Did Pakistan Declare Salman Khan A 'Terrorist'? Fact-checking Viral Claims

Several media reports on Sunday claimed that Bollywood actor Salman Khan had been placed on Pakistan's "Fourth Schedule" under the country's Anti-Terrorism Act and had been labelled a "terror facilitator"

over his recent remarks surrounding Balochistan. But the claims are far from the truth.No Pakistani government official statement, notification, or entry was found on Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA) proscribed persons page or any Ministry of Interior/provincial Home Department gazette which notified Salman Khan's inclusion in the Fourth Schedule. The reports have also been denied by the Pakistan Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. According to a fact check on Pakistan's Ministry of Information & Broadcasting's social media handle on X, the claim remains unverified and false, and the news appears to be a sensational headline rather than a substantiated fact.

What did Salman Khan say about Balochistan?

The controversy erupted after Salman Khan's comments at the Joy Forum 2025 in Riyadh, where he appeared alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan to discuss the rising popularity of Indian cinema in the Middle East. During the discussion, he mentioned Balochistan and Pakistan separately.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."

Following Khan's statement, Baloch leaders, like Mir Yar Baloch, expressed gratitude toward the actor, saying Salman's words had "brought happiness to six crore Baloch people.""By recognising Balochistan as distinct, Salman Khan has done what many nations hesitate to do. It's a powerful act of soft diplomacy that strengthens the global awareness of our identity," he said.Balochistan has long been at the center of tensions. It is Pakistan's largest province by size, but the smallest by population, yet 70% of its 15 million inhabitants live below the poverty line. The region's exploitation has fueled anger and unrest among the Baloch population and has led to widespread insurgency and targeted attacks on Pakistani security forces.