Salman Khan Called Terrorist in Pakistan for Balochistan Remark? Here’s the Truth Behind the Viral Claim

Rumours recently spread online claiming that Bollywood actor Salman Khan had been declared a terrorist by Pakistan. The reports suggested that the actor had referred to Balochistan as a separate entity from Pakistan.

However, Pakistan's government has now issued an official clarification. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has completely dismissed these reports as false and misleading.

Pakistan Government Denies Reports, Calls Them "Fake News"

On Sunday, Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting responded to the viral claim through its official fact-checking account on X.

The ministry shared a screenshot of the fake headline that read, "Pakistan puts Salman Khan on terror watchlist after Balochistan remark." A red stamp reading "Fake news / unverified" was placed over the image.

The clarification stated, "No Pakistani government official statement, notification or entry was found on NACTA's proscribed persons page or any Ministry of Interior / provincial Home Department gazette notifying Salman Khan's inclusion in Fourth Schedule."

It further added, "All publicly available reports stem from Indian media outlets repeating the allegation, but none trace back to an official Pakistani watch-list publication or formal announcement."

"Given the Optics..." Pakistan's Ministry Clears the Air

The ministry concluded that there was no factual basis for the viral reports. It said, "In absence of verifiable primary evidence, the claim remains unverified and false. Given the optics, this appears to be a sensational headline rather than a substantiated fact."

The official account also suggested that such stories might have been circulated to attract attention and create controversy online.

What Salman Khan Actually Said

The confusion began after Salman Khan attended the Joy Forum 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He shared the stage with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan while discussing the global success of Indian cinema.

Speaking about the popularity of Indian films in the Middle East, Salman said,
"Right now, if you make a Hindi film and release it here (in Saudi Arabia), it will be a superhit. If you make a Tamil, Telugu, or Malayali film, it will do hundreds of crores in business because so many people from other countries have come here. There are people from Balochistan, there are people from Afghanistan, there are people from Pakistan... everyone is working here."

His remark mentioning Balochistan was widely misinterpreted online, leading to the false reports.

Understanding the Balochistan Context

Balochistan is a province in the southwestern region of Pakistan. It shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan.

The region has witnessed a long-standing demand for autonomy and independence since 1947. These movements intensified after the creation of Bangladesh in 1971.

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have reported numerous violations in the area. Issues such as enforced disappearances, resource exploitation, and political marginalisation continue to affect local communities.

According to Amnesty International, nearly 10,000 people from Balochistan have gone missing since 2011.