Pakistan ships cyclone aid to Sri Lanka after airspace snub
“Islamabad sent 200 tonnes of relief supplies to Colombo by sea after India refused overflight, extending the journey.”
Key points
- Islamabad sent 200 tonnes of relief supplies to Colombo by sea after India refused overflight, extending the journey.
- Sri Lanka remains in emergency response mode after Cyclone Ditwah’s devastation.
Pakistan dispatched 200 tonnes of humanitarian supplies to Sri Lanka by sea after New Delhi refused permission to use Indian airspace, forcing a longer route around the subcontinent, the Foreign Office said.
The aid follows Cyclone Ditwah, which left hundreds dead and missing as the island struggles to restore basic services. A send-off ceremony in Islamabad was attended by Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and Sri Lankan High Commissioner Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne.
Islamabad said it stands in solidarity with Colombo as relief agencies continue operations nationwide. Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre estimates more than 1.5 million people have been affected, with authorities warning the death toll could rise as access improves.
Officials noted that intense rainfall across the region—linked by scientists to warmer oceans and a moisture-laden atmosphere—compounded flooding from back-to-back weather systems in South and Southeast Asia.
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