and attracting long-term investment in the sector.

While the prime minister did not refer to it during a Monday meeting on tourism development, his comments come just three days after a deadly flash flood in the scenic Swat Valley killed 13 members of a single tourist family.

According to rescue officials in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where Swat is located, 17 family members were swept away in the Swat River on Friday during a sudden rise in water levels caused by monsoon rains. Twelve bodies had been recovered as of Sunday, with search operations ongoing for the final missing person. The incident drew widespread condemnation in the media and online over what many called a slow response by emergency services.

“Pakistan’s tourism sector holds unlimited potential to earn foreign exchange,” the prime minister said at Monday’s meeting, according to a statement from his office.

“God Almighty has blessed Pakistan with natural resources and timeless beauty.”

Pakistan offers a diverse range of tourism attractions, drawing visitors with its dramatic landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture.

From the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush in the north, home to some of the world’s highest mountains like K2, to the ancient ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and Taxila, the country blends natural beauty with archaeological significance.

The Hunza, Swat, and Skardu valleys are popular for trekking, mountaineering, and scenic retreats, while cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad offer a mix of Mughal architecture, bustling bazaars, colonial-era landmarks, and modern urban life.

Religious tourism is also growing, with sites such as Kartarpur for Sikh pilgrims and the Buddhist ruins in Takht-i-Bahi. Pakistan’s coastline along the Arabian Sea, its deserts, forests, and diverse cultures make it a unique destination with year-round tourism potential.

Sharif directed the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation to move swiftly on plans to showcase the country abroad as a tourism brand, stressing public-private partnerships and stronger federal-provincial coordination to develop tourism infrastructure across the country.

“With snow-covered mountains, forests, rivers, as well as plains and desert areas, our country is not behind any nation in the world in terms of tourism,” Sharif said.

“Under the vision for national development, we will place Pakistan among the world’s leading tourist destinations.”

Officials at the meeting briefed the prime minister on proposals to promote medical tourism, develop recreational areas and improve access to northern tourist regions. 

Sharif emphasized encouraging domestic tourism alongside international promotion.

“Special measures should be taken to encourage domestic tourism and the arrival of local tourists at recreational spots,” he said. “Planning should be done to ensure long-term investment in the tourism sector.”

Since Friday’s tragedy in Swat, videos widely shared on social media have showed tourists stranded on rocks midstream, shouting for help as floodwaters surged. 

Survivors have widely said rescue services took hours to reach the scene.

The incident has sparked criticism over disaster preparedness in tourist areas.

The disaster was part of a broader wave of flash flooding across northern Pakistan last week, which has killed at least 32 people, according to rescue agencies.

Weather officials have warned of above-average monsoon rains this year, raising further concern over the vulnerability of tourist destinations in mountainous areas.

Forecasters say they cannot rule out a repeat of the “extreme situation” seen during devastating floods in 2022 when rains inundated a third of the country, killing 1,737 people and causing widespread destruction.