Bilal Maqsood’s ‘Pakkay Dost’ YouTube channel hacked

Singer says recovery efforts with Google/YouTube underway, urges viewers not to click suspicious links

The official YouTube channel of Pakkay Dost, the children’s puppet show created by singer-songwriter Bilal Maqsood, has been hacked, leaving fans temporarily cut off from new content. Maqsood confirmed the breach on Thursday through a post on social media, cautioning viewers to avoid engaging with any suspicious uploads.

“Our Pakkay Dost YouTube channel has been hacked and is currently under someone else’s control,” Maqsood wrote. He added that his team had already contacted Google and YouTube to recover access. “We are already in touch with Google/YouTube and working to recover. Please do not click on any new videos or links from the channel until we confirm it’s safe,” he said. The artist also asked fans to pray for the channel’s recovery.

The development comes just weeks after Maqsood released the second volume of nursery rhymes from Pakkay Dost, which first premiered in 2023. The show has been widely praised for its engaging puppetry, storytelling, and music, blending entertainment with lessons in kindness, responsibility, and cultural values. It has been credited with reigniting interest in Urdu among young audiences at a time when many families rely on English-language children’s content.

Parents have often shared positive feedback about the show’s educational impact. On Instagram, one parent commented, “My kids absolutely adore Pakkay Dost. The little one didn’t speak any Urdu and now randomly sings Pani hay bachana,” referencing one of the show’s popular rhymes about water conservation. Another described the initiative as a “wonderful” way to promote Urdu for the new generation.

Celebrities have also endorsed the project. Actor Sajal Ali lauded Maqsood last month, calling his efforts “a great job” and highlighting the importance of preserving the Urdu language. “Urdu is a beautiful language and it’s high time we stop running away from it,” she remarked.

Beyond entertainment, Pakkay Dost has also expanded its reach through social initiatives. In January 2024, Maqsood announced a partnership with accessibility platform ConnectHear to integrate sign language interpretation, making the show inclusive for children with hearing impairments. “Our mission is to bring joy, learning and cultural enrichment and create a brighter childhood for all children,” Maqsood said at the time, describing the collaboration as a “significant step” toward inclusivity.

The hacking of Pakkay Dost’s digital platform underscores the vulnerabilities faced by content creators on major streaming sites. High-profile cases of hacked YouTube channels have grown in recent years, often involving cybercriminals taking control of accounts to spread scams, unauthorized advertisements, or malware. YouTube advises creators to activate two-factor authentication and remain vigilant against phishing attempts—precautions that many smaller creators overlook until a breach occurs.

Maqsood, best known as a founding member of the pop-rock band Strings, launched Pakkay Dost as a personal passion project following his move into children’s programming after the band’s dissolution in 2021. The show combined music, character-driven puppetry, and thematic lessons, carving out a niche in Pakistan’s largely underdeveloped children’s media sector. It quickly attracted both critical acclaim and a loyal following among young viewers and parents.

While the channel remains compromised, Maqsood’s announcement has prompted an outpouring of support on social media, with many fans urging YouTube to expedite recovery. For parents who rely on the platform as part of their children’s daily routine, the disruption is a setback, though the show’s creator has assured that efforts are underway to restore content safely.

The incident serves as a reminder of the central role digital platforms now play in cultural outreach and education in Pakistan, where traditional children’s programming has been limited in recent years. Whether Pakkay Dost’s YouTube channel returns swiftly will not only affect its young audience but also highlight broader concerns over digital security for independent creators.

As Maqsood continues working with Google and YouTube to regain access, fans await the channel’s restoration and hope the setback will not derail what has become one of Pakistan’s most celebrated children’s shows.