ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has accused India of intentionally creating obstacles for a humanitarian aid mission to Sri Lanka, leading to significant delays. An official statement revealed that a special Pakistani relief aircraft has been awaiting Indian flight clearance for more than 60 hours, thereby halting the transportation of essential supplies.
The ministry stated that India granted only partial clearance after a 48-hour delay, imposing conditions deemed “practically unworkable.” These included a limited-time clearance that excluded permission for the aircraft’s return journey, effectively making the mission logistically unfeasible.
The ministry emphasized that this obstruction is directly affecting the timely delivery of relief to Sri Lanka, leaving those in need without crucial assistance during a dire crisis.
Pakistan underscored that its initiative is driven solely by humanitarian considerations and expressed frustration over the continuous challenges it faces in executing the mission.
These developments underline growing diplomatic tensions in the region, with procedural and political hurdles complicating efforts to facilitate humanitarian cooperation. The delay also highlights broader difficulties in organizing relief operations across South Asia amidst entrenched geopolitical rivalries.
Meanwhile, rescue missions have intensified in Sri Lanka as the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah climbed to 355, with another 366 individuals still unaccounted for.
The cyclone, which struck last Friday, triggered Sri Lanka’s worst floods in a decade and caused catastrophic landslides in central districts. Over half a million people have been severely impacted by the disaster.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the catastrophe as one of the most significant and challenging in the nation’s history. Before weakening into a deep depression off the Chennai coast, the storm also struck southern India, claiming three lives in Tamil Nadu.
