Malabar Gold Faces Boycott After Hiring Pakistani Influencer Who Mocked Operation Sindoor

By Staff Writer | October 16, 2025

In a controversy that has ignited fierce debates on social media and beyond, Kerala-based jewellery giant Malabar Gold & Diamonds is grappling with widespread boycott calls ahead of the Diwali festive season. The uproar stems from the company’s recent collaboration with UK-based Pakistani influencer Alishba Khalid, whose past social media posts derided India’s military response to a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Activist Vijay Gajera has been at the forefront of exposing the association, leading to accusations of the brand being a “Pakistan sympathizer.” Malabar Gold has swiftly terminated the partnership and sought legal recourse, but the damage to its reputation appears far from repaired, with netizens vowing to shun its outlets.

The Spark: Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam Attack

To understand the depth of public outrage, one must revisit the events of early 2025 that heightened Indo-Pak tensions. On April 22, 2025, a devastating terror attack struck Pahalgam, a picturesque tourist spot in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The assault, claimed by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), killed 26 Hindu tourists, including women and children, in what was described as a targeted massacre aimed at derailing India’s tourism-driven peace initiatives in the Valley. The attack, one of the deadliest against civilians in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, drew universal condemnation and prompted swift retaliation from New Delhi.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025—a precision airstrike campaign targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Named after the vermilion mark symbolizing marital auspiciousness in Hindu tradition (a poignant nod to the victims’ personal losses), the operation involved missile strikes and drone sorties that neutralized over 200 militants, including high-value LeT commanders. The Indian Air Force’s S-400 air defense system made headlines by achieving a record 314 km kill, downing a Pakistani Saab 2000 Erieye AWACS aircraft. Pakistan’s retaliatory Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos claimed seven Indian jets, but the skirmish ended in a ceasefire brokered amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s interventions, with reports suggesting Islamabad sought mediation from allies like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Trump later claimed credit for halting the conflict, though Indian PM Narendra Modi clarified in Parliament that no foreign leader dictated India’s decisions.

The operation underscored India’s zero-tolerance stance on cross-border terrorism, boosting national morale but also stoking jingoistic sentiments. It was against this charged backdrop that Alishba Khalid’s comments resurfaced, turning a routine brand promotion into a flashpoint.

The Influencer at the Center: Alishba Khalid’s Controversial Past

Alishba Khalid, a London-based Instagram influencer with the handle @_alishchaudhary99, boasts a following built on lifestyle, fashion, and promotional content for various brands. Of Pakistani origin, she has endorsed products ranging from beauty items to local businesses in the UK. However, her social media history includes virulently anti-India rhetoric, particularly around Operation Sindoor.

In May 2025, shortly after the strikes, Khalid posted (now-deleted but widely screenshotted) content labeling the operation a “cowardly act.” One viral post read: “WHAT A COWARDLY ACT INDIA! YOU FAILED TO GIVE ANY EVIDENCE OF PAKISTAN’S INVOLVEMENT YOU CHOSE TO ATTACK AT NIGHT AND YOU TARGETED A MASJID AND TAKEN CIVILIAN LIVES THE WORLD’S BIGGEST DEMOCRACY HAS SHOWN HYPOCRISY. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD.” Another post dismissed her Indian followers: “I know 60% of my followers are from India and to be honest, I don’t care anymore,” followed by a prayer for Pakistan’s protection from “harm and evil.” These statements, interpreted as threats and endorsements of Pakistan’s narrative, went viral amid the post-operation fervor, painting Khalid as an unapologetic critic of Indian policy.

Unbeknownst to many, Khalid was invited as a VIP to Malabar Gold’s Birmingham showroom launch on September 6, 2025. The glitzy event, attended by over 10,000 guests including Bollywood star and brand ambassador Kareena Kapoor Khan, the Mayor of Birmingham, and Indian consular officials, aimed to tap into the UK’s South Asian diaspora. Khalid’s presence was arranged through JAB Studios, a London-based agency hired by Malabar Gold to curate local influencers for promotion. The company claims the contract was finalized in April—before the Pahalgam attack and Khalid’s posts—and that they were unaware of her nationality or views at the time.

Vijay Gajera’s Exposé and the Boycott Firestorm

Enter Vijay Gajera (@vijaygajera on X, founder of @onlyfactindia), a prominent activist and investigative reporter known for fact-checking and highlighting perceived anti-national corporate ties. On October 15, 2025, Gajera dropped a bombshell X post: “URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED. So MP Ahammed Owned Malabar Gold wants to send me to jail for exposing their Pakistani influencer collaboration, who has mocked our operation Sindoor.” Accompanied by screenshots of Khalid’s posts and event invites, the thread accused the brand of prioritizing profits over patriotism, urging Indians to boycott its stores.

Gajera’s post exploded, garnering over 17,000 likes, 7,600 reposts, and 781,000 views within hours. It resonated deeply with users still raw from Operation Sindoor’s emotional toll. Comments flooded in: “As an Indian company, it’s your first duty to hire only Indian influencers instead of Pakistani ones,” Gajera argued, framing the issue as a betrayal of national pride. Supporters rallied with #BoycottMalabarGold, sharing boycott pledges and tagging competitors like Tanishq. One user quipped, “They mocked our soldiers; now we’ll mock their sales.”

The timing couldn’t be worse—Diwali, the festival of lights and peak jewellery-buying season, is weeks away. With Malabar Gold’s vast network of 350+ stores across India and the Middle East, the boycott threatens significant revenue hits. Reports suggest sales inquiries have dipped 20-30% in urban centers like Mumbai and Delhi, per unverified social media anecdotes.

Malabar Gold’s Response: Termination, Lawsuit, and Court Victory

Malabar Gold, founded by MP M.P. Ahammed (a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and one of India’s richest individuals), acted decisively. The company terminated its association with Khalid and JAB Studios immediately after the backlash surfaced. In a Bombay High Court suit filed on September 29, 2025, before Justice Sandeep V. Marne, the brand sought an injunction against “defamatory” posts by Gajera, Only Fact, The Pamphlet, and others. Arguing that competitors were weaponizing the issue for sabotage, senior counsel Naushad Engineer emphasized: “The engagement predated the controversy, and we cannot be held liable for an influencer’s personal views.”

The court granted an ad-interim order on September 30, directing platforms like Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), X, Google (YouTube), and news portals to remove 442 URLs of “defamatory material” within 24 hours. It restrained further publications linking the brand to Khalid or Pakistan sympathies, while barring printed material from outlets like Latest Newspaper Agency. The ruling highlighted the need for “influencer vetting” in cross-border marketing, with marketers now discussing tighter clauses and real-time monitoring.

Gajera, undeterred, declared: “I am willing to go to jail for the pride of our Army… Let’s see who wins: your money, power, or the support of Indians.” He has launched a crowdfunding appeal for legal defense, framing it as a David-vs-Goliath battle.

Broader Implications: Corporate Patriotism in a Polarized Era

This saga exposes fault lines in India’s hyper-nationalist discourse, where corporate decisions are scrutinized through a geopolitical lens. Malabar Gold, with its UAE headquarters and global footprint, caters to diverse expatriate communities—engaging non-Indian influencers is standard for such brands. Yet, in an era of “vocal for local,” associations with Pakistani figures (even tangential) invite swift backlash, amplified by X’s algorithm.

Critics like Gajera argue it reflects deeper issues: Why hire from a nation accused of harboring terrorists? Defenders point to the agency’s oversight and question selective outrage—why not boycott Pakistani-origin celebrities in Bollywood or cricket? The Bombay HC’s intervention underscores the thin line between free speech and defamation, especially when business stakes are high.

As Diwali approaches, Malabar Gold’s fate hangs in the balance. Will consumers forgive a “honest mistake,” or will #BoycottMalabarGold trend into permanence? One thing is clear: In 2025’s India, national sentiments are the ultimate brand jury.

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